Breitbart TV has a video up of an American veteran who saw that a Mexican bar had two flags up at his shop: the Mexican flag was on top of the American one. This angered the veteran, Jim Brossard, and he decided to take matter into his own hands: you can watch him taking the flags down and cutting the American flag off. Later, Brossbard explained why he did what he did in an interview. As he explains, having another flag on top of the US flag is illegal. He - and the host Mike Gallagher - go on to explain that they don’t dislike Hispanics but that they want their flag respected. When you’re in the USA, you should respect the American flag, they argue, and they’re right.
I’ve got to say that I wouldn’t get angry when people would do this to the flag of the Netherlands - hanging, say, the Moroccan flag with it / on top of it - because I think that the bar owner didn’t mean any harm. He probably thought that he sent a positive message, at least, this is what I assume. Instead, what would anger me, is that they would - say - take down the Dutch flag and wipe their feet on it. Or booing during the national anthem, which Moroccan-Dutch soccer fans have - repeatedly - done. Having said that, I do understand why Mr. Brossard decided to take down the American flag; the bar owner should’ve been smart about it and should’ve hung the American flag on top. That would’ve sent the message he - again, I assume - wanted to send in the first place; Mexican background, but American now.
A h/t to reader Stuart for sending me the link to Breitbart TV.
I agree with most of what you said. But Jim Broussard fought for that flag, saw friends die in war and fought for freedom. I applaud what he did. And the mexican bar owner did mean harm because the United States won’t open the borders and let all the mexicans come here and sponge off of our taxes.
Did anyone try to approach the bar owner first and tell him it was illegal, and/or ask him to change it? I can understand the veteran’s emotional reaction, but that wasn’t a good way to handle it.
I don’t think the law would hold up to constitutional scrutiny. However, you would have to be an absolute dips*** to disrespect the flag like that and, yes, I think it was intentional on the part of the bar owner.
As a USMC Vietnam combat veteran I did not swear to fight for a flag. I swore an oath to protect our Constitution, and Bill of Rights.
As far as I know, this is still America and business owners still have the freedom to express themselves whatever way they see fit on their own property. This being a Mexican Bar, I see no disrespect by the owner in placing his flag first. And, where does it say that the American flag must be placed in a more prominent position than any other flag?
C Stanley: You make a good point. The civil thing to have done would have been to discuss his concerns with the bar owner. Ripping down flags doesn’t make a very good case for respecting symbols of freedom.
cpacek: Are you actually saying that the bar owner put up the Mexican Flag as a way to show his anger that the U.S. won’t open its border to Mexicans? Mexicans are not here to “sponge off American taxpayers”, they are here to better themselves economically just as your ancestors did at one time. Most Mexicans take the jobs that lazy Americans refuse to do in the first place.
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lovesleftovers… It is indeed illegal to raise another flag higher than the American flag. It also shows repect to THIS country to do so. You may feel free to fly other flags, but while in the United States, the American flag is supposed to be higher.
Now as far as the rest of the issue, what this veteren did wasn’t right, either. I’m going to hope for the best and say the bar owner was ignorant of this particular law and if someone had just pointed out this error, he would have gladly switched the flags around. I don’t believe it was the right thing to do to take matters in your own hands. If this bar owner was NOT ignorant of this particular protocol, it still isn’t justification to destroy someone else’s property. There are better, more civil ways to make a point and/or get the “revenge” you seek.
I disagree. This bar is this man’s property and he can do as he pleases. I am a Mexican-American and are you telling me that I am committing a crime if I fly my flag higher than the American flag on my own property? Let me get this straight, you can burn an American flag, but you can’t fly it the way you see fit? You know damn well such a law is unconstitutional and can easily be challenged and overturned. In addition, I said absolutely nothing about “getting revenge”. Don’t put words in my comment.
Well, if the Mexican flag is “my flag” to you (as you say), then you would be more correct just saying that you are “Mexican” rather than “Mexican-American”. Clearly, if “your flag” is the Mexican flag, you identify your nationality with Mexico and not the United States.
Other than that point, you’re right — you have the Constitutional right to fly whatever flag as you see fit.
You do not have any Constitutional right to remain free from verbal criticism of your expression, however.
The man in this story was wrong to cut the flag down and steal it. His underlying sentiment, however, was understandable.
Actually, you are correct Jason Steck. I am a Mexican-American, as I was born here, but I still consider the Mexican Flag mine as well. You were obviously born here, are not a minority, most likely anglo and have no clue of the point I’m trying to make here.
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I don’t think you have any basis to make assumptions about what I do or do not understand based on nothing more than my ethnicity. How would you like it if people said that your ethnicity was sufficient reason to dismiss everything you say? Whether or not I am “anglo” has no effect on what I am allowed to talk about here. So kindly keep those kind of comments to yourself.
As for the substance, I understand more than you think. I understand, for example, what you are trying to say about having two focus for national identity. My point is that when it comes to a question of how to display flags, it begs the question of “which comes first”. You have made it clear that your Mexican identity is more important to you than your American identity and that is why you call the Mexican flag “my flag” and you prefer to display it more prominently than the American flag.
