Veteran cuts down Illegal Mexican flag flying above U.S. Flag

[LarryO1970]

Originally Posted by Coeloptera

Well...I imagine the British flyboys were good sports about it.

Aaaaaaand in other awesome flag-related news: Marine Corps reservist won't be charged in flag rescue - KJRH.com

"MIDWEST CITY, Okla. (AP) - A U.S. Marine Corps reservist won't be charged for ignoring police requests and wading into a protest to rescue an American Flag."

"Modisette was leaving Tinker Air Force Base in his car Friday when he saw the protester with the flag. He said he turned around and headed for the crowd to get the flag. He was handcuffed after ignoring several requests by officers to move away from the small group of demonstrators from Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan."

Now see...I'm torn. He ignored requests to move away, but it was the Westboro Baptist psychos.

*Sigh*, that's the problem with free speech. You have to tolerate people like them, sometimes. Although I like the fact that they push so hard they get sued over it because they trample the rights of others during their protests.

Reasonable reaction from the police, here. So, all's well.

- Coeloptera

Hell... I would have posted his bail! Good for him. Those jackas*es from that Westboro church all need to be charged with treason for supporting the enemy of the state.

His values to the Country were more important than his own... I commend him for that act of bravery and duty to his country.

[Cyrano]

Larry, with regard to Senator Reid's stand on immigration: the problem is he does make valid points. We do need to secure the borders to shut off the tap of more illegals crossing. We do need to aggressively prosecute those who employ illegals, in all trades, at all levels, including homeowners who want cheap landscaping done and pick up day laborers at the local illegal hangout where Americans hire illegals under the table and off the books. And it's true there are many who are only here for the bucks.

But there are some (likely a minority, not even a plurality) who came for the bucks, but found they liked the place, and settled down. They'd like to become American citizens but can't figure out how to legalize their status without being deported and losing what they've built. What do we do about them? At the moment all we can do is deport them and tell them to get in line. Yet they are exactly the kind of people that built America. We have to find a solution that is not an amnesty, but does give them permanent residency as they work for citizenship. His ideas about background checks and fines are good. Perhaps we can build on that foundation to come up with enforcable rules that will let them become citizens. Things like proving they speak English and know the stuff immigrants who want to naturalize must know. Something that proves their intention of becoming Americans, in other words. Then, instead of the standrd five years residency we require of those who jump through the hoops and play by our rules before they can become naturalized citizens, we up the residency to seven years and start the clock running on the day they file, not on how many years they've already been here the way it was done last time the gummint tried to deal with the problem.

The illegals who meet the criteria I outlined get one chance to declare they want to become citizens by a certain date. A simple notarized form handed in over a counter would do it. The ones who have settled won't run, because they're the ones most likely to come up clean on a background check. The others will run. The ones who are clean will be notified by mail. They come in, swear out a form that they are starting their residency, and make arrangements to pay the fine. (Installment payments would be okay by me, just so they have to pay at least enough to cover the cost of checking them out and a piece of setting up the necessary offices to handle the matter.)

If the illegals refuse to play and are caught by ICE, they get booted out and their property confiscated and sold at auction to American citizens only.

Done properly, we'd get some worthwhile new citizens out of the program, the very sort of people we want in America. And with any luck, we'd be able to kick out and keep kicked out a lot of the scum that are playing our country.

[LarryO1970]

Originally Posted by Cyrano

Larry, with regard to Senator Reid's stand on immigration: the problem is he does make valid points. We do need to secure the borders to shut off the tap of more illegals crossing. We do need to aggressively prosecute those who employ illegals, in all trades, at all levels, including homeowners who want cheap landscaping done and pick up day laborers at the local illegal hangout where Americans hire illegals under the table and off the books. And it's true there are many who are only here for the bucks.

But there are some (likely a minority, not even a plurality) who came for the bucks, but found they liked the place, and settled down. They'd like to become American citizens but can't figure out how to legalize their status without being deported and losing what they've built. What do we do about them? At the moment all we can do is deport them and tell them to get in line. Yet they are exactly the kind of people that built America. We have to find a solution that is not an amnesty, but does give them permanent residency as they work for citizenship. His ideas about background checks and fines are good. Perhaps we can build on that foundation to come up with enforcable rules that will let them become citizens. Things like proving they speak English and know the stuff immigrants who want to naturalize must know. Something that proves their intention of becoming Americans, in other words. Then, instead of the standrd five years residency we require of those who jump through the hoops and play by our rules before they can become naturalized citizens, we up the residency to seven years and start the clock running on the day they file, not on how many years they've already been here the way it was done last time the gummint tried to deal with the problem.

The illegals who meet the criteria I outlined get one chance to declare they want to become citizens by a certain date. A simple notarized form handed in over a counter would do it. The ones who have settled won't run, because they're the ones most likely to come up clean on a background check. The others will run. The ones who are clean will be notified by mail. They come in, swear out a form that they are starting their residency, and make arrangements to pay the fine. (Installment payments would be okay by me, just so they have to pay at least enough to cover the cost of checking them out and a piece of setting up the necessary offices to handle the matter.)

If the illegals refuse to play and are caught by ICE, they get booted out and their property confiscated and sold at auction to American citizens only.

Done properly, we'd get some worthwhile new citizens out of the program, the very sort of people we want in America. And with any luck, we'd be able to kick out and keep kicked out a lot of the scum that are playing our country.

