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.

[zaxtres]

The interesting fact that Hitlary is said to have promoted this way back when is that she was going with the tide on this. It was found to be a freedom of speech to burn the US Flag in protest which quickly put a kabosh on her touting the flag burning ban. I am not defending Hitlary nor am I defending the right to burn the flag. I think if people in the USA wants to burn the flag, they should also burn their citizenship as well. I proudly supported and defended the flag back then and still do so today. The only reason I bring this up is because the MSM won’t.

[donna]

You're right. We should make it illegal and fight the battle at the beginning with the flag-burning protesters on the street.

If would save a lot of cops lives.

Just because some judges claim speech and burning are the same thing doesn't make it true. Let's make it known that burning equals endangerment-of-the-public and throw the burners in jail.

[BuffaloJack]

Trump isn’t threatening them. He knows that it their Constitutional right; he’s just expressing his disgust as an American for an act that he considers anti-American.

[ZULU]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_v._Johnson#Rehnquist.27s_dissent

I agree with Rehnquist AND TRUMP. People who desecrate the flag should face legal punishment. It is NOT a valid expression of political belief.

[Rome2000]

I am 100 percent in support of fag burning.

[Lorianne]

I think he is wrong with or without the SC (which I agree has made wrong decisions in the past).

Free speech and freedom of religion (both part of 1A) cannot be assailed without serious repercussions. It cannot be jiggered with on one issue without affecting all the rest.

[Electric Graffiti]

You have the right take.

This is a diversion feeding frenzy for the state run media and also to stake the ground far far to the other side then negotiate from there.

It’s vintage Trump. Magnificent bastard.

[Tammy8]

flag burning remains protected speech by the First Amendment.

Liberals really are mental, flag burning has been protected as free speech by liberal judges; not because it has anything to do with the First Amendment.

Liberals twist the Constitution and Bill of Rights especially...flag burning, abortion, killing disabled people all in the name of rights.

[Lorianne]

Yes you sure can.

[taxcontrol]

Congress, under it’s authority to establish a uniform rule of naturalization CAN and HAS established conditions by which an individual can loose their citizenship:

See INA § 349

[WayneS]

I agree.

My philosophy on flag burning is as follows:

If you paid for the flag, or otherwise legally obtained it, then it is your flag. You are empowered to define its meaning and importance as you understand them, and you are free to do whatever you please with that flag, up to and including burning it.

However, if I paid for the flag, or if my tax dollars paid for the flag, then it is not your flag. You are not allowed to define its meaning and importance, and you are not allowed to burn it or otherwise deface or burn it. In fact, if you set out to burn or otherwise deface it, I have both the right and responsibility to protect that flag using whatever means I deem necessary.

[Lorianne]

Exactly. It’s preposterous to even suggest such a thing (and dangerous).

[WayneS]

As long as you did not steal the flag from someone else then absolutely, yes.

[LeoWindhorse]

just allow for Public Safety Committees within our communities to deal with them

[Timpanagos1]

“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.”

More government agencies?

More laws?

How about we let the market decide about Kapaernik and the NFL and not hire federal agents to force Colin Kapaernik to stand during the Star Spangled Banner?

[tet68]

There should be no civil penalty but flag burning
should fall under the “Fighting Words” statutes
and be judged a provication to violence.

[Billthedrill]

I'm sure he means flag-burning as a political protest, but in fact burning is one of the ways you're supposed to retire soiled or worn American flags.

[Tammy8]

I don’t think people should be legally allowed to burn or otherwise disrespect the flag.

I don’t want to extend that to not standing for the Anthem or any other craziness- just the flag. I think everyone should respect our National Anthem but don’t think there should be a penalty for not doing it. I did see a man get his arse kicked at a rodeo once for refusing to stand for the National Anthem but that was an individual disagreement, nothing to do with the government forcing it.

[proud American in Canada]

‘This is a diversion feeding frenzy for the state run media and also to stake the ground far far to the other side then negotiate from there.’

_________________________________________________

I really need to read ‘The Art of the Deal.’

[Lisbon1940]

If the President can get a couple of appointees on the high court, then such Constitutional obstacles can be overcome..