Mexican flag flying above an american flag.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I dunno - I tend to think that people who get offended by this kind of thing don't have enough to occupy their time.

What is important to some is quite the opposite to others. Which is how I feel about gay rights, something being unconstitutional etc..

This whole situation is icing on the cake. People are fed up of others from one bordering nation simply taking a #### on America's law and its people; as 'they' see fit might I add..

I dunno - I tend to think that harbouring a private resentment and acting on it in a criminal way is somewhat over the top...

I am not excusing this guy but I can see how people here have had enough. We already know America is the scapegoat of the world's problems but when did America become every else's door mat.

Irrespective of the laws, the person who owns the store should have shown respect to the country he is living and earning a living in..

And I thought we were a "country of laws". Isn't that the particular slogan that pertains to that 'other' issue?

Seems to me that the guy who abused this storeowner's property was showing less respect to the country and its values, than the guy who at the end of the day only put up a flag.

Suggesting that this man somehow had a right to do what he did, or that an act of vandalism can be defended or excused because people have "had enough" seems rather hypocritical to me.

What's next? "I had a right to beat him, because I didn't like the shirt he was wearing".

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Selective outrage...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I dunno - I tend to think that people who get offended by this kind of thing don't have enough to occupy their time.

What is important to some is quite the opposite to others. Which is how I feel about gay rights, something being unconstitutional etc..

This whole situation is icing on the cake. People are fed up of others from one bordering nation simply taking a #### on America's law and its people; as 'they' see fit might I add..

aren't you assuming that is what this person was doing? we don't know his intention.....we certainly don't know if he maliciously set out to offend people and break an ambiguous rule. How WOULD you feel if it was someone from Canada doing this in a border town say in Minneapolis....would there be the same outrage.... ? I don't think so...

I'd like to think that if you barged onto someone's property and started breaking their stuff out of some imagined sleight - that most reasonable people wouldn't be on the side of the vandal.

What about jumping the border and illegally entering somebodies sovereign nation??

Has nothing to do to with this man's act of vandalism. Lets not pretend that it does.

[trailmix 77]

I'd like to think that if you barged onto someone's property and started breaking their stuff out of some imagined sleight - that most reasonable people wouldn't be on the side of the vandal.

What about jumping the border and illegally entering somebodies sovereign nation??

Well if when they jump the border they are carrying an alien flag, you should confiscate it.

Edited October 19, 2007 by trailmix

[Ban Hammer 13,334]

Looks like some Southern folk need to learn a little flag etiquette too...

maybe someone should learn their state flags.......and why this one in particular can be flown like that

[Kevin and 10]

Theft and vandalism period. He needs to pay the fine and restitution.

But I'd bet he would do it again. At least he wasn't coward while doing it. He gave his name and didn't hide behind a mask.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Makes you wonder how this story would be played if the business owner was one of those folks who lives by the 2nd amendment.

Would he be a "principled vet", or a vandal trespassing on someone's property?

[Marc and Olga 0]

I know none of us can say with 100% certainty what the intentions were in displaying the flags as this shop did. Obiously there was already public offense to it but was it intentional, I don't think so...I honestly think if the guy had of asked the shop owners to properly display the flags they would have rectified the situation...

I'll be honest, I don't care if they ONLY want to have the Mexican Flag flying (as disrespectful as I believe that is of the country in which they live), that is their right as I have the right to avoid their establishment like the plague!

However the presentation was far more disrespectful to those of us with some background of "proper flag handling and displaying", I can't say I would have done anything other then be offended by it and be over it, again avoiding the business like the plague.

While I understand WHY the guy did what he did, while I was never in the military, I was a Boy Scout (I was almost an Eagle scout ), they tought us (back then) to respect the flag, how to handle the flag and how to properly discard the flag... I do NOT agree with his reaction! I do believe he should be punished for vandalism (cutting the rope that held these flags up) and theft, he did the crime, he should do the time and I am certain he would gladly do it, having fought for our country, a little jail time should be easy peasy!

I should point out that the treatment the vet did was probably not considered disrespectful to him as I would guess his intentions were to dispose of the flag as any flag that has been mistreated should be disposed (burned and buried).

this is, of course, just MHO

[Kevin and 10]

Makes you wonder how this story would be played if the business owner was one of those folks who lives by the 2nd amendment.

Would he be a "principled vet", or a vandal trespassing on someone's property?

