Trump Threatens Flag-Burning Americans With Loss Of Citizenship Or Jail

Fox News via Zero Hedge ^ | November 29, 2016 10:29 AM | by Tyler Durden

[SeekAndFind]

With snowflakes everywhere across America seemingly content to burn the Stars & Stripes to protest democracy's decision to elect what they have been told is a racist, homophobic, anti-semitic, sexist, tax-fraud as president...

... President-elect Donald Trump has put his foot down in this seemingly most unpatriotic of endeavors:

Nobody should be allowed to burn the American flag - if they do, there must be consequences - perhaps loss of citizenship or year in jail!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 29, 2016

Of course, there is the small issue of changing the Constitution as flag burning remains protected speech by the First Amendment.

The catalyst for Trump's 7 a.m. tweet is unclear. Fox News reported earlier this month that Hampshire College in Massachusetts would stop flying all flags on campus after an American flag was burned following Trump’s win.

"We hope this will enable us to instead focus our efforts on addressing racist, misogynistic, Islamophobic, anti-immigrant, anti-Semitic and anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and behaviors," Hampshire's president, Jonathan Lash, said in a statement at the time. 

Rep. Sean Duffy (R-Wis.) pushed back on Trump’s proposal during an early morning interview. "I don't think we want to make this a legal issue," Duffy told CNN on Tuesday.

And before the liberal media gets hold of this tweet and claims Trump's fascist tyranny is peaking through against constitutionally protected rights to do whatever a citizen wants, don't forget that none other than the Hillary Clinton herself sponsored exactly this punishment in The Flag Protection Act of 2005

In 2005 a bill was introduced that would outlaw burning the American flag.

That bill was introed by: @HillaryClinton & Sen Bennett (R-UT) pic.twitter.com/3hKzTjV0E9

— Frank Thorp V (@frankthorp) November 29, 2016

The Flag Protection Act of 2005 was a proposed United States federal law introduced by Senators Hillary Clinton and Robert Bennett. The law would have outlawed flag burning, and called for a punishment of one year in jail and a fine of $100,000. According to the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service, the act was summarized as such:

Amends the federal criminal code to revise provisions regarding desecration of the flag to prohibit: (1) destroying or damaging a U.S. flag with the primary purpose and intent to incite or produce imminent violence or a breach of the peace; or (2) stealing or knowingly converting the use of a U.S. flag either belonging to the United States or on lands reserved for the United States and intentionally destroying or damaging that flag.

Early in his presidential campaign, Trump said that he supported revoking the citizenship of babies born to undocumented immigrants, but this appears to be the first time since then that he’s proposed revoking citizenship as a punishment.

[NotchJohnson]

But our soldiers died so they have the right to burn the flag they will say. It is more American than apple pie they say.

[amihow]

Loss of Citizenship? Come on Mr. Trump.

[JimRed]

Threatens? That’s not a threat; it’s a PROMISE!

(< /sarc > tag needed?)

[manc]

of course you can burn it. Wit for one of those parades they have, you know the ones where rainbow flags fly, signs state tolerance, and where they act perverted sex acts on each other.

Now go and burn a rainbow flag as they past you, and all they will do is say he or she has a Constitutional right, and is just expressing their views .

YEA RIGHT.

Their tolerance only holds for people who agree with their views.

[JBW1949]

In my opinion, burning our flag says a lot about just what kind of person the burners are...

[zencycler]

Trump with remote control:
“Seen that ...
(click)
Seen that ...
(click)
Seen that (yawn) ... oh wait I know ...
(tweet tweet tweet)
OK ... (heh heh) time to watch a new media meltdown in 3, 2, 1 ...”.

[ican'tbelieveit]

I love it. This is a tactic of the left: Swing way too far to the left, and force a debate to the middle...

In this case, making those are the far left debate more to the center. About time we came out swinging on these topics.

