[2dogs]

You know, I've just about had it. I'm not sure who is stupider here- the protesters, the police?

:cuss: :fire:





http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=31473

Police watch as 9-11 memorial trashed
War protesters' burning of flags, patriotic signs called 'free speech'

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted: March 11, 2003
5:00 p.m. Eastern



© 2003 WorldNetDaily.com

Police in a Los Angeles suburb allowed anti-war protesters to trash a patriotic 9-11 memorial, citing the vandals' "freedom of speech."

The protesters burned and ripped up flags, flowers and patriotic signs erected on a fence along a boulevard in La Habra, Calif. The display had been maintained since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, said the local Whittier Daily News.

Officers witnessed the vandalism Saturday afternoon but did not arrest three people seen damaging the memorial because they were "exercising the same freedom of speech that the people who put up the flags were," said La Habra Police Capt. John Rees.

"For this to be vandalism, there had to be an ill-will intent,' he said, according to the Whittier paper.

Police would take action only if the owner filed a complaint, said Rees.

Owner Jeff Collision said he might press charges.

"Their free speech stops at destruction of private property," said Collision, who runs The RV Center of La Habra. "If they are allowed to come on my property and burn flags, does that mean I can go to City Hall or the police station and light their flags on fire because that is freedom of speech? To me, this is vandalism."

A local resident who helped maintain the spontaneous memorial said she was shocked by the destruction.

"They trashed 87 flags, ripped 11 memorial tiles made by myself and my children out of the ground and glued the Bob Dylan song to a sign that said, 'America, land of the brave, home of the free,'" said Tracey Chandler, a mother of four, referring to Dylan's "With God on Our Side," an anti-war anthem of the 1960s.

"It's unbelievable, because there were absolutely no political messages on this fence," said Chandler, according to the Daily News. "It was all about supporting our troops, which could mean bringing them home, and about remembering 9-11."

The paper quoted Les Howard, a sociology professor at Whittier College, who said he did not condone the destruction but believed the incident might reflect confusion among people trying to prevent a war against Iraq who are uncertain about how to express their sentiments.

"Some think [the best way to support the troops] is to not question their role," Howard said. "Some think the best way is to pursue all means possible to avoid putting them in danger. That still does not excuse any desecration of people's symbolic participation."

Chandler said she is going to help rebuild the memorial, promising "it will be brighter, bigger and better than ever."

[SodaPop]

It was a good thing I wasn't there.:cuss:

[sonny]

:barf:

[Carlos Cabeza]

Yep, Like in high school the bunch that refused to stand up for the National Anthem before a rival school ballgame. That hippie bunch got rolled down the bleachers........:D

[longeyes]

I only have one question: Who told the cops to do nothing?

This problem is deeper and darker and dirtier than we have wanted to believe.

And I'm getting ticked.

[Rebel Gunman HK]

I hate people.:mad:

[cratz2]

Jeff Collision and I have nothing in common. NOTHING!

If someone trashed my property and desecrated flags while doing it and they'd all be arrested as soon as I pressed charges... well... consider them pressed. And then I'd dare them, I'd double dog dare, them to come back on me and do anything to be because of it.

[DeltaElite]

Not on my watch. Definitely not on my watch.

If I had been ordered not to stop them, that would have been the last order I recieved before they fired me, because I would have opened a king sized can of whoop butt on them.

That was not free speech and I am embarrassed for the city and police agency that allowed it to happen.

[hutch24]

These people should be thrown in jail and the cops that allowed it should be fired. :cuss: Mr. Collison needs to press charges and sue for damages.:fire: :mad:

[MikeK]

Yet another sick trend beginning in CA. Hope all of the THR folks and their families and freinds get out before the big quake.

[Blackhawk]

Kali is lost and gone forever, just like Clementine.... :(

[hammer4nc]

"For this to be vandalism, there had to be an ill-will intent,'

This is the second time recently that a le spokesman cited "lack of intent" as a reason to give someone a pass on what appears to be an obvious violation of law. Is there some new kind of training program being beta-tested? One could only hope that this was a mis-quote, or the lack of enforcement action at the time, was due to being undermanned, since they had the perps ID'd for future arrest.

