Flag of Mexico Flown Illegally Over Reno Business

[RoughRider]

Greg Knight, News 4

This afternoon we received a call from a viewer who said a business near downtown Reno was flying a Mexican flag above an American flag... which is in fact illegal.

This, after photos and comments about the flag were posted on Craigslist this morning. When we were able to have a photographer go and check everything out we found the story to be true.

It also didn t take long before the situation provoked a strong reaction. We are now going to show you , unedited, what happened. Click on the video to see what happened.

http://www.krnv.com/Global/story.asp?S=7156726

[ffscm72]

LMAO...did you see the look on the owners face...lmao...He looked confused and scared at the same time...lmao..."whats he doing...Wow, thats a big knife. do I stop him or let him do it? There's that knife again! I'll wait till he's done"...lmao

But in all seriousness pretty sure the guy with the knife should have at least told the mexican guy what he was doing before he did it, instead of showing off in front of the camera. I'm sure the owner would have corrected the flags. Just an assumption though.

[BFDNJFF]

I wonder if the Mexican guy knew what he was doing was against the law or even being disrespectful ? I think someone should have approached him and spoke with him first. If all else fails then do what you have to do. I just think that vet was also disrespectful to that Mexican flag. IMO I always respect all peoples flags the same I would my own.

[scfire86]

I wonder if the Mexican guy knew what he was doing was against the law or even being disrespectful ? I think someone should have approached him and spoke with him first. If all else fails then do what you have to do. I just think that vet was also disrespectful to that Mexican flag. IMO I always respect all peoples flags the same I would my own.

Good points all. The guy doing the cutting sounds like a cross between Larry the Cable Guy and Billy Bob Thornton's character in Sling Blade.

[DeputyMarshal]

The link isn't working at the moment...

Would someone care to summarize the story and explain exactly what was illegal about it?

Nevermind. I found the video. The only thing illegal was the ignorant moron who vandalized someone else's property.

http://www.krnv.com/Global/story.asp?S=7162515

[HotTrotter]

I wonder if the Mexican guy knew what he was doing was against the law or even being disrespectful ? I think someone should have approached him and spoke with him first. If all else fails then do what you have to do. I just think that vet was also disrespectful to that Mexican flag. IMO I always respect all peoples flags the same I would my own.

It wasn't illegal, just against the code. It was certainly disrespectful!!

[BFDNJFF]

The video link up top is now not working so I found it online

[doughesson]

The code on how to display the American flag was read into law years ago.So,yes,it is illegal to fly flags of other nations above the American flag.
It's also an insult to the host nation if you fly your flag above the flag of the nation that you are in.
Mexicans are supposed to be passionate about being insulted so I figure that guy knew what he was doing when he hoisted colors that morning.

It wasn't illegal, just against the code. It was certainly disrespectful!!

[DeputyMarshal]

The code on how to display the American flag was read into law years ago.

I'm afraid you are mistaken. Look it up. The US Flag Code sets out a suggested standard for display and use of the flag. You'll notice it's liberally sprinkled with the keyword "should" (suggested) rather than "shall" (required).

So,yes,it is illegal to fly flags of other nations above the American flag.

A breach of etiquette? Yes. Disrespectful? Only if it's intentional. Illegal? No.

Mexicans are supposed to be passionate about being insulted so I figure that guy knew what he was doing when he hoisted colors that morning.

Throwing in a little bigotry, too?

The owner of the flags in question is an American, BTW.

UPDATE:

Nevada ACLU Releases Statement on Mexican Flag Flying Over American Flag

The ACLU of Nevada is concerned about recent media reports that it is "illegal" to fly foreign flags over the U.S. flag.

While there is indeed a federal law regulating the display of the U.S. flag, that law is merely advisory and simply codifies standard government practice in displaying the American flag.

Several federal courts have examined this law and held that the flag rules are not mandatory and cannot be enforced....


http://www.krnv.com/Global/story.asp?S=7163998

[ghost62]

I'm afraid you are mistaken. Look it up. The US Flag Code sets out a suggested standard for display and use of the flag. You'll notice it's liberally sprinkled with the keyword "should" (suggested) rather than "shall" (required).



A breach of etiquette? Yes. Disrespectful? Only if it's intentional. Illegal? No.



Throwing in a little bigotry, too?

The owner of the flags in question is an American, BTW.

UPDATE:

As much as I was offended by what transpired there on both parties behalf technicially the only one breaking the law was the man that cut the flag down. I would have asked the store owner to please fix them first and if he refused I too would have broken the law. I understand the passion the vet has and am too proud to be a vet, but as part of the military we were taught to attempt diplomatic avenues first, but also to Protect and Defend the Constitution against all enemies foriegn and domestic. I took that oath seriously and was never released from it even when I was Honerably Discharged from the service. There was alternative ways to have handled the situation, But I also spoke to a relative that was there prior to the filming and she said the owner was asked to fix it and did refuse. That is why he was standing out there when that all transpired, the vet warned him if he(store owner) did not fix it then he(vet) would. So in essence the vet did what I would have done , ask him to fix it and if he refused then do it myself and take my chances. I would rather defend and/or explain my actions then to try to defend a non action, or ask permission and wait to right a wrong.
Imagine having done nothing. Could you live with that?
If so, how does it feel to have pride in nothing?


And DeputyMarshal is correct on all counts for that post.

[scfire86]

Imagine having done nothing. Could you live with that?

Yes.

If so, how does it feel to have pride in nothing?

I have quite a bit of pride in America and being an American. Getting worked up over a piece of cloth that is probably made in China isn't something I would get in a fight over.

