Group Ordered to Take down Support the Troops Billboard

[TIZReporter]

http://www.theinfozone.net#supporttroops

The National Citizen's Coalition in Canada is being told by the Department of National Defence to take down their 'Support our Troops' billboard.

Gerry Nichols, NCC Vice President writes, "The Department of National Defence is ordering us (the National Citizens Coalition) to take down a “Support our Troops” billboard we put up in downtown Toronto. The DND is also telling us to remove any reference to “Support our Troops” from our website and to stop handing out “Support our Troops” car magnets.

"Why? Because of some stupid and vague law.

"Section 291 of the National Defence Acts states:

1) Every person who uses

(a) the words "Canadian Forces" or "Canadian Armed Forces" or the name of any component, unit or other element thereof or any abbreviation thereof or any words or letters likely to be mistaken therefore,

(b) any picture or other representation of a member of the Canadian Forces, or

(c) any uniform, mark, badge or insignia in use in the Canadian Forces,

in any advertising or in any trade or service, having been requested in writing by the Minister to cease that usage, is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction.

"In other words, says the DND, it’s a crime for us to express gratitude to the men and women who are risking their lives to defend our freedoms!! Something is very wrong here. I can understand a law prohibiting improper use of military symbols for advertising, but citizens should be permitted to make what are essentially patriotic statements.

"Could you imagine such a law being enforced in the United States?? What makes all this worse, is that the NCC was using these “Support our Troop” ads to raise awareness about a special trust fund we were setting up to aid the families of soldiers killed in action."

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Incredible!

TIZ

 

[Thefabulousfink]

That seems like a silly way to enforce that law, but I can see the original reasoning behind the law. I think they wanted to prevent people from using patriotism for their own profits, i.e. "Support our troops by buying a new car!"

I was reading through the US Flag Code the other day and found similar laws in our country.
The US Flag cannot be:

*Used as wearing apparel, bedding, or drapery.
*The flag should never be used as a covering for a ceiling.
*The flag should never have placed upon it, nor on any part of it, nor attached to it any mark, insignia, letter, word, figure, design, picture, or drawing of any nature.
*The flag should never be used as a receptacle for receiving, holding, carrying, or delivering anything.
*The flag should never be used for advertising purposes in any manner whatsoever. It should not be embroidered on such articles as cushions or handkerchiefs and the like, printed or otherwise impressed on paper napkins or boxes or anything that is designed for temporary use and discard. Advertising signs should not be fastened to a staff or halyard from which the flag is flown.
*No part of the flag should ever be used as a costume or athletic uniform. However, a flag patch may be affixed to the uniform of military personnel, firemen, policemen, and members of patriotic organizations. The flag represents a living country and is itself considered a living thing. Therefore, the lapel flag pin being a replica, should be worn on the left lapel near the heart.

http://www.usflag.org/uscode36.html#173

I think your DND went a little overboard with making you take down your sign, but I can understand their desire to seperate support for the troops from any sort of marketing or For Profit companies.

If your organization is Not For Profit then they are completely off their rockers.

 

[Justin]

n other words, says the DND, it’s a crime for us to express gratitude to the men and women who are risking their lives to defend our [strike] freedoms [/strike]!!

Err, well, something, anyway.

Guess they need to throw in their Buck oh-five.

 

[Manedwolf]

If we actually abided by those flag rules, car and truck dealers would be in serious trouble.

 

[Thefabulousfink]

True mannedwolf,

And it does get on my nerves when I see these fools dressed up in American Flag jumpsuits just to push a few more units out the door. However, flags on napkins or t-shirts on the 4th of July doesn't bother me at all.

I geuss what I am trying to say is that as long as the billboard was about supporting the troops and not some advertisement or political campaign, then the DND was out of line IMHO.

 

[Sergeant Bob]

I was reading through the US Flag Code the other day and found similar laws in our country.
The US Flag cannot be:
Quote:
*Used as wearing apparel, bedding, or drapery.
*The flag should never be used as a covering for a ceiling.
*The flag should never have placed upon it, nor on any part of it, nor attached to it any mark, insignia, letter, word, figure, design, picture, or drawing of any nature.
*The flag should never be used as a receptacle for receiving, holding, carrying, or delivering anything.
*The flag should never be used for advertising purposes in any manner whatsoever. It should not be embroidered on such articles as cushions or handkerchiefs and the like, printed or otherwise impressed on paper napkins or boxes or anything that is designed for temporary use and discard. Advertising signs should not be fastened to a staff or halyard from which the flag is flown.
*No part of the flag should ever be used as a costume or athletic uniform. However, a flag patch may be affixed to the uniform of military personnel, firemen, policemen, and members of patriotic organizations. The flag represents a living country and is itself considered a living thing. Therefore, the lapel flag pin being a replica, should be worn on the left lapel near the heart.

This code is the guide for all handling and display of the Stars and Stripes. It does not impose penalties for misuse of the United States Flag. That is left to the states and to the federal government for the District of Columbia. Each state has its own flag law.

This code is the guide for all handling and display of the Stars and Stripes. It does not impose penalties for misuse of the United States Flag. That is left to the states and to the federal government for the District of Columbia. Each state has its own flag law.

Criminal penalties for certain acts of desecration to the flag were contained in Title 18 of the United States Code prior to 1989. The Supreme Court decision in Texas v. Johnson; June 21, 1989, held the statute unconstitutional. This statute was amended when the Flag Protection Act of 1989 (Oct. 28, 1989) imposed a fine and/or up to I year in prison for knowingly mutilating, defacing, physically defiling, maintaining on the floor or trampling upon any flag of the United States. The Flag Protection Act of 1989 was struck down by the Supreme Court decision, United States vs. Eichman, decided on June 11, 1990

http://www.usflag.org/uscode36.html#173

You should have scrolled just a bit farther down the page Fink.

 

[Clipper]

There's also a difference between...

...'Can not' and 'Should not'...