Flag Burning at Yale

[cimmaronkid]

Once again we see where the liberal mentality has taken this country. Pay special attention to the names of the defendants. At least they had to appear in court in irons.

Wed Apr 4, 3:00 PM ET



BOSTON (Reuters) - Three Yale University students, including a Briton and a Greek national, have been charged in a case involving the burning of a U.S. flag outside a Connecticut house, a court official said on Wednesday.

Said Hyder Akbar, 23, Nikolaos Angelopoulos, 19, and Farhad Anklesaria, 19, were arrested on Tuesday and charged in New Haven Superior Court with reckless endangerment, arson, breach of peace, criminal mischief and other offenses.

Police said the three torched a flag hanging from the porch of a house in New Haven near the Ivy League school.

Anklesaria is British and Angelopoulos is Greek. Both are freshmen. Akbar, a senior, was born in Pakistan but is a U.S. citizen, according to police and court documents. Anklesaria and Angelopoulos turned over their passports.

Police gave no indication why they set fire to the flag. The trio acknowledged it was a "dumb thing to do" when questioned by police, the New Haven Register reported.

They appeared in court in leg irons and handcuffs, the newspaper said. Bail was set at $25,000 for Angelopoulos and Akbar, and $15,000 for Anklesaria, it added.

Akbar worked as an informal translator for U.S. forces during the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan and later published a memoir, "Come Back to Afghanistan," about his experiences there, the Yale Daily News reported.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1989 that flag burning was protected under constitutional free-speech guarantees, invalidating laws in 48 states and outraging veterans' groups and others who say that an important national symbol should be protected from defacement.

"It makes me sick to my stomach to think that someone would burn the American flag," Marc Suraci, 37, owner of the two-story house, told the Register, describing himself as "very, very patriotic."

[M1 Tanker]

I wonder if I stepped out in my front yard and burned a Mexican flag how long it would take the media to show up and call me a racist?

[jlpskydive]

I wonder if I stepped out in my front yard and burned a Mexican flag how long it would take the media to show up and call me a racist?

23.76 seconds give or take a tenth. I gotta tell you I'm tired of being guilty of being white, male and American. I'm not a racist but, if I even think of someone in a derogatory manor because they are an A-Hole and they happen to be of a particular race or culture I would be labeled as one. When they come right out and are overt bigots against all the things listed above, they have just been oppressed by me??? for hundreds of years??? I'm only 36!!!!and getting more and more jaded about the world daily. :upyours3: :upyours3:

[Enigma Nostra]

Id like to mention, that the reasons of flag burning aside... use your own fcking flag! Dont come onto my lawn to burn mine...

-E

[kevin]

exactly, the issue isnt buring a flag, its burning someone else property which happens to be a flag. Im glad they had irons on and had to go to court!!!

[iocane]

They were going to Yale. That means there is no way they are the oppressed.

[jettag]

I've heard about the rampant slaughter and iniquities of that hallowed campus!

[bullseye]

I think I will get a bunch of mexican flags and light them up at the next anti-illegal rally I go to. If someone steps into my yard to burn my flag I'll ventilate his a$$. My house could catch fire and I take that as a threat to my family.

[nightprowler311]

I am by no means racist in any way ,but i think should be illegal and punishable to burn the flag that our fathers ,brothers and familys have fought so bravely to protect. Seems people have forgotten two things ,,simple respect and freedom is not free.

[Optimus Prime]

I kind of think it's a pretty good set-up as it is. You are fully allowed to burn a flag THAT YOU BOUGHT YOURSELF. That's why these guys are being charged with arson and probably vandalism. Gotta remember guys, flag burning is covered by the 1st, and it would be a bit of a double standard to just start dissasembling that one, and fight to keep the 2nd intact...

[omerta123]

the things i love about reading things like that, they burn the flag for most likely hatred, they do this, but why the hell don't they leave? my american history teacher in highschool always said, people that voice there opinion why not move to china, because there scared

[Darkwatch]

