Burn the US flag and it’s free speech

[Frostbit]

Burn the LGBTQ flag and you sentenced to prison for 15 years.

Link

[80zephyr]

Yeah, thats bullshit.

Mark

[Lanie]

There is of course more to the story. People felt threatened. He stole. I think it was from somebody else's property. I'm for the right to burn whatever flag you want, but it has to come within boundaries.

Adolfo Martinez, 30, of Ames, was sentenced Wednesday to 15 years for the hate crime of arson and given a year for reckless use of explosives or fire and 30 days for harassment. The sentences are to be served consecutively, Story County court records said.

I do think 15 years for the burning part of excessive unless it was more than just a flag.

[Newman]

There is of course more to the story. People felt threatened. He stole. I think it was from somebody else's property. I'm for the right to burn whatever flag you want, but it has to come within boundaries.




I do think 15 years for the burning part of excessive unless it was more than just a flag.

Surely. I see the sentences are to be served consecutively, which tells me that the judge wanted him incarcerated for as long as possible. And the article says he "opposes homosexuality." Huh? It could be that this fellow is a dangerous person.

I don't know. On the face of it 15 years is ludicrous.

[Gingersnap]

When I first saw the headlines, I assumed he had also burned down part of the church in the process of burning the flag but it appears not.

Burning down a church is a frightening matter to those who attend it and a pretty clear demonstration of violent intention toward the membership.

Burning up a flag that hung on the structure is just as obviously a symbolic gesture. While annoying and a minor destruction of property, it's not the kind of thing seriously violent people do. Seriously violent people burn down churches.

This guy needs fines, jail time of less than a year, and to pay for a new flag. That would amount to restorative justice unless he has a history of arson in which case he needs more time because of that.

He also doesn't need to be forced into classes about gayness, spend time in therapy about the issue, or otherwise "educated". Drunk drivers in mandatory DUI classes just learn how to do it better from their peers. He can hate gays if he wants. He just can't damage property or set fires to expression his position.

[phillygirl]

Video of the guy here.

15 years is excessive, Imo. However, he apparently is a repeat offender. More importantly, I think he's a little cray cray.

[Celeste Chalfonte]

Surely. I see the sentences are to be served consecutively, which tells me that the judge wanted him incarcerated for as long as possible. And the article says he "opposes homosexuality." Huh? It could be that this fellow is a dangerous person.

I don't know. On the face of it 15 years is ludicrous.

I thought so from just the headline. As one reads more, this is no more about burning a gay symbol than Klan activity in the yard of a black family's home is about burning a Christian symbol. It's all about threats, repeated destruction of property, and then perhaps they have one of those new laws about demonstrations at churches.

[Novaheart]

I thought so from just the headline. As one reads more, this is no more about burning a gay symbol than Klan activity in the yard of a black family's home is about burning a Christian symbol. It's all about threats, repeated destruction of property, and then perhaps they have one of those new laws about demonstrations at churches.

Three strikes law is in play.

[Newman]

I thought so from just the headline. As one reads more, this is no more about burning a gay symbol than Klan activity in the yard of a black family's home is about burning a Christian symbol. It's all about threats, repeated destruction of property, and then perhaps they have one of those new laws about demonstrations at churches.

Yes, and I agree that if there is any justification for "hate crime" classification, it's for this kind of incident, where "littering" or some such doesn't carry an appropriate penalty for the terrorizing intent of the crime.

On the other hand, I think 15 years is waay over the top for burning a cross, too. So I still suspect that this particular guy might be a very dangerous malcontent whom the judge has tried to keep away from society as long as he or she could.

[Novaheart]

Burn the LGBTQ flag and you sentenced to prison for 15 years.

Link

You just hate him because he is bwown.

[Frostbit]

You just hate him because he is bwown.

You reveal yourself with your accusations.

[scott]

Good on this girl:

Courtney Reyes, executive director of One Iowa, a statewide LGBTQ advocacy group, said while her organization appreciates the seriousness with which this biased incident was addressed, "we will continue to strive for a justice system which values restoration over punishment and helps individuals like Adolfo Martinez understand the harm that they’ve caused."

"Hate crimes against the LGBTQ community are a serious matter as they inflict distinct emotional harms on their victims, and strike fear into the communities they target," Reyes told NBC News. "That said, true justice should always strive to be about rehabilitation, reconciliation, and healing communities. It is difficult to see how a 16-year prison sentence accomplishes any of those goals."

I think the 15 years is excessive for this one incident but I agree with Newman, the judge knows more than we have been told. Arson though? That's a stretch. This seems a lot like charge stacking.