Man Arrested for Attempting to Burn Gay Pride Flag

[FreeState]

http://www.memphisflyer.com/MemphisGaydar/archives/2009/11/11/man-arrested-for-attempting-to-burn-gay-pride-flag

Memphis Police arrested 23-year-old Ross Burton early Wednesday morning after he attempted to burn the gay pride flag at the Memphis Gay & Lesbian Community Center (MGLCC) at 892 S. Cooper.

Plainclothes officers observed Burton and another man — who fled the scene and remains at large — attempting to set fire to the rope that runs up the flag pole in front of the MGLCC. When police officers approached the men, an altercation ensued, and one suspect attempted to disarm an officer. Additional police were dispatched and some reportedly received lacerations and abrasions from the struggle. The suspects fled, but Burton was located and arrested.

Burton is being charged with aggravated assault and vandalism under $500.

This event marks the second act of vandalism against the MGLCC in two months. In September, an MGLCC National Coming Out Day billboard at Poplar and High was destroyed. No word on whether the two crimes were related.

Said MGLCC director Will Batts: "Public incidents such as this shed light on the larger issue of intolerance and hatred that our lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender citizens face every day. Once again, attempts to silence or frighten our community will not succeed, but will make us more determined to fight for equality. We appreciate the support of the community in this struggle."

[Deja Q]

1. Oh, this should be good.

I mean, if it's okay to burn the American flag, why should we start discriminating against others? They're both equal acts of vandalism, and the subtle statement of flag burning is pretty obvious in its own right too...

Vandalism is vandalism. It's as simple as that. If we can burn one flag, we can burn the other because the reasons why are 100% transferable.

I prefer not burning either in the first place. Seems a waste of time.

[dsc]

2. actually it is not OK to burn someone else's American flag

nor should it be OK to burn someone else's pride flag. It is no different than burning someone else's shirt or pants or other property.

[Faygo Kid]

4. Agreed. He wants to burn a gay pride flag, he needs to buy his own.

Now that would be worth watching. The purchase process, I mean.

[orpupilofnature57]

3. I agree

[alphafemale]

5. When you burn a flag that belongs to someone else it is vandalism. Pretty simple.

The right to burn an American Flag under free speech protection is when you burn "Your Own" flag.

No one ever said you could burn a flag belonging to someone else.

And it wouldn't be vandalism if you spray painted gang signs on your own garage door.

But you'd be tripped up by neighborhood covenants in most cases.

[ret5hd]

6. Uhhh...correct me if I'm WRONG, but it was SOMEONE ELSES flag...not the same thing as

burning your own flag in protest.

I can burn my own flag if I so choose. However, you can't come burn mine, and i can't come burn yours. It's not that hard to see the difference.

[Smarmie Doofus]

7. I believe ownership of the flag in question might be a consideration.

Most American flag burnings , far as I know, have not involve burning a flag that BELONGED TO SOMEONE ELSE.

I'd actually be kind of happy if the dude procured his own rainbow flag legitimately and then burned that as a symbolic act. ( It would imply that the GLBT movement has arrived at a certain status : big enough and important enough to be taken seriously. Flag-burning is usually a protest of last resort. Signifies, among other things, the relative powerlessness of the flag burner.) On a free speech level, under that particular circumstance, I'd defend flag-burners right to burn the rainbow flag.

Unless I read the OP wrong, however, the flag belonged to the community center. In which case... it's vandalism at best. Terrorism at worst.

Probably fits somewhere in between: mindless thuggery committed by a mindless creep or creeps.

[fascisthunter]

8. not the same thing... can I burn something you own

this is not about burning the American flag, this is about vandalism.

[TommyO]

9. You might have seen some of the other posts about this, but I'll repeat it

It wasn't his flag to burn. If the twit wanted to burn a pride flag, all he had to do was buy one and he would be free to burn it on his own property.