• We are now running on a new, and hopefully much-improved, server. In addition we are also on new forum software. Any move entails a lot of technical details and I suspect we will encounter a few issues as the new server goes live. Please be patient with us. It will be worth it! :) Please help by posting all issues here.
  • The forum will be down for about an hour this weekend for maintenance. I apologize for the inconvenience.
  • If you are having trouble seeing the forum then you may need to clear your browser's DNS cache. Click here for instructions on how to do that
  • Please review the Forum Rules frequently as we are constantly trying to improve the forum for our members and visitors.

who makes the Marines look bad -- this guy -think the military protects constitution?

davidmcbeth

Banned
Joined
Jan 14, 2012
Messages
16,167
Location
earth's crust
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRsMObY6524&feature=player_embedded

Marine steals a flag from a US citizen because he did not like how he was flying it (upside down in protest of shootings in NM).

Attention dude: there is no constitutional right to require a flag to be flow how you think it should but there is one for freedom of speech

Anyone who thinks that members of the military defend us, this is an example of how this viewpoint is wrong.
 

MAC702

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jul 31, 2011
Messages
6,331
Location
Nevada
I agree with you, but it will be interesting to see how the tide rolls on this one.

Most everyone was praising some vet that stole a flag from a Mexican-American for flying the Mexico flag over the American flag a couple years ago.
 

xd shooter

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 31, 2010
Messages
333
Location
usa
As a former member of the military, with 2 deployments while wearing the flag of our country on my shoulder, I have to say I would have done EXACTLY the same thing.

What APD did has me concerned as those protesting, but disrespecting the flag that many have fought and died under is done at your own peril....

Flying the flag upside down is a sign of distress. Those on the bike were DEFINITELY distressed with those 2 chasing them down... LOL! :)
 

OC for ME

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2010
Messages
12,452
Location
White Oak Plantation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRsMObY6524&feature=player_embedded

Marine steals a flag from a US citizen because he did not like how he was flying it (upside down in protest of shootings in NM).

Attention dude: there is no constitutional right to require a flag to be flow how you think it should but there is one for freedom of speech

Anyone who thinks that members of the military defend us, this is an example of how this viewpoint is wrong.
What has the Star Spangled Banner have to do with protesting APD? If there is a Albuquerque flag I would fly that upside down in protest.
 

marshaul

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Aug 13, 2007
Messages
11,188
Location
Fairfax County, Virginia
As a former member of the military, with 2 deployments while wearing the flag of our country on my shoulder, I have to say I would have done EXACTLY the same thing.

What APD did has me concerned as those protesting, but disrespecting the flag that many have fought and died under is done at your own peril....

So, let me get this straight. You're saying that you fought for – or at least respect – the symbol of a government, over the fundamental and constitutionally-protected right to criticize that government?

You might consider relocating to a country like China or Russia. In such places your rabidly anti-American views might be more at home. (Disclaimer to the thin-skinned: I'm mostly kidding.)

If the flag has value, it's as a symbol of the freedoms our government supposedly exists to protect. So you can see that these marines are the ones devaluing the flag. By their very act of "defending it" they diminish whatever value it had before they crapped all over it.
 
Last edited:

marshaul

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Aug 13, 2007
Messages
11,188
Location
Fairfax County, Virginia
What has the Star Spangled Banner have to do with protesting APD? If there is a Albuquerque flag I would fly that upside down in protest.

I think it's a fair statement.

Don't forget that the many issues with law enforcement, beyond being systematic and national, are literally subsidized (if not engendered outright) by the Federal government. So I see no reason why folks shouldn't protest every level of government excess. :)

Limiting one's protest to Albuquerque seems to somewhat miss the point, IMO.
 

OC for ME

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2010
Messages
12,452
Location
White Oak Plantation
I did not swear an oath to the flag, but a document.

Not every LEA is a APD to my knowledge. There are far too many "APDs" make no mistake. But, APD seems to be the LEA that deserves a microscoping for the time being.

Bottom line, the Marine did a disservice to himself and the principle(s) that he likely swore an oath to. He is confused and requires reeducation.

