I agree. Allowing ONE flag to fly does not mean you cannot fly OTHER flags. Suppression is NOT "freedom". HEy, if you wanna fly a UN flag, go ahead. I guarantee that if someone were to fly, say, an Iraq national flag, and the person said it was infringing upon his/her rights, the ACLU would stand right up. So, where are they? At this rate, the only color our flag is going to be is white. Thats total B.S. People would rather not make waves than stand up for what they believe. A sad, sad day in our history when its considered PC to NOT wave our country's flag.

Well, before we rush off to the Supreme Court with our ACLU lawyer in tow or ask Congress to let Shreveport secede from the Union, here's a question: Can anyone corroborate the details of this story? Or have any details that I don't mention below? Just like many Katrina news stories, I am wary of articles that seem pretty outrageous at first glance. Newspaper articles are not always the gospel truth!

I actually looked up the ordinance in question. I have read the city council minutes where the ordinance was enacted and also the official Shreveport parade rules website. ORDINANCE NO. 2 OF 2002, section 78-118 states:



That's all of it. Sounds like a reasonable and legitimate reason, in spite of the First Amendment ramifications that I am also keeping in mind. What if people started bringing big billowy flags and sitting in the front rows of the movie theater? I know, sounds silly, but it's basically the same kind of rationale--people can't see the parade and public safety people can't see the public clearly.

I'm not sure if this 2002 flag provision was passed specifically due to this incident but something also happened in Shreveport's 2001 Mardis Gras parade where spectators peppered a high school band with all/predominantly African-American students with bottles and other objects as they marched and caused an uproar. Business leaders worried that investment and business would go elsewhere due to the racial overtone of the incident and they wanted something done.

However, one detail which I can't corrorborate is the statement in the article that even logos, like on car decals, T-shirts, or lawn chairs with the flag design, are also illegal. The article says it is the same ordinance, but the ordinance that bans flags from the parade route makes no mention of these other items at all. Neither do the official parade rules. So, if a police officer is telling someone to cover their lawn chair because it has the flag design on it, then it sounds like either that particular officer has misunderstood this parade-specific law or someone higher up is confused or overzealously interpreting the law and instructing the police on what to do. In fact, smaller flags that don't obstruct anyone's view should be fine, so it's not necessarily the law that is screwy, but perhaps in how it is being intrepreted and executed. Well, or else there is another ordinance out there that is being enforced but not reflected in the official parade rules.

Or maybe there's more to the story that I don't know. Maybe the city wants a way to prevent people from showing up with Neo-Nazi or KKK flags after the 2001 incident, so the city thinks they'll be legally justified in doing that if all flags were banned from the parade area? Or what about previous years? How was the law enforced since it was passed in 2002? Anyway, I think the news article does a disservice because it is a contoversial topic and there's no background to it, and this topic definitely needs some background info to put it into context.

Thanks for taking the time to research this and clear up at least a portion of it. The news media never fails to amaze me...

Yes, you are correct. And that Freedom of Expression is what allows people to burn an American flag if they want [Texas v. Johnson, 491 U.S. 397 (1989)]. Somehow I doubt that this ordinance (as it is being presented) would hold up very long to legal scrutiny.

P.S.: I am not a lawyer.

I wonder if they apply their own Law and Standard to the American Flag patches on their own Uniforms?! (as of course many local Law Enforcement and Emergency Responders do so display).

Also, -if Shreveport had a contending Pro Football team, -I'm thinking of things like Steeler Fever and our nearby Browns, -Would they dare to here also apply this same Law and Standard!? (with their equivalent of say the Terrible Towel).

There's of course *gotta* be Law and Order, -but the Law for its part can and should Reflect a requisite Common Sense and Reasonability.

Also, -I'd like to see them try to enforce that, -back in those last few months of 2001 ! [color:"black"] [/color] [email]ScottRezaLogan[/email]

I don't see how a Flag Design is gonna obstruct the View, -a la Public Safety considerations, -on a Lawn Chair or one's Personal Chlothing! So much for that cited Justification in the Ordinance itself! Why!, -Their Mislogic would even extend to a Tiny Lapel Pin! Breesh and Sheeshhhhh!.....

Now reading further into your Post of which I'm replying to, -I see that you do Considerably and Fairly Address my above mentions. Concerning that and those, -if such means of Display are *Not* mentioned in the Ordinance, -then as you also say, -What in the World is Law Enforcement Mis-Enforceing it so!?

And concerning KKK, *Militant* Islamic, etc etc etc of "Hate Banners", -I say "Ban the (True) Hate Flags et al, -*Keep* the Non-Hateful American one!" (The same goes for any other *Non*-Hating ones). [color:"black"] [/color] [email]ScottRezaLogan[/email]

Yeah perhaps. But (I'm Sorry to say) that legitimate Public Safety concerns could well Trump this! -As in yelling "Fire!" in a Theatre. (Unless of course there Really *is* a Fire!,...).

As I've said elsewhere in this Thread, -Lapel Pins and Lawn Chairs No! But more typical, classic Flag Waving "View Obstruction", -I'm Ruefully Afraid that they may just Technically and Legally have something there!,... [color:"black"] [/color] [email]ScottRezaLogan[/email]

There is yet *another* Angle to Flag Burning! This would be "to your Contrary". And it is a Very Important, Public Safety, of a one!

And that concerns the literal, "Lighting a Fire in Public" Aspect of it! I've long been Aware of this, -Shuddering to think of what any local Fire Department / Marshall, -thinks on this!

The Public Discussion is continuously all caught up in the Free Speech Pros and Cons of this! But What About *also* the Fireman's View of this?! What about the Definite Public Safety Aspects of Setting an actual Flammable Substance Aflame in Public!? Or even Dangerously in Private?

From *both* a Fire and Public Safety Angle, -*and* out of course a Love, Regard, and Respect for the Flag of Freedom!, -I of course personally send a Resounding "No!",- to Flag Burning or Desecration of any kind! (A Respectful, Dignified, and Safe Burning or other Disposal of an obviously and sufficiently Aged, Worn etc one, -is the only Exception. I understand, incidentally, -that this is Legally Permitted. The Source I think is my old Boy Scout Handbook). [color:"black"] [/color] [email]ScottRezaLogan[/email]

A Hearty Amen to a good portion of what you say! Why *Doesn't* the ACLU etc *Also* get onto this!? And some do want to Remove the Colors from our Flag to make it All White! I now Desist from further Political etc of comment. [color:"black"] [/color] [email]ScottRezaLogan[/email]

And How would they Figure it, -if the Booth Seller has among his or her *Merchandise*, -various numbers of Union Jacks for Sale*?! You've got to Display a Product!, -in *order* to Sell it!!!

How also would this Figure?, -in your Legal System's equivalent of "Unlawful Restraint on Commerce / Trade"!?

In my view, -Your Union Jack is also the Flag of Freedom! And not only my Own. [color:"black"] [/color] [email]ScottRezaLogan[/email]