Man Charged With Mutilating U.S. Flag

[John Kerry VonErich]

http://www.tbo.com/news/metro/MGBMQZQUX3F.html

Man Charged With Mutilating U.S. Flag
By JOSH POLTILOVE The Tampa Tribune

Published: Jul 10, 2007

TAMPA - A 45-year-old Tampa man faces a charge of public mutilation of a U.S. flag after police said he stomped on Old Glory and rubbed it on his body.

Tampa police arrested Donnie James White at 11 a.m. Monday after several witnesses said they saw him dragging a U.S. flag behind a bicycle he was riding.

After stopping the bicycle, an arrest report said, he "got off and stomped the flag numerous times."

When police confronted White at 3611 W. Hillsborough Ave., he rubbed himself with the flag, threw it on the ground, stomped on it and sat on it, the report said.

According to state law, anyone who mutilates, defaces, tramples on or burns a U.S. or Florida flag with the goal of insulting it, its standards or colors is guilty of a first-degree misdemeanor. A first-degree misdemeanor is punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $1,000.
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The reason I put this on GD is that this story made me think of a story I read a good while back where 3 guys beat up a man for publicly burning the flag. During their hearing, they keep bringing up the fact they if the guy burning the flag says his free speach was violated, "they weren't the government as the constitution says". Well they were orginally charged with malicious assault, that was reduced to battery even though the man who was beaten suffered perminate damage to the brain. They served no jail time.

I find it very ironic that this case in Tampa, they will throw the book at him. but if ordinary citizens take the law into their own hands to stiffle with extreme pregidous that which is constitutionally protected will get off with a light sentence. I find that insulting.

Does that make sense? This is my first time doing a rant.

[Benhurst]

1. It makes perfect sense. Repression is the hallmark of a free society.

BushAmerica: goose-stepping to a glorious future.

[Socal31]

Scary....

Just scary...

[bluestateguy]

2. Did the flag belong to him?

If he desecrated someone else's property then he is guilty of theft, but if the flag belongs to him he can do with it as he pleases, and the law is unconstitutional.

[John Kerry VonErich]

4. No theft I read on this

People just saw him dragging the flag on the ground that was tied to his bike. Thats how it all started.

[doni_georgia]

3. When's somebody going to charge * for mutilating the Constitution?

These people are far more concerned with someone messing up a flag than they are with the president blatantly disregarding the Constitution. What is wrong with these people????

[librechik]

5. don't forget to add the link

and welcome to DU, John!

[John Kerry VonErich]

Link attached

thanks for reminding me.

[Beer Snob-50]

6. florida is getting to be just a scary state....

too many neo-cons running things.

[Poiuyt]

7. Who would desecrate the American flag?

[Richard Steele]

10. LOL! Ya beat me to it! nm

[librechik]

12. man we got all the same images, too! (lol)

that's a trampling fool.

[Poiuyt]

13. You've got to be fast around here!

[corkhead]

15. at least all three of us lifted them from different sources, that could have been really scary.

great DU minds think alike I guess....

[corkhead]

8. arrest the bastard for stomping on the flag...

[Richard Steele]

9. I guess it's only a crime when SOME people do it...

[librechik]

11. heres' somebody else disrespecting and trampling on the flag

this is illegal



yep, both of them
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=&imgrefurl=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-weigant/how-to-win-the-campaign-a_b_29862.html&h=250&w=380&sz=17&hl=en&start=7&um=1&tbnid=bflMAkxQSWMnyM:&tbnh=81&tbnw=123&prev=/images%3Fq%3DBush%2B%2Bflag%2B%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DG

I mean REALLY trampling!



http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=&imgrefurl=http://www.realitybasednation.com/blog-archives/2005/07/03-week/&h=325&w=470&sz=49&hl=en&start=10&um=1&tbnid=BpY_MvFu3kEViM:&tbnh=89&tbnw=129&prev=/images%3Fq%3DBush%2B%2Bflag%2B%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DG

wrapping himself in it--if you know what I mean

[BeyondThePale]

14. He will wind up serving more time than Scooter Libby (n/t)

[John Kerry VonErich]

16. You hit the nail on the head on that.

nt