Veteran cuts down Mexican flag flying above U.S. banner

istealfreefood

Active member
After hearing a Reno bar was flying a Mexican flag above a U.S. flag, an angered U.S. Army veteran took matters into his own hands, drove to the site and cut down the banners in front of a stunned group of Hispanic patrons.
Reno television station KRNV, which was there to document Jim Broussard's act of defiance, noted the U.S. code prohibits raising the flag of any other nations above Old Glory.
Broussard pulled up in his truck to the Cantina El Jaripeo near downtown Reno yesterday, cut the rope that anchored the flags and pulled them down from a makeshift flagpole.
He left the Mexican flag on the ground and, with the U.S. flag in hand, turned to the KRNV cameraman:
cid:image001.jpg@01C89890.646B8620

[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']U.S. military vet, with U.S. flag in hand, displays knife he used to cut it down[/FONT]
"I'm Jim Broussard," he said, "and I took this flag down in honor of my country with … a knife from the United States Army. I'm a veteran, I'm not going to see this done to my country. If they want to fight us, then they need to be men, and they need to come and fight us. But I want somebody to fight me for this flag. They're not going to get it back."
The KRNV footage shows a Hispanic man, possibly the bar owner, picking up the Mexican flag after Broussard briskly walks past him down the street to his truck.
Later, Broussard, told nationally syndicated talk-radio host Mike Gallagher he took action after hearing on a local talk station that the flags had been flying all day.
cid:image002.jpg@01C89890.646B8620

[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']U.S. military veteran cuts American flag from rope after it was flown below a Mexican flag[/FONT]
"I was immediately infuriated and felt a duty to do something about it," Broussard said. "I feel there's a lot of this turning-our-heads-on-things in concern with the Hispanic community and the things they do. They seem impervious to our laws in a lot of situations."
Broussard, pointing out the bar was committing a federal offense, said local authorities weren't sure what to do about it.
He affirmed Gallagher's comment that many Americans are afraid to speak out on the problem of illegal immigration and lack of assimilation because they are afraid of being called bigots.
Broussard said he had no idea a TV camera would be there until he arrived on the scene.
About a dozen Hispanic men came pouring out of the building when he showed up, according to Broussard.
The men said, Broussard recounted, "What do you think you're doing?"
"I said, well, watch me."
Broussard said he talked to local police after the incident, and they have not taken any action. But Hispanic leaders, he said, "are trying to coerce the bar owner to file charges against me."
cid:image003.jpg@01C89890.646B8620

[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']Mexican flag displayed illegally at Reno business[/FONT]
The veteran affirmed to Gallagher there are many Hispanics who are equally upset about illegal immigration and the resistance to assimilation.
"We have many cultures who've come here, and they've learned our language, and they respect our culture, because they know America is a great country, and they simply want to be a part of it," he said.
KRNV said it sent a cameraman to the scene after a viewer called to say "a business near downtown Reno was flying a Mexican flag above an American flag ... which is, in fact, illegal."
 
Right on the issue. Wrong to take the law into his own hands.

Thats what the Police are for. Next time he should call them and let them do it.
 
So the police can show up, the case can go to the courts and in a few months we'll get another messed up law that makes no sense?
No thanks.
 
Right on the issue. Wrong to take the law into his own hands.

Thats what the Police are for. Next time he should call them and let them do it.

As far as I'm concerned he did the right thing. He fixed a problem, didn't hurt anybody, and restored some dignity to the scene.
 
Right on the issue. Wrong to take the law into his own hands.

Thats what the Police are for. Next time he should call them and let them do it.

Water can get muddy on this real quick.

First the responding unit is going to have to see if the federal code concerning display of the U.S. flag is also in the state statutes or County/Municipal ordinances. (Not all U.S.C.'s cross the divide).

If they are not addressed in his State Statutes then his ability to enforce USC is limited. There are alot of Federal laws enforceable only by Federal Agents. And frankly I have no clue who enforces Flag display violations.

If they are not in his statutes he'd have to track down the correct Federal Agency. (Guess I'd start with US Marshals and get a couple day's of "I dunno." and " Not us.") and then seek their advisement. Then get authorization to make the arrest or turn it over to the Fed side so they can form a task force and investigate the violation.(Me I'd just put a bug in the ear of my local ICE agents and let them speak to the owner......while checking documentation.)

No matter which way you cut it. If it's not in statute you'd have a hard time making a case and getting it to stick. In my jurisdiction it's not.

Now to further muddy the water. If the bar owner had called the police. The gentleman who cut the flag down is for arrestable and or citeable for (in my jurisdiction.) Property damage and/or vandalism and since he came on to private property with the intent to damage property and or vandalize, Trespass. Despite the fact that a flag was being displayed in violation of published law.

Even if he had called the local PD or SO the chance of them placing high priority on it are pretty slim.

All in all it's a radio call I wouldn't want because the court case would probably stretch well past my retirement date.

Guess it all worked out for the best the way it went down.
 
Someone has at last had enough of this touchy feely, can't insult the neighbours crap.

I am a great supporter of the police, but they are too often hamstrung by political considerations. I'm sure Mexicans would feel similarly insulted if you flew the Stars and Stripes above their flag in Mexico, and rightfully so.
 
mmarsh, it WAS right to take the law into his own hands. It's not worth having another countries flag fly on top of yours during the time your in court. It's a federal offence and he did the right thing.
 
Sorry Folks,

Thats why the police are called law-enforcement, (as in they can enforce the laws, not ordinary citizens). The bar owner was wrong and it was illegal to display the flag like that, BUT its never for ordinary citizens to take the laws into their own hands. That's a very slippery slope, once you start down it on a minor thing such as this, things can very quickly get out of control. In fact, its usually what happens, the Ku Klux Klan and various gun fights in the Wild West were all about people taking the law (or what they thought was the law) into their own hands. You don't ever want to go there.