I usually try to stay out of these kinds of "arguements" or "disscussions" just because I am just me and my opinion is just that ...my opinion. But I really hate to hear if you don't like it here just leave. I HATE many things about our country. But I am an american and I will not leave I will stay and try to change the things I don't like. I know I won't be able to change them all and I will be the last person to say "why can't we all get along" but we have to find a middle ground. That's what america is, being free to do and say what you want...even if most people don't like it as long as you aren't hurting someone. These are the freedoms I will fight for. Not a flag or any symbol. Do I think these guys should have been arrested..yes they destoyed someone elses property. Do i get offended when someone burns a US flag...no, and yet I have a picture of my grandfather in his WWII army uniform proudly displayed...cause he fought for the right of people to speak there minds even if we don't like what they are saying...I personally would like to stick a bayonetted rifle in every neo-nazi sh*theads a$$ and empty the magazine...but I will fight for thier right to say what they want. Sorry guys I don't mean to rant it's just we (americans) seem to have lost that roll up our sleeves and work together to iron out our differancees attitude it seems we once had...no we just point fingers and call names. I am not trying to flame anyone or start a feud I just need to speak my mind, and it's late and I have had a really bad week so far.:rantmeter: Pleae forgive my spew...

[omerta123]

[QUOTE=Darkwatch;9636] I am an american and I will not leave I will stay and try to change the things I don't like. QUOTE]

because you have love for your country when it comes down to it, i understand what your saying i don't necessarily see why someone who loved the country would burn a flag.

[Optimus Prime]

Darkwatch, that's exactly how I feel, you just got it worded alot better than I did, and will fully blame the headcold, the cold medicine, and working till 2am after waking up at 7am for class for my somewhat jumpy wording.
I'd add some more points, but I really need to try and sleep a little before going to early morning classes tomorrow... er later today now...

[fal_762x51]

I look Mexican from time to time, I'll burn one so no one can call me a racist.

[LorDiego]

Said Hyder Akbar, 23, Nikolaos Angelopoulos, 19, and Farhad Anklesaria, 19,

Where the hell is Jack Bauer when you need him?????

[M1 Tanker]

Where the hell is Jack Bauer when you need him?????

LOL, ain't that the damn truth.

[GreenWolf]

IMHO, I believe that the whole "I fought to protect your right to burn that flag" argument to be pretty twisted. Forty years of liberal media influence has had its toll. An act of violence against the symbol of our country is "free speech" - performance art as an act of love.

[cimmaronkid]

Again, I think that a lot of us are missing the point on this matter. I do not like seeing the flag burned either, but this case is not about this. These foreign born students trespass on property to destroy other property owned by a citizen of this country causing a fire hazard and possible further damage to his residence. The charges reflect this. Again, this is not about the flag but the brazen behavior of foreign nationals against anothers property and their lack of respect for this person's rights.

On the bright side for the students, had this happened in several of the "uncivilized" states such as Texas and Arizona to name two, they would have run the risk of being shot.

[Longhorn789]

Open and shut...get the heck out of my country if you don't like it here.

Also unfortunate that this makes the news......

[GreenWolf]

...... but this case is not about this. These foreign born students trespass on property to destroy other property owned by a citizen of this country causing a fire hazard and possible further damage to his residence. The charges reflect this.
That is merely how they are getting nailed, and to what extent.

Again, this is not about the flag but the brazen behavior of foreign nationals against anothers property and their lack of respect for this person's rights.
I usually agree with you on things, but not this one. If a bunch of frat boys got drunk and lit someone's trash can on fire, it would be different. For one thing, we wouldn't be writing about it here because we woudn't have heard about it.

[MicroPilot]

I think I will get a bunch of mexican flags and light them up at the next anti-illegal rally I go to. If someone steps into my yard to burn my flag I'll ventilate his a$$. My house could catch fire and I take that as a threat to my family.

In Kentucky, arson is the only crime that justifies use of deadly force for protecting property.

[okie shooter]

The olny reason these guys got in any sort of trouble is they burnt someone elses property, pure and simple, if you feel you need to burn an American Flag, atleast have the respect to not destroy someone elses property.

[SteelCore]

For arson, destruction of private property, etc. Also the homeowner said he's very patriotic, that smells like mental/emotional anguish compensation to a lawyer...what if that flag had sentimental meaning for him?

I agree with CK that this is about arson and property destruction, first and foremeost.:nonono:

As part of their commnuity service, they should have to assist in the flag setup on the 4th of July in Arlington or something karmic like that...

[Norton]

In the early 80s conservative students burned the Red Soviet flag and the local media had a field day saying it was akin to Nazi book burnings in the 30s. We did not use the term hate crime or PC at that time so they implied if you burn the Russian communist flag you must be a Nazi and by the way they were arested and charged with disturbing the peace. The far left has no probelm burning flags i.e American, British. Israel, CSA. Just don't burn one from a country they like, then it is a thought.. oh I am sorry I mean a 'hate crime'