[FiddlePig]

I believe there is an absolute 1st Amendment right to burn the flag. What Trump should do is pass a law that says anyone who kicks a flag burner’s sorry arse... is only guilty of a mild misdemeanor, punishable by nothing more that a stern talking to.

[unlearner]

I agree with you.

Such acts should be met with public ridicule, ostracization, loss of employment (or boycotting employers of such protestors), rather than punishment by the government.

However, burning flags should be grounds for a thorough examination of a person’s background though. It sends a message that could be construed to advocate rebellion and sedition. These people are probably guilty of something such as tax evasion, terroristic threats, etc.

Federal government should perhaps do a tax audit, phone tap, and track Internet activities of such individuals to determine if they are a threat to citizens.

[dainbramaged]

Go to Bangkok, make fun of their king and then see what happens.

[Old_Grouch]

One of the BEST things about Trump is that he seems to act as if his life is a series of professional wrestling matches. One of the WORST things about Trump is that he seems to act as if his life is a series of professional wrestling matches.

Right! Even though this "brash" off-the-cuff type of statement may be wrong in some way (I think this one conflicts with court decisions), his dramatic way of calling a spade a spade is so refreshing. OK, he would have to back down, he couldn't really carry out that threat. But he sure voices what people think when they watch a bunch of anarchist trouble-makers burning a flag.

And then to watch the left-wingers responding to it! Very entertaining!

[Electric Graffiti]

If congress giveth...that can taketh away.
Especially if the court gives one citizenship...see anchor babies and won kim ark. Those unconstitutional ‘citizenships’ can be stripped now.

Anyways, this is the frozen turkey thrown into the state run media alligator pit.

Trump gives them something to chew on while he’s doing something else.

[faithhopecharity]

a lot of folks out here are sympathetic but President Trump won’t be able to do either of these things to the flag burners

[pissant]

He’s not wrong. Just because the SCOTUS pulls a stupid decision out of their arses (too numerous to count), does not mean its settled.

[Morpheus2009]

This is a point where Trump isn’t bright at all. We shouldn’t prosecute. We should let people ridicule those who burn the flag though, so long as they don’t commit serious assault, theft, or murder on those who burn it.

[Stormy_2021]

“Would you like to see a federal agency that forces people to stand for the National Anthem?”

---

Da Comrade... Da...

[Envisioning]

One of the BEST things about Trump is that he seems to act as if his life is a series of professional wrestling matches.

One of the WORST things about Trump is that he seems to act as if his life is a series of professional wrestling matches.

LOL....well said.

[taxcontrol]

I am of the opinion that burning a flag belonging to the federal government or on federal government property should be treated as arson and destruction of government property.

Burning a private flag while on state lands or private property should not be a federal issue.

[mbarker12474]

Burning the flag should be considered free speech, and not subject to penalty, but I’ve also liked the idea making flag burning (under some guidelines) an act of renouncing one’s U.S. citizenship. This might not be easy to implement with clear rules..........

This raises the question of just how does one renounce one’s citizenship? Is it possible if one is ‘natural born’? Is there a piece of paper to fill out and sign?

And of course, as citizenship doesn’t seem to mean all that much these days, what would be the negative effects of renouncing one’s citizenship? Would the local sheriff drive you the county border? Turn you over to Immigration and Nationalization Services? Punt you into the Atlantic Ocean?

[usual suspect]

Antonio Gramsci stated “Communism is a long march through the institutions” The institution of marriage, civility in the halls of congress, universities, A father in the marriage, work ethic, love of country, our Christian heritage and culture......do you get it?
It was he who first alerted fellow revolutionaries to the possibility that they would be able to complete the seizure of political power only after having achieved “cultural hegemony,” or control of society’s intellectual life by cultural means alone. His was an incremental, rather than an apocalyptic...
Colin Kapaernik is a Castro loving, white America hating, Communist, Black Lives Matter POS. He is a role model whose message is construes by some maniacs as “kill cops” There should not be a law, just dismissal.