Fine. The owners should file notarized affadavits attesting to absence of ill-will, exercise of free-speech via knuckles impacting the teeth of the next person harming their property. Call it tough love.

[Skunkabilly]

Man. I was at work. Some people need day jobs!

[QuickDraw]

I was taught"If its not yours and you take it,its stealing"
Same thing,If its not yours and you destroy it,its vandalism.
Seems pretty simple to me.

QuickDraw

[David Park]

Somehow I doubt that the Cali cops would apply this "ill-will intent" logic to the RKBA.

[BAB]

This is a public board, so I'll hold my tongue.

All I'll say here is :cuss: :fire: :barf:

[AnklePocket]

If you see anyone burning our flag you may do as you wish as long as there are no witnesses. Liberalism is fine, but far left behavior is absolutely not especially today.

[HABU]

Anklepocket, your attachment is a beautiful sight!

[m.i.sanders]

I can't belive that someone could get away with such obvious vandalism even in KALI:fire: How else could you discribe such odious behaviour, or is it allowed since signs of patriotism are not pc?

[clem]

I grow weary.

[longeyes]

It's deplorable when police don't understand the law. Intent was required, yes, meaning that you did what you did deliberately. And there appears to be no doubt of that.

More and more we are in the realm of "1984."

[Standing Wolf]

"For this to be vandalism, there had to be an ill-will intent,'

Hard to say who's dumber: that cop or the anti-Americans.

[jmbg29]

I hope that you all understand that we are on the brink of civil war.

Don't say that I didn't tell you so.

They found out that they can't win with ballots no matter how many illegal aliens and felons they register, and no matter how much election fraud they perpetrate.

They are starting to figure out that we are tuning out their movies/tv/radio/music/art etc... their lock on the media is gone.

The internet that they hoped would be their salvation "...are belong to us!" To turn a phrase.

They see more kids leaving their indoctrination camps for home and private school. The numbers of minds they are allowed to warp dwindle.

Their agitprop is mocked and ridiculed. Who can look at one of their giant puppets and not muse "Those :cuss:er :cuss:ing :cuss:holes are :cuss:ing NUTS!!!".

And so they resort to destroying your property. For them to win, eventually they need to destroy YOU!

Any terrorists that they can aid and abet they will. They are expert at it after long years of funding and manning Earth First! E.L.F. and A.L.F and P.E.T.A.

Don't think for a moment that they won't destroy you if you let them.

Kommiefornia is where it will start. Mark my words.:fire: :fire: :fire:

[AZTOY]

*** is wrong with the people in CA is there something wrong with the water :fire: :fire: :banghead:

[Matt249SAW]

Lady's and gentalmen,

we live in a country were people have the right to speek out against our government, and lady's and gentalmen, Ive excersized that right on multiple occasions. Now my opinion greatly differs from those who would show their imaturity and dissrespect for that very freedom that they so often abuse, but, it is their right to say what they want

As far as the vandils, cowards, and followers of the liberal faith that couldn't stand for our country if the towers fell in THEIR back yard.....

You who would disgrace those freedoms and create such anti-American sentiment.....

You who have chosen to forsake the very freedoms that countless have sacrificed for......

You who now enjoy the very freedom that President Sadam Insane has cut tongue's out for......

I would dare you to come down my street, in fly-over country, Ya that's right, the part of the country that put the President in office, the part of the country that still believes in GOD, the part of this country that gives you food, builds your cars, and proudly DEFENDS your right to Burn my flag.....

Should you dare, set one liberal, leftist, Axis of evil supporting foot in my neck of the woods, well, let me quote a movie

Your soul better be with Jesus, couse your A#$ belongs to me!

I will defend your right to say what you want, and I will excersize my right to defend my country from all enemy's, both foreign and DOMESTIC.

(Once again, I do have a hard time typing what it is I want to say without a Constant spellcheck review so please overlook any misspellings that may apear and read my entry for its content. Thanks THR members for this forum to express and excercise my god given right protected by our First Amendment)

[DeltaElite]

A civil war starting in California would have to get through Arizona.
We would not allow that, we would stomp California in just a few days and then go to Disneyland. :D

Hey Mom, I'm going to Disneyland. :neener:

[Skunkabilly]

Delta, rally point Fortress Skunkabilly!

