Couple Terrorized, Assaulted and Arrested For Flying an Upside Down U.S. Flag

[Christa]

A North Carolina couple who were terrorized by a police officer who had recently returned from Iraq are now fighting back, after sheriff's deputy Brian Scarborough broke into their house, assaulted them and then arrested the Kuhns for the crime of flying an upside down U.S. flag.

Mark and Deborah Kuhn of Asheville, North Carolina made headlines last week when they were arrested for flying an upside down U.S. flag, a commonly recognized sign of distress, in their backyard, after police claimed they were violating a statute for "desecration of the flag".

As is supported by the United States Flag Code as well as a similar incident in 2001, flying the flag upside down is not a mark of disrespect, and in fact is considered by many to be the highest form of patriotism.

However, since 9/11 there have been several cases where individuals have been harassed, intimidated and even arrested for inverting the flag, by those who confuse a love of government with a love of country.

snip

Even though Kuhn took the flag down, the officer immediately demanded that the couple show their ID's and when they refused told them to put their hands behind their back and was about to arrest them before the couple shut and locked the door.

Scarborough then proceeded to kick the door in, "And the next thing we know, the glass is flying, he unlocks the deadbolt and he comes into our house after us," Kuhn told The Alex Jones Show.

The officer then pursued Mark Kuhn through the house before intercepting him in the kitchen and putting him in a choke hold.

Deborah Kuhn called 911 to report that the officer had broken into the home and was assaulting her husband.

The officer then pulled out pepper spray to which Mark Kuhn responded, "Are you going to spray me in my house?" before Scarborough whipped out his billy club and the Kuhn's ran out of the house into the street, pleading for help from their neighbors.

"Nine police cars showed up, they whipped out the Tasers, they said 'get down we're gonna Taser you' added Kuhn.

snip

http://www.blacklistednews.com/view.asp?ID=3897

[shain from kane]

1. That flag will be green with dollar signs before this is over.

[TechBear_Seattle]

2. And the campaign of fascism in the US continues

Thank goodness we live in the home of the free. :sarcasm:

[trueblue2007]

3. I got an email from a friend about this

and forwarded it to 10 people.

We need to get the word out that the ADMINISTRATION AND THEIR BULLIES are assaulting innocent Americans.

I recommended

[mainegreen]

4. With the right lawyer they could own that towns budget. n/t

[B3Nut]

12. I hope they find that lawyer

and sue the ever-loving hell out of that jackboot-thug police department. They should even consider running for local office.

Todd in Cheesecurdistan

[Bluzmann57]

5. You know, maybe this a reason people want guns in this country

A person certainly has a right to defend his or her self and if a rogue cop breaks in to a house and beats the hell out of the occupanmts, why can't the occupants blow the invader's brains all over the place? Self defense. I am not advocating violence, just asking a question and/or making an observation. I realize that if Mr. or Mrs Kuhn waould have shot the cop, they would be in jail for a long long time, and probably righfully so. But it does make a person wonder. What's happening to freedom?

[CGowen]

6. if you are allowed to kick doors in Bagdhad, you think you can do it at home. n/t

[shance]

7. Nine police cars? This was an all out armed assault on two victims.

This must go to trial.

Hopefully Jerry Spence will take it.

[lebkuchen]

8. Will Bush interpret this couple's flag as "materially" aiding the terrorists?

We need to be very concerned.

[YOY]

9. Officer friendly needs to read the constitution

And understand why he needs lose his badge.

[bunny planet]

10. Horrifying story.

Just horrifying. Apparently, nobody taught this Iraq veteran / Police officer that hanging the US flag upside down is the military's approved signal for distress. They really do need to prosecute this 'officer of the law".

[RaleighNCDUer]

11. The statute the officer cited was overturned by the NC Supreme Court

in 1971.

[RFKJrNews]

13. This story has legs, I can feel it already

"These boots were made for walkin', and that's just what they'll do...and one of these days these boots are gonna walk all over you."

Just another example of how these jackbooted thugs show us their love.

After showering their affection on the poor people of Iraq and Afghanistan, they're now bringing the terrorism (whoops, did I say that? I mean, bringing their *luuuuvv*) back home to us.

And this violent nutjob was wearing the uniform of a peace officer! Sad fact is, a lot of our soldiers are coming home with serious mental problems, anger management "issues" - and local police departments can't recruit these trained killers fast enough.

The Kuhns are patriots, I still post my mail with an inverted American flag stamp and fly my flag upside down because our country is in deep distress. As any good Texan who knows their history would say:

"You want this flag? Well, COME AND TAKE IT!"

[loudsue]

14. The phone # to call is in the article. I think we should DU this sheriff's office.

Our troops are fighting us here since they had to go over there... or something like that?

This is soooo phucked up.

:kick:

[zulchzulu]

15. Freep Dumbness is on the march

What a pathetic story.

[mnhtnbb]

16. That officer's career is OVER. Asheville is one of the most liberal cities in NC

and you can bet there will be hell to pay for this.

[Cheap_Trick]

17. Seems like a lot of the police forces here in the U.S.

could easily become Bush's enforcers (his own SS) if he declared martial law, at least until he brought the troops back.

[ThomCat]

18. I hope they sue that town into bankrupsy.

They need to use every resource they can muster to get that cop, and every cop who participated in this farce, fired with so much publicity that they never work in law enforcement ever again.
x(

[here_is_to_hope]

19. Gee, phone is busy, I guess I should just

keep trying!
This is nuts, simply nuts.