As USMC said, what the vet did, despite the best of intentions WAS vandalism and WAS criminal trespass, and probably theft as well (the vet kept the US flag).

The bar owner COULD have press charges had he wished (and he still might). Even if I was in the wrong, if someone touched my property without permission I would press charges. And who knows, had this been in Texas or Florida the bar owner might have claimed 'Castle Doctrine' protection (in defending place of business) and shot the vet dead, and THAT would have been legal. Strange world we live in isn't it?

The best solution was if the vet simply ASKED for the bar owner to change the display of flags first, which there is NO indication that he did.

Thats why TALKING to people is usually the best way of resolving disputes.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
USMC

I don't disagree that the PD and the Feds have better things to do. But I think most people if they were told by a local LEO to remove an offensive display would do so. Most people are not ACLU attorneys and don't want a hassle with the local sheriff over a flag.
 
Last edited:
"I'm Jim Broussard," he said, "and I took this flag down in honor of my country with … a knife from the United States Army. I'm a veteran, I'm not going to see this done to my country. If they want to fight us, then they need to be men, and they need to come and fight us. But I want somebody to fight me for this flag. They're not going to get it back."

What a neanderthal, what's with the obsession of having to fight everybody out of some misplaced honour? We don't cut down your stars and stripes everytime we see it flying overhere (And I see that on a regular basis). And this is not out of cowardice it is called descency and the ability to respect the same pattriotism other people feel for their country. In what way does this offend you or disrespect you? Is your honour truely so narrow that it leaves no room for others to feel proud of their heritage? This Broussard wants to fight for his and does not understand that others want to show theirs.....
 
Someone has at last had enough of this touchy feely, can't insult the neighbours crap.

I am a great supporter of the police, but they are too often hamstrung by political considerations. I'm sure Mexicans would feel similarly insulted if you flew the Stars and Stripes above their flag in Mexico, and rightfully so.

Yeah. Whatever happened to the one on one, man to man talk? Now it's "I'll call the police," "I'm calling my lawyer."
Pansies.
 
Yeah. Whatever happened to the one on one, man to man talk? Now it's "I'll call the police," "I'm calling my lawyer."
Pansies.

Actually thats just what I said, why didn't the vet simply ask the bar owner to change the display. All this did did was solve a criminal act by committing another one.
 
What a neanderthal, what's with the obsession of having to fight everybody out of some misplaced honour? \

Misplaced honour??... come again? I dunno about the Netherlands Ted, but where I come from patriotism is never "misplaced". Other than that the act was against the law so he was just doing his duty as a law abiding citizen.

Perhaps we Aussies are not as vocal about it as the Yanks, but try dishonouring Australia in our own country and you might well get a flea in your ear. In my opinion, anyone who wouldn't fight for the honour of his country is not deserving of citizenship within that country. By that I do not mean that one should go out and flatten every "foreigner" that you see, but you shouldn't have to put up with blatant insults either.

P.S. in this case Neanderthal is spelt with a capital letter.:) Go Neanderthals!!
 
Misplaced honour??... come again? I dunno about the Netherlands Ted, but where I come from patriotism is never "misplaced". Other than that the act was against the law so he was just doing his duty as a law abiding citizen.

Perhaps we Aussies are not as vocal about it as the Yanks, but try dishonouring Australia in our own country and you might well get a flea in your ear. In my opinion, anyone who wouldn't fight for the honour of his country is not deserving of citizenship within that country. By that I do not mean that one should go out and flatten every "foreigner" that you see, but you shouldn't have to put up with blatant insults either.

P.S. in this case Neanderthal is spelt with a capital letter.:) Go Neanderthals!!

Actually I am going to go with Ted on this one although with a little less passion as I can understand his actions as a last resort but agree that it was somewhat over done as an initial reaction and the presence of TV cameras just makes me think this was yet another publicity stunt.

If there was no attempt to rectify the issue before this action then I agree with Ted that it was somewhat Neanderthalic.

One of my neighbours hoists a different nationalities flag every day and has done for a good 15 or so years it has been a good learning experience.

I also have a question, apparently it is illegal to fly another nationalities flag above the US one in this location so what would happen if they just stopped flying the US flag?

Oh and to what extent could the bar owner have gone to protecting his property from an armed man?
 
Last edited:
Had he just been flying just the Mexican Flag or flying a Mexican and US flag on seperate staffs in the proper configuration it's not a problem not a violation.

My biggest question with this whole situation is this. If this gentleman was so annoyed and angered by this why did he first call the media, and second wait for them to show up before he cut the flag down. Why not just cut it down and be done with it?
 
You do have another interesting point here.

I'm almost wondering if this isn't an "I love my country and I want everyone to know" and just a "Lookit me! I'm on TV!"
 
My biggest question with this whole situation is this. If this gentleman was so annoyed and angered by this why did he first call the media, and second wait for them to show up before he cut the flag down. Why not just cut it down and be done with it?

Perhaps he just decided that enough was enough, someone had to make a public example of this rudeness???

There are times when the authorities have more to do than run around policing such offences, this in no way reduces the wrongfulness of the act, good manners alone, should have decreed that he fly the Mexican flag below that of the Star and Stripes whilst within the US and of course vice versa if he were in Mexico.

It was a blatant slap in the face to all US citizens, pure and simple. The business operator got what he asked for. What I ask is "why is he surprised"?

Monty, I believe there are times when the Neanderthals have their place.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top