[Nightfall]

Trespassing on somebody's property and destroying ANYTHING, regardless of political value, is wrong. Had it been my property... well, we'll say an armed patriot standing there eyeing you down with shotgun in hand could well be a BIG deterrent. How many liberal protesters do you know that would confront an armed guy on his own property? Exactly.

[WilderBill]

Would they please come try that in Texas...at night?

[cratz2]

Would they please come try that in Texas...at night?

Of course not! You'll never read about some whining, snot-nosed, tree-huggin, liberal POS burning a flag on private property in rural Texas because even they're too smart for that.

[DeltaElite]

There was sufficient "intent".
They were destroying the property of others, without permission, that is not free speech that is vandalism.
If the maggots want to burn a flag, then they can bring their own.

The police dept not acting is pathetic.

Can I retire now? I am really sick of people. :fire:

[Malone LaVeigh]

Three stupid protesters.

More stupid police.

[Zander]

We're missing the obvious, or perhaps I'm just the first to state the non-PC obvious:

Private property in the People's Republic of Kalifornia is subject to the "rules" of the sociofascists.

There is only one remedy; sorry that I can't vote in the PRK.

[4570Rick]

Heard it on the radio this afternoon. http://www.rocketsky.net/~mysmilies/otn/realhappy/jump.gif The stupid woman who destroyed the tribute, came back and started a shoving match with the woman who has cared for it for 18 months. The stupid woman got arrested.http://www.rocketsky.net/~mysmilies/otn/realhappy/jump.gif

[Leatherneck]

The stupid woman who destroyed the tribute, came back and started a shoving match with the woman who has cared for it for 18 months. The stupid woman got arrested

Too bad the assault didn't provoke a self-defense shooting. Oh, wait: it's California.:fire:

TC
TFL Survivor

[4570Rick]

Bigger than ever
People flock to rebuild a tribute to terrorism victims that was struck by vandals last weekend.
By ERIC CARPENTER
The Orange County Register

LA HABRA - A flood of people looking to restore a makeshift Sept. 11 memorial trashed by vandals plastered the site with new American flags and homemade signs Wednesday, rebuilding it as a much larger tribute than it had been.

Supporters - including parents, schoolchildren and war veterans from across Orange County and from as far away as Pasadena and Riverside - adorned the chain-link fence memorial with more than 200 new flags, replacing the 87 flags burned and ripped up by vandals over the weekend.

Tracey Chandler, who had built and maintained the site for 18 months, stood by the memorial for much of Wednesday, smiling and waving at honking motorists.

She accepted stacks of new flags, T-shirts and donations of $5 and more from people wanting to see the memorial restored to its red, white and blue glory.

One man stopped to give her a $20 bill for her "patriotic efforts" and asked that she treat her family to an apple pie on him.

Buena Park pastor Wiley Drake, who has been leading a "support the troops" campaign, got permission from the property owner to hang a 40-foot-by-16-foot Sept. 11 tribute banner under a billboard.

"This was such a horrible thing that happened, but just look at what it has brought about," Chandler said. "I am so touched by the response."

Not everybody has been enthusiastic.

Police early Wednesday arrested a 19-year-old woman who witnesses said showed up at the memorial late Tuesday, claimed responsibility for burning some of the flags and pushed Chandler while saying the memorial endorsed the looming war in Iraq.

Jennifer Quintana, whom police identified only as an Orange County resident, was booked on suspicion of misdemeanor assault and released.

Quintana, who identified herself as a Fullerton College student, argued over the memorial with a crowd of about 25 people when she showed up at the site.

"It's an American flag, obviously it has everything to do with the war," she told the crowd. "There should be no war, just peace and togetherness."

Witnesses said Quintana grabbed Chandler as they argued.

"I told her to get her ignorant hands off me and she started to poke at me, so we called the police," Chandler said.

Police took Quintana in for questioning, and booked her into jail around midnight, police said. She was cited and released around 6 a.m. police said. They are still investigating whether Quintana was responsible for any of last weekend's vandalism.

"We hope to consult with the district attorney and present them with our case, both on the assault and on the vandalism investigation, by the end of the week," said Cindy Knapp, spokeswoman for La Habra police.