[DeputyMarshal]

as part of the military we were taught to attempt diplomatic avenues first, but also to Protect and Defend the Constitution against all enemies foriegn and domestic. I took that oath seriously and was never released from it even when I was Honerably Discharged from the service.

Thank you for speaking up as a veteran.

First of all, I'm not defending the flag owner's actions. I have no way to know if his actions were intentional or just ignorance of proper etiquette and respect for the US flag. In the end, that doesn't really matter anyway.

Let me suggest to you that protecting the Constitution includes protecting the Bill of Rights. The man who cut the flag down was blatantly infringing on the flag owner's 1st Amendment rights. One of the hallmarks of the American Constitution is that it protects everybody's rights -- including the flag owner's in this case. When the veteran in the video cut down that flag (and then stole it) he was in direct violation of his oath to protect the Constitution. He shamed himself and, by association, other veterans.

I don't know if he acting out of ignorance either but he was clearly in the wrong no matter how pure his intentions may have been. It's a shame that he apparently never learned what he was really protecting in the military.

[HotTrotter]

Yes.


I have quite a bit of pride in America and being an American. Getting worked up over a piece of cloth that is probably made in China isn't something I would get in a fight over.

Sir, it is more than a piece of cloth!!! It is a symbol of this great land and everything it stands for. When you put the stinking Mexican flag over the American flag while on American soil you are showing a great deal of disrespect for every veteran who fought for our freedoms. What is even more disgusting is the reason the POS was flying the Mexican flag in the first place.

[scfire86]

Sir, it is more than a piece of cloth!!! It is a symbol of this great land and everything it stands for.

Blah blah blah. Principles are worth fighting over. Like Freedom of Speech and Assembly (1st Ammendment), rights to privacy (4th Ammendment) etc. Symbols are not. One day if you're lucky you'll be able to discern the difference.

The GOP is currently in such disarray I'm expecting yet another lame attempt to outlaw flag burning any day.

[Ladder8]

From another blog about this issue....

"Today you argue the flag is only piece of cloth with geometric shapes (or a symbol, if you will).

Tomorrow someone may say the Statue of Liberty and Liberty Bell are just meaningless pieces of metal.

After that someone will argue that the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution are just meaningless words and a worthless piece of parchment.

I am not saying you are doing it. But we do need to be careful how easily we consign our symbols to the trash heap because once they lose value, it is immensely difficult to regain their value."


That being said, DM is right.

[scfire86]

Tomorrow someone may say the Statue of Liberty and Liberty Bell are just meaningless pieces of metal.

In some respects that is true. If a terrorist group (foreign or domestic) were to blow them up no one's life would be changed.

After that someone will argue that the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution are just meaningless words and a worthless piece of parchment.

One document is a statement of independence from a foreign occupying power. The other is a code of conduct agreed upon by representatives of US citizens. Again, if the documents were to be burned into ashes no one's life would change. What the documents state and the powers we as people give our elected representatives are far more important.

[Resq1scnd2none]

In some respects that is true. If a terrorist group (foreign or domestic) were to blow them up no one's life would be changed.


One document is a statement of independence from a foreign occupying power. The other is a code of conduct agreed upon by representatives of US citizens. Again, if the documents were to be burned into ashes no one's life would change. What the documents state and the powers we as people give our elected representatives are far more important.

SC...you sir have to be one of the biggest blow hard liberals I have ever read. Every chance you get you berate on a low level anyone who stands (or types) for their beliefs or thoughts of this nation. To claim no one's life would change should the Statue of Liberty or Liberty Bell be blown up is as about as ignorant a statement you have ever made. Weren't the one Twin Towers just metal? The Pentagon? What about the people there? I think the thousands of people connected to those locations had their lives change. What about all the LEGAL immigrants that walked/floated or maybe even swam past Lady Liberty? Perhaps even your relatives did? I'd say they would disagree about their life not changing.

I do have one question for you? How many Che Guevara t-shirts do you own?

[scfire86]

SC...you sir have to be one of the biggest blow hard liberals I have ever read. Every chance you get you berate on a low level anyone who stands (or types) for their beliefs or thoughts of this nation. To claim no one's life would change should the Statue of Liberty or Liberty Bell be blown up is as about as ignorant a statement you have ever made. Weren't the one Twin Towers just metal? The Pentagon? What about the people there? I think the thousands of people connected to those locations had their lives change. What about all the LEGAL immigrants that walked/floated or maybe even swam past Lady Liberty? Perhaps even your relatives did? I'd say they would disagree about their life not changing.

I was referring to the objects themselves. You brought the people angle into it. That would change things significantly. Had no one been killed on 9/11 there would have been anger, but not the outrage that ensued over the destruction of both structures. Buildings can be replaced. The dead can not be brought back to life. Sorry that you can't or won't discern the difference.

I do have one question for you? How many Che Guevara t-shirts do you own?

Wow. Being compared to a communist? You're only about the 807th person on these boards to do that. You must be new. I'm not surprised you resort to a personal attacks. Conservatives have role models like Hannity, Limbaugh, and Coulter (all of whom resort to personal attacks), so I'm not surprised your thinking is so shallow.

[lauraboczek]

Wow. Being compared to a communist? You're only about the 807th person on these boards to do that. You must be new.

You'd think he'd get the hint by now....

[HotTrotter]

Those objects stand for what we are as Americans, and there are people and people stories behind them. To call the flag an object shows a total lack of understanding of the history of this country and what the flag stands for.

13 Stripes - The Original Colonies
50 Stars - One for each state

Then again, most haters of this country call the flag just an object as well. And those who really hate us (look at the middle east) will burn the flag.