Therefore, I "sentence" him to a 15 minute timeout to think about it, and 25 push-ups.
 

sudden valley gunner

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 13, 2008
Messages
16,674
Location
Whatcom County
I have never said an oath to government or a pledge to the flag.

I respect it as a symbol of our government one that used to mean liberty. I respect peoples right to do with their property and their exercise of making statements with it more.
 

Primus

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 24, 2013
Messages
3,939
Location
United States
It's a piece of cloth.

Not to the guys that die for it. Not to the guys that are still hurt for life. Not to the guys that sign up to GIVE said live it limb for it.

Its a rally cry. A symbol. A banner. A reminder of those before you that died to make it happen.

Don't forget... your "liberties" are secured by guys who literally wear that symbol and follow it. Your "liberties" were secured by guys who followed that flag. All the way from General Washington to General Odenario. And all the future attacks be it direct or indirect will be led it defended with that "cloth" at the front.

There is a thing in life called tact or decency. Can you mess with a flag because its "cloth"? Sure. But by doing so your taking a nice crap on the boys in Arlington. Make a sign. Make a poster. Paint your car. Make your own flag.

Don't **** with mine please.



Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk
 

MSG Laigaie

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 10, 2011
Messages
3,239
Location
Philipsburg, Montana
What has the Star Spangled Banner have to do with protesting APD? If there is a Albuquerque flag I would fly that upside down in protest.

This is Truth! If you choose to protest what your apd has done, use a proper protest.

Not to the guys that die for it. Not to the guys that are still hurt for life. Not to the guys that sign up to GIVE said live it limb for it.

Its a rally cry. A symbol. A banner. A reminder of those before you that died to make it happen.

I took the "oath". I recited it many, many times during my career in the Military. For some it is "just cloth" for others it is more. For me it is the blood shed by my Family who have served the Nation for over two hundred years. It is just cloth, but for some of us it represents a way of life.
 
Last edited:

sudden valley gunner

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 13, 2008
Messages
16,674
Location
Whatcom County
Not to the guys that die for it. Not to the guys that are still hurt for life. Not to the guys that sign up to GIVE said live it limb for it.

Its a rally cry. A symbol. A banner. A reminder of those before you that died to make it happen.

Don't forget... your "liberties" are secured by guys who literally wear that symbol and follow it. Your "liberties" were secured by guys who followed that flag. All the way from General Washington to General Odenario. And all the future attacks be it direct or indirect will be led it defended with that "cloth" at the front.

There is a thing in life called tact or decency. Can you mess with a flag because its "cloth"? Sure. But by doing so your taking a nice crap on the boys in Arlington. Make a sign. Make a poster. Paint your car. Make your own flag.

Don't **** with mine please.



Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk

Yours? Give me a break.

If someone wants to protest the actions of government and burn or do what ever they want to the symbol that represents that government, that is more sacred than offending you.

Atrocities is being done in the name of it too, erosion of liberties, unconstitutional foreign entanglements

You sir cannot claim to protect my liberties while at the same time insist I give them up. Absurd.

No liberties are protected by people regardless of what symbol they wear. Nationalistic Jingoism has done a lot to destroy liberties. You do realize George Washington didn't fight for a nation called United States right?
 

sudden valley gunner

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 13, 2008
Messages
16,674
Location
Whatcom County
I took the "oath". I recited it many, many times during my career in the Military. For some it is "just cloth" for others it is more. For me it is the blood shed by my Family who have served the Nation for over two hundred years. It is just cloth, but for some of us it represents a way of life.

You sir have my respect, not only as a warrior, but for the intelligence of differentiating between and respecting individual views.
 

davidmcbeth

Banned
Joined
Jan 14, 2012
Messages
16,167
Location
earth's crust
Not to the guys that die for it. Not to the guys that are still hurt for life. Not to the guys that sign up to GIVE said live it limb for it.

Its a rally cry. A symbol. A banner. A reminder of those before you that died to make it happen.

Don't forget... your "liberties" are secured by guys who literally wear that symbol and follow it. Your "liberties" were secured by guys who followed that flag. All the way from General Washington to General Odenario. And all the future attacks be it direct or indirect will be led it defended with that "cloth" at the front.

There is a thing in life called tact or decency. Can you mess with a flag because its "cloth"? Sure. But by doing so your taking a nice crap on the boys in Arlington. Make a sign. Make a poster. Paint your car. Make your own flag.