Quintana did not return phone calls seeking additional comment.

Chandler said the memorial is primarily intended to honor victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, but lately some people have interpreted it as a pro-war demonstration.

Signs have been hung urging passers-by to "Support the Troops" and to "Back Bush."

Mike Miller, who works around the corner from the memorial, looked at the row of flags and shook his head in disapproval.

"I think it looks kind of tacky," said Miller, a former Marine who fought in Vietnam. "I think a lot of people who support this memorial are gung-ho about the war and, having seen the blood and the pain of war, I think that's a shame."
:confused:

[DeltaElite]

Wonderful that it is rebuilt.

Sad that the marine from Vietnam thinks of the display as pro war, but he has been there, so he's ok in my book.

[QuickDraw]

*** is wrong with the people in CA is there something wrong with the water


I don't know.I drink the water,and I don't do this kind of stuff.

Perhaps the backlash from this kind of behavior will sound the
death knell for the left.

Spoiled children not getting their way.

QuickDraw

[Destructo6]

When did this happen?

I drove by there just last Saturday. It's right on Whittier Blvd, between Beach Blvd and Harbor Blvd.

[Don Gwinn]

Now, why did they arrest the woman for assault? She only shoved the woman who made the patriotic display, right? Well, there was probably no ill will there, either. She was probably only expressing her frustration and hatred of such people. Clearly a case of protected speech.

:barf:


Most here have read my passionate defenses of the right to burn an American flag as a protest against our nation (it is, after all, a symbol, and symbols cut both ways) despite how angry it makes me.

However, I daresay I'm on solid legal ground when I say you're not allowed to burn MY flag, for the love of Mike, and that I will beat the first one who tries senseless and accept the charges.

No, it's not right to beat someone into the ground over vandalism, but if you willingly accept and serve your punishment it becomes civil disobedience. :evil:

[4Truck]

Some people are in dire need of a good old fashioned a** whooping!!!:cuss: :cuss: :fire: :fire:

[Combat-wombat]

If they burn their own flags, thats free speech.(Even though they can still kiss my a**) But if they trash a 9-11 memorial, that's... well... I don't even know what to say. I'm appalled.

[Tamara]

You know what gets me about this? What happened to "tacky"? What happened to shame and censure for inappropriate behavior? Did these people's mommas not raise them properly or something?

So you disagree with the Iraq thing; fine and dandy. Maybe you think it's the most monstrous evil ever perpetrated by the government; okay, go protest. This does not give you the right to harm the persons or property of those with whom you disagree. How hard is that to comprehend? You want to burn a flag to show how mad you are? Go to Wally World, buy one and burn it. But you just don't go laying your hands on Other People's Stuff. I mean, come on! This is Kindergarten Level Manners training, here...

[PATH]

I am glad the memorial is rebuilt. My flag flies 24/7(illuminated at night). It was there before 9/11 and it will fly until they cart my cold carcass away. The flag flies in my front yard and anyone who attempts to come on my property and touch it will meet the business end of a Louisville slugger!:fire:

I am conviced, as Mike Savage said, that lliberalism is not a political persuasion it is a mental illness!

Is there any address where we can send a donation to support this memorial?

[Combat-wombat]

Alright my first post wasn't enough I have to let it out now:

[edited to remove a whole bunch of stuff that was pretty durn far from "High Road"...]

[twoblink]

Quickdraw;

Seems like my parents might have gone to the same school your parents did..

When I grew up, taking what is not yours was called "5 lashes" and destroying what is not yours was called "getting the belt"..

The PRK, the PR-LA. Why am I not surprised?:barf:

[LostOneToo]

If you burn or otherwise disrespect the US flag in front of me, you will pay a price that you will think exorbitant. Freedom of speech, to me, does NOT include disrespect to the flag that so many have died for and the ideals it stands for!!!:fire:

[twoblink]

Burn a flag YOU bought... fine... I don't like it but it's your property.. Burn MY flag?? Be prepared to meet the business end of a vegetable peeler and some lemon juice!

[4570Rick]

you bring the flag and the lemon (lime would be better) and I'll bring the salt and Tequilla and we'll have a party.:D