Village Idiots Violate Personal Rights

Good job, authorities of Crivitz, Wisconsin, for revealing yourselves to be village despots.

Long story short, an Iraq war veteran flew the flag upside down on his own property on the Fourth of July in protest only to have the local village authoritarian idiots march onto his property and take it down. The ACLU is considering action.

Is it illegal to fly the flag upside down as a sign of distress? Hell, no. Is it a violation of his first amendment rights to deny him that ability? Hell, yes. Some people per the linked article see that as disrespect of the flag.

To which I have to ask, what is more important: a symbol of State power or individual liberty to speak one's mind?

The four police officers and Marinette County District Attorney Allen Brey should be ashamed of themselves. Here is what the local Sheriff had to say about his gross violation of this veteran's right to protest -- a right he earned, I would have to think, by his service to their country.

Marinette County Sheriff Jim Kanikula said it was not illegal to fly the flag upside down but people were upset and it was the Fourth of July.

"It is illegal to cause a disruption," he said.

"Disruptions" of course being defined however people in authority choose to define things that displease them. If looking at an upside down flag causes severe disruption, then people need to find something else to do with themselves. Get a hobby or something. Who was disrupted by this man's flag? How were they disrupted? He certainly didn't prevent their parade from taking place. Both Brey and Kanikula can expect to receive an email from me expressing my extreme disappointment in their illegal use and abuse of "authority." You get your authority from the people. The people ought to take it back. But since they haven't just yet, you ought at least to respect where your power comes from.

Or maybe not. Maybe enough blatant displays of this sort of authoritarian numbnuttery would be just what it takes to get more people thinking about just why it is they cede their power over to despots like these.

From the article:

Neighbor Steven Klein watched in disbelief.

"I said, 'What are you doing?' Klein said. "They said, 'It is none of your business.'"

Maybe they need to realize that if they keep telling the Steve Kleins of the world it's none of their business, they'll soon find themselves out of the business of telling other people what to do.

-- DV