While I agree there would have to be some form of immigration for for illegals already here... those without established ties to a community i.e. bills, tenure, jobs, etc. ... the transients need to go.

I am all about being a citizen. Our families all did it the rightway. While I understand times have changed... we cannot have a free for all that we currently have entering our country.

Strengthen the border with our military... since our border patrol are running into heavily armed drug runners which would probably be seen as a clear and present danger to the United States, IMHO... not to mention the support from the Mexican military.

Odds are the Mexican president is bought off by the drug runners... if not the top military officers in the area.

[Seabeescotty]

The flag of our country is only flown upside down in an emrgency, for example, a ship of war in danger of sinking may raise the flag inverted in order to draw attention and get help. I'm happy to hear there's other folks out there who feel the same way I do, do bad things to my flag, and I'll do bad things to you! I still get tears in my eyes during the National Anthem, and when I see our flag flying high, I see the faces of those who served to protect it in times of danger. I say, if you want to burn my flag and make a statement, please wrap yourself in it first!

[LarryO1970]

Originally Posted by Seabeescotty

The flag of our country is only flown upside down in an emrgency, for example, a ship of war in danger of sinking may raise the flag inverted in order to draw attention and get help. I'm happy to hear there's other folks out there who feel the same way I do, do bad things to my flag, and I'll do bad things to you! I still get tears in my eyes during the National Anthem, and when I see our flag flying high, I see the faces of those who served to protect it in times of danger. I say, if you want to burn my flag and make a statement, please wrap yourself in it first!

Seabeescotty... I feel the same as you. It is too bad that some on this forum feel the complete opposite.

[Seabeescotty]

Larry, everyone has a right to their own opinion, and I would never dispute it(that right). But don't come to my part of the USA and try to desecrate the flag that I served so proudly. There'd prob'ly be an altercation, and in this area, I'd prob'ly come out on top! We must always respect one anothers right to differ, but hold to the beliefs that we, as veterans and citizens, cherish and hold dear. After all, we were the ones who stepped up to the plate, and defended the rights of EVERYONE! I have met some pretty dense folks over the years, including those who thought they had the right to spit on me when I came back from Nam. The only thing that stopped me from hurting them was the armed military police who explained that they were under orders to arrest any military personnel who harmed civilians. Hard to swallow, but swallow I did, because I was unwilling to do harm to my own comrades.

[LarryO1970]

Originally Posted by Seabeescotty

Larry, everyone has a right to their own opinion, and I would never dispute it(that right). But don't come to my part of the USA and try to desecrate the flag that I served so proudly. There'd prob'ly be an altercation, and in this area, I'd prob'ly come out on top! We must always respect one anothers right to differ, but hold to the beliefs that we, as veterans and citizens, cherish and hold dear. After all, we were the ones who stepped up to the plate, and defended the rights of EVERYONE! I have met some pretty dense folks over the years, including those who thought they had the right to spit on me when I came back from Nam. The only thing that stopped me from hurting them was the armed military police who explained that they were under orders to arrest any military personnel who harmed civilians. Hard to swallow, but swallow I did, because I was unwilling to do harm to my own comrades.

We are in complete agreement.

[Seabeescotty]

By the way, thanks for helping to keep the USA secure. Your father must be very proud! I only wish all Americans were as willing to serve and protect that which is held dear!

[LarryO1970]

Thanks seabeescotty... they sure are.

Uncle Sammy attempted to draft my father three times for Vietnam but physically, he was unable. (He has some condition with his feet that he can't stand for very long, nevermind walk far without needing to sit.) I do recall watching the TV show "Tour of Duty" when I was about 18 telling my father I'd never join the military. How funny that is now...

Mom wouldn't talk with me for about three months after I joined... she was so upset and stated that I would be involved in Bosnia and Iraq. I told her they would never send a brand new rookie to those places.

Are you done laughing?

Okay... well, at E-2 and less than a year later, I was flying over the Adriatic headed into Bosnia (Sarajevo, sniper alley) in an MH-53J Pave Low sitting behind a Ma deuce and at my 3rd year, becoming the target of a truck bomb in Saudi for Operation Southern Watch.

Mom was right, yet again. Although to this day, she now says it was the best choice I could have made especially given I am now at year 15 in my Air Force career.

5 more to go and I pull the ejection handle... it will be time for me to start my second career.

[dukenukum]

I wonder what would happen if some one burned a Useless oops I mean united nations flag most likely go to prison .

[LarryO1970]

Originally Posted by dukenukum

I wonder what would happen if some one burned a Useless oops I mean united nations flag most likely go to prison .

Heck, I'll do it...

[thomasbrooks07]

Originally Posted by ezearln

Oddly Brother Bob flying the U.S. Flag upside down is allowed and appropriate in ONE situation and one only. Can any of the vets here answer what that one situation is? And while I commend Bob on taking action about what he saw why it COULD have been dangerous for him to take the actions he did?

I am not a vet but I am going in the army after college is done. I salute that man for taking a stand for his country and his flag.

[Mad Hatter]

This guy did a great thing !! Apparently since this happened the mexicans have been posting serious anti-American videos on You Tube as well...

[LarryO1970]

Originally Posted by Mad Hatter

This guy did a great thing !! Apparently since this happened the mexicans have been posting serious anti-American videos on You Tube as well...

Since they are illegal aliens to begin with... and do not share the same rights we citizens do (at least it's supposed to be that way) they can turn their unhappy asses right around and cross the border back into Mexico, period.

I certainly don't want them here anyway.