Don't **** with mine please.

Its also a piece of property that was stolen. The military does not secure our freedoms. The government and their officials never can grant us freedoms but can only take them away. Anyone who thinks that Marines under the command of obamamlama are going to ignore their orders as a whole is mistaken.

Show me instances where a soldier has stopped a cop from arresting a person who OCs legally. They are all around us ... I have seen no video showing this behavior.

The people with the flag were not protesting the Marine personally. He should have had the discipline to allow the guys to exercise their first amendment rights.

This guy is probably going to be the same guy busting down your door to steal you guns because citizens with guns are a danger to the government.
 

Jeff. State

Banned
Joined
Aug 29, 2012
Messages
650
Location
usa
No liberties are protected by people regardless of what symbol they wear. Nationalistic Jingoism has done a lot to destroy liberties. You do realize George Washington didn't fight for a nation called United States right?

ABSOLUTELY!


I would argue that any conflict our military has been engaged in after WW2 has "secured" NOTHING for anyone but the M.I.C.(military industrial complex) and the Bank$$$$(massive incured Debt).


Blowback is the NUMBER 1 reason for any legitimate attack on US citizens or military.
 

OC for ME

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2010
Messages
12,452
Location
White Oak Plantation
I have never said an oath to government or a pledge to the flag.

I respect it as a symbol of our government one that used to mean liberty. I respect peoples right to do with their property and their exercise of making statements with it more.
This is exactly why I served.

My oath, that I freely took and understood, was to "ensure" that I could be "spit on" (rhetorically speaking) by those who despise my service. No, SVG, I am not referring to you.

The debate, a healthy one, is what "ensure" means. It means different things to different people. Did my service directly "ensure" that you (the royal you) could "spit on" me? Likely not, over a 20 year career, but it, my service, sure did not infringe upon your right to "spit on" me.
 

sudden valley gunner

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 13, 2008
Messages
16,674
Location
Whatcom County
This is exactly why I served.

My oath, that I freely took and understood, was to "ensure" that I could be "spit on" (rhetorically speaking) by those who despise my service. No, SVG, I am not referring to you.

The debate, a healthy one, is what "ensure" means. It means different things to different people. Did my service directly "ensure" that you (the royal you) could "spit on" me? Likely not, over a 20 year career, but it, my service, sure did not infringe upon your right to "spit on" me.

+100
 

sudden valley gunner

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 13, 2008
Messages
16,674
Location
Whatcom County
ABSOLUTELY!


I would argue that any conflict our military has been engaged in after WW2 has "secured" NOTHING for anyone but the M.I.C.(military industrial complex) and the Bank$$$$(massive incured Debt).


Blowback is the NUMBER 1 reason for any legitimate attack on US citizens or military.

This would definitely be a major thread drift so I will just leave it at I would go back further and say it was the war for Independence by 13 Sovereign states and by the militias of those states
 

F350

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2012
Messages
941
Location
The High Plains of Wyoming
OK people, here it is; flying the US flag upside down IS a traditionally accepted display in certain situations.....

The beginning
Prior to June 14, 1923--flag day--no state or federal regulations governed the proper display of the U.S. flag. A conference was called to adopt a National Flag Code based on provisions set forth by the Army and Navy and relating the proper procedures on the display of the U.S. Flag.

Flag Code
On June 22, 1942, Congress passed a joint resolution, which became Public Law 829; Chapter 806, 77th Congress, 2nd session. The actual code for proper display and use of the U.S. flag can be found within 36 United States Code 173-178, title 4, chapter 1 subsection 8. (Ref. 2.)


Meaning
According to this code, "the flag should never be displayed with the union down, except as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property." (Ref. 1.)

History
While the 21st century offers many modes of communication, this was not so when the Navy first formed. Without a viable way to communicate with other ships, hanging the flag upside down was an effective way to signal an emergency to other ships at sea.

Putting it all together
While the federal government does not prohibit hanging the U.S. flag upside down, the only acceptable reason to hang the flag upside down is in cases of dire distress.

As a former Marine I on occasion as a form of protest have flown the US flag upside down!
 
Last edited:
Top