I agree he had the right to do what he did, we are after all still the united states, for now! But with the aclu involved they will be starting a lawsuit, that's what they like to do. They will see it as a way to stick it to them. I agree that thye are anti-american.

The standard set by the Supreme Court in re use of the flag for political symbolism is whether there is "expressive conduct" involved. It also rejected an older test on whether flag-burning could be considered to incite "imminent lawless action". Texas v. Johnson, 1989.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_v._Jo...

Why didn't the cops just use their catch all charge? Disorderly conduct? Can't be disproven. Never has, never will. And,I might add, the reason that the guy shouldn't have been charged is the same reason that allows everyone of us to state our views on this blog and most importantly anywhere else we desire! God Bless America or what is left of it!

Generally speaking flying the flag upside down is a political statement that the country is in distress not the individual. While I respect his right of free speech and agree the police action was heavy handed if he was flying the flag upside down because he was denied a liquor license he was being a tad melodramatic. However the police over reacted and, imo, denied him a right guaranteed by the constitution.

Something tells me Vito is one of the town trouble-makers.

Just more proof that we have too many police. There should be no question of their having time to do such things. They should have too much real work to worry about harrassing citizens.

RTFM...

usaret - The United States Flag Code establishes advisory rules for display and care of the flag of the United States. It is Section 1 of Title 4 of the United States Code (4 U.S.C. § 1 et seq). This is a U.S. federal law, but there is no penalty for failure to comply with it and it is not widely enforced — indeed, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that punitive enforcement would conflict with the First Amendment right to freedom of speech.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Stat...

I just contributed more money to the ACLU. To make it feel right (I'm not a liberal) I also contributed to the Libertarian party, which is definitely not the ACLU, but they do have many overlapping ideas.
http://www.lp.org/issues

sannio: You might want to rethink your statement about laws pertaining to the American Flag regarding proper display and respect for.

darwin1 - The ACLU is protecting our rights, not a flag. There are no laws in respect to the flag, and what that police officer did was trespassing, and theft. What the officer did is understandable, but dangerously misguided and wrong.

BartSimpson: They mocked our cow. That will not be tolerated.

The American flag flown upside down is a sign of distress or in need of help.

AND, this guy placed his life on the life for others to do this to him when he comes home? THAT IS SICK OF THEM TO DO THAT TO HIM!

I'm pretty sure the ACLU is as American as you can get. Their main purpose is to PROTECT your civil liberties. I don't always agree with what they do but you can't argue against their purpose.

IT's the ACLU. Say no more. They are about as anti-American as it gets.

What is happening to our country when a flag is protected more than a person?