Still a vandal. Depending on which state, could be a dead vandal.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Looks like some Southern folk need to learn a little flag etiquette too...

maybe someone should learn their state flags.......and why this one in particular can be flown like that

The point is that if the outrage is REALLY about flag etiquette or lack of...then I'm certain there are and have been plenty of instances where proper flag etiquette wasn't being followed and nobody stormed up the flag pole and took down the American flag.

The real issue underneath the chest thumping is what I take offense to. I wish people who believe in their hearts and minds they are being good Americans would behave like good Americans by upholding the principles of what makes this country what it is. You can't claim to be patriotic if you're deliberately disregarding the U.S. Constitution.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Looks like some Southern folk need to learn a little flag etiquette too...

maybe someone should learn their state flags.......and why this one in particular can be flown like that

The point is that if the outrage is REALLY about flag etiquette or lack of...then I'm certain there are and have been plenty of instances where proper flag etiquette wasn't being followed and nobody stormed up the flag pole and took down the American flag.

The real issue underneath the chest thumping is what I take offense to. I wish people who believe in their hearts and minds they are being good Americans would behave like good Americans by upholding the principles of what makes this country what it is. You can't claim to be patriotic if you're deliberately disregarding the U.S. Constitution.

This is an extreme example - but didn't those guys who in the Michigan Militia who destroyed the FBI building claim to be patriotic citizens?

[kaydee457 13]

This veteran in the story scares me. I hope those who are figting in other countries right now are not as likely to go off half-cocked over some small trivial matter and harm innocent people in the process.

Frankly, as a veteran myself people like you scare me...........

The event the gentleman engaged in is against the law, yes, but is no more serious than any other civil act of disobediance rooted in nothing more than the intutive knowledge that we are being overrun by illegals that are sapping us of our taxes, in social costs, bringing crime to our country, and thumbing their noses at us.

This is the impetus of his acting out on his emotions. He's sick of it, and frankly, so am I.

I now support (as I'm told statistically) in my school district 3 out of 10 students that are illegals belonging to those very people that are defended as "hard workers" that burden nobody and take jobs that no american wants.

Well, this is the root of the anger; they do burden us with large families that require an inordinate amount of social services that all americans pay for in the form of taxes......

We are losing this country to a liberal point of view that refuses to acknowledge the social cost of having these people here and would give it away.

Press 1 for english, 2 for spanish? Why should there be a choice?

Edited October 19, 2007 by kaydee457

[Vipul and Jamie 0]

This veteran in the story scares me. I hope those who are figting in other countries right now are not as likely to go off half-cocked over some small trivial matter and harm innocent people in the process.

Frankly, as a veteran myself people like you scare me...........

The event the gentleman engaged in is against the law, yes, but is no more serious than any other civil act of disobediance rooted in nothing more than the intutive knowledge that we are being overrun by illegals that are sapping us of our taxes, in social costs, bringing crime to our country, and thumbing their noses at us.

This is the impetus of his acting out on his emotions. He's sick of it, and frankly, so am I.

I now support (as I'm told statistically) in my school district 3 out of 10 students that are illegals belonging to those very people that are defended as "hard workers" that burden nobody and take jobs that no american wants.

Well, this is the root of the anger; they do burden us with large families that require an inordinate amount of social services that all americans pay for in the form of taxes......

We are losing this country to a liberal point of view that refuses to acknowledge the social cost of having these people here and would give it away.

Press 1 for english, 2 for spanish? Why should there be a choice?

well said

[Alhamdulillah 0]

we are being overrun by illegals

Where was it mentioned that this shop owner is an illegal alien? If it hasn't been presented or proven then your opinion is baseless and irrelevant to this discussion.

[Pinocchio Liberal 268]

This veteran in the story scares me. I hope those who are figting in other countries right now are not as likely to go off half-cocked over some small trivial matter and harm innocent people in the process.

Frankly, as a veteran myself people like you scare me...........

The event the gentleman engaged in is against the law, yes, but is no more serious than any other civil act of disobediance rooted in nothing more than the intutive knowledge that we are being overrun by illegals that are sapping us of our taxes, in social costs, bringing crime to our country, and thumbing their noses at us.

This is the impetus of his acting out on his emotions. He's sick of it, and frankly, so am I.

I now support (as I'm told statistically) in my school district 3 out of 10 students that are illegals belonging to those very people that are defended as "hard workers" that burden nobody and take jobs that no american wants.

Well, this is the root of the anger; they do burden us with large families that require an inordinate amount of social services that all americans pay for in the form of taxes......

We are losing this country to a liberal point of view that refuses to acknowledge the social cost of having these people here and would give it away.

Press 1 for english, 2 for spanish? Why should there be a choice?

well said

Thanks Kaydee!