5 ms·

Just speculating, maybe they wanted to show how omnipotent they where? If you see someone (an adult presumably) stepping on a flag, and then days or weeks late

by saganus 10y ago

Just speculating, maybe they wanted to show how omnipotent they where? If you see someone (an adult presumably) stepping on a flag, and then days or weeks later you see them being taken away, you may start thinking those FBI guys know about everything you do. Kinda like with Santa Claus and kids, so you better not do anything wrong.

komali2 10y ago
Why would the FBI "take someone away" for stepping on a flag? Do you mean arrest them? On what charges?
- saganus 10y ago
  Well yeah, maybe arrest, maybe just "come with us we need to chat" intimidation. It was figure of speech. Edit: Or so I thought until I searched a bit more and found this [0]: 18 U.S. Code § 700 - Desecration of the flag of the United States; penalties: (a) (1) Whoever knowingly mutilates, defaces, physically defiles, burns, maintains on the floor or ground, or tramples upon any flag of the United States shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for not more than one year, or both. So I guess if you stepped on a flag the FBI could in fact arrest you. [0]: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/700 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/700
  - tuxxy 10y ago
    That's not true anymore. Though, the law is still on the books, it cannot be enforced due to Texas v Johnson.[1] Though, the author says that this is during WW2, so I wanted to clarify to any foreign readers that this isn't the case anymore in our modern judicial system. 1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_v._Johnson https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_v._Johnson
- throwaway91111 10y ago
  Communism? Treason? They were japanese? This time period is not exactly a shining example of american justice. The policies seem more inspired by xenophobic and ideological fears than anything rational.
  - komali2 9y ago
    Do you have evidence that people in the last ten years have been arrested for communism, treason, or being Japanese in relation to stepping on a flag?

by saganus 10y ago

komali2 10y ago

Why would the FBI "take someone away" for stepping on a flag? Do you mean arrest them? On what charges?

saganus 10y ago
Well yeah, maybe arrest, maybe just "come with us we need to chat" intimidation. It was figure of speech. Edit: Or so I thought until I searched a bit more and found this [0]: 18 U.S. Code § 700 - Desecration of the flag of the United States; penalties: (a) (1) Whoever knowingly mutilates, defaces, physically defiles, burns, maintains on the floor or ground, or tramples upon any flag of the United States shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for not more than one year, or both. So I guess if you stepped on a flag the FBI could in fact arrest you. [0]: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/700 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/700
- tuxxy 10y ago
  That's not true anymore. Though, the law is still on the books, it cannot be enforced due to Texas v Johnson.[1] Though, the author says that this is during WW2, so I wanted to clarify to any foreign readers that this isn't the case anymore in our modern judicial system. 1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_v._Johnson https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_v._Johnson
throwaway91111 10y ago
Communism? Treason? They were japanese? This time period is not exactly a shining example of american justice. The policies seem more inspired by xenophobic and ideological fears than anything rational.
- komali2 9y ago
  Do you have evidence that people in the last ten years have been arrested for communism, treason, or being Japanese in relation to stepping on a flag?