Police in Wisconsin went against two constitutional amendments on our nation’s birthday, taking down and seizing an 
American Flag which was displayed upside down.
Vito Congine Jr. says police trespassed and stole his property before a Fourth of July parade in the village of Crivitz, according to the Associated Press. The flag was removed by police following advice by the District Attorney and returned the next day.
Congine, an Iraq war veteran, was flying his flag upside down in protest of the town refusing to grant him a liquor license for his Italian supper club. “It is pretty bad when I go and fight a tyrannical government somewhere else,” Congine said, “and then I come home to find it right here at my front door.”
The American Civil Liberties Union is now considering action against the town for the violation of Congine’s rights.
Displaying the flag upside down is permitted by code in times of distress. However it has become a symbol of free speech in protest against the U.S. government by those who consider themselves real patriots.
Congine said his distress is that after spending $200,000 to buy and rennovate the building for his supper club, it will now probably never open due to the refusal of the liquor license and drive him into bankruptcy.
I, for one, have a U.S. flag lapel pin that I wear upside down for that very reason. An acquaintance of mine has a t-shirt which pictures an upside down flag with the words “Free Speech” written underneath.
Sheriff Jim Kanikula told the A.P. that while it isn’t illegal to fly a flag upside down, “It is illegal to cause a disuption,” and that people were upset.
Again, just like with Bill Harper, we see the “strong arm of the law” overstepping it’s bounds and violating constitutionally protected rights. Under the First Amendment, Cogine had the right to fly his flag upside down. Police also violated the Fourth Amendment by coming onto Congine’s property and sezing his property. The story doesn’t mention a warrant being issued.
1 Comment
July 13, 2009 at 5:30 pm
This brings back old things. I flew my flag the same way and the stupid kid next door called the local Gestapo and he refused to do anything, well the Gestapo in that town were afraid of me. I flew it until someone stole it.