That’s fine. You have that right in this country. But you should not expect to be exempt from other people expressing THEIR opinion about it. You should dispense with the idea that being a “minority” gives you some kind of special status where no one else is supposed to question or criticize your statements or behavior.
As far as I know this is called the “comment” box and I’m pretty sure that means I have the right to comment, whether you agree with it or not. I did not “dismiss” what you said. I did not say that being a minority gives me any special status. Now who’s Assuming? I merely said that, not being a minority, you could never understand what it is like TO BE a minority. I also said I embrace BOTH flags, not one over the other. I’m sure you love and embrace both your parents. Think of it that way.
What country do you people live in? But here in the United States of America we come first here no one else!! And yes we have the freedom of speech and expression. But all this bar owner did was shit on the country that gives him the right to do that why not use some responsibility when you are expressing your views. And yes I do 100% agree never wavering that illegal immigrants, not those that come to our country and become a productive member of society which includes paying taxes and following our laws. Why not look at what it takes for an American citizen to go work or set up a business in Mexico. Illegal aliens are a drain on our society whether you want to admit it or not. If they want to make a better life for themselves and fly the Mexican flag I say do it, In Mexico!!!
just for you loves the left
Sorry I forgot when my ancestors came here they came to improve the country, did it legally, and by the way learned to SPEAK ENGLISH!!!!!!!!!!!
cpacek, what could I possibly say in answer to that moronic diatribe? I think your words speak for themselves. You’re a sorry excuse for an American. You are a prime example of someone who retaliates with anger and foolish words when your misguided belief system is challenged. I’ll say a Mexican prayer for you.
Although I wouldn’t get angry about it if it happened here, I do think that if you move to a country you should accept that new country as your true home. This doesn’t mean that you have to break completely with your roots, but it does most certainly mean that you learn to speak the language of the country you move to and that you respect its flag. If there’s a law prohibiting you flying another flag above the american flag, don’t do it. Simple.
As I said, it wouldn’t anger me if I were American, but it wouldn’t hurt the owner of the bar to put the American flag on top, would it?
Lovesleftovers… when I said “you” and spoke of revenge, I wasn’t meaning YOU. I meant it as a collective term for people like the veteren who was angry about what flag was where and decided to take matters into his own hand. I’m sorry I wasn’t clear and I obviously used a poor choice of words.
Now, for everyone (meaning the rest of this comment isn’t geared entirely for Lovesleftovers… it’s just my comment about this stuff)… I decided to look up the “law” on what flag should be flown where and what the proper etiquette is when using the US flag. I was mistaken that it is illegal to fly another national flag above the American flag, but there is a certain protocol that should be followed. I found this information at ushistory.org/betsy/flagetiq.html. Again, I apologize for my mistake.
“When flags of States, cities, or localities, or pennants of societies are flown on the same halyard with the flag of the United States, the latter should always be at the peak. When the flags are flown from adjacent staffs, the flag of the United States should be hoisted first and lowered last. No such flag or pennant may be placed above the flag of the United States or to the right of the flag of the United States (the viewer’s left). When the flag is half-masted, both flags are half-masted, with the US flag at the mid-point and the other flag below.”
“When flags of two or more nations are displayed, they are to be flown from separate staffs of the same height. The flags should be of approximately equal size. International usage forbids the display of the flag of one nation above that of another nation in time of peace. The order of precedence for flags generally is National flags (US first, then others in alphabetical order in English), State (host state first, then others in the order of admission) and territories (Washington DC, Puerto Rico, etc.), Military (in order of establishment: Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard), then other.”
Now, I know that most people in this country do not know proper etiquitte, but I believe everyone should know. This flag is not just a piece of cloth, but a symbol of our country and the freedoms and rights that we have. Just show some respect for the flag and this country, whether one is “from here” or not! I don’t go to Mexico or Canada waving my flag around and talking smack about the other country and how much better I am because I am American, and I don’t expect others to do it here. It is one thing to have pride in your home country and you heritage, it is another to be disrespectful of the place you live and work and of the people around you.
This bar owner should have spent some time realizing what country he is in and be respectful of that. The man who cut down the flag should have spent some time realizing that the bar owner has a heritage that he is proud of, and there is nothing wrong with that.
I just don’t think that what either man did was right.
The Mexican flag according to federal law or any flag of any nation cannot be presented where it is above our flag while being flown in the US or on any US military installation.
Ignorance? I don’t think so. It was a blatant act of defiance against our nation, just as much as what has been going on underground in what some people refer to as the Mexican invasion - and that is not just paranoia - there are groups of Hispanics who insist that parts of the continental United States actually belongs to Mexico, despite THEIR ignorance of history in the fact that it was Spain who settled here in several places and established settlements on the Pacific and Atlantic, as well as the Gulf of Mexico. If anyone has a beef about claims or rights would be Spain. And, if they did, they must also complain that Mexico became independent from Spain. So if the US is expected to listen to their tripe concerning what belongs to Mexico they should keep in mind that they used to belong to Spain. If we give up our territories (states) that they claim, then they must also give up their sovereignty to Spain.
Of course, that is just an example. If georgraphy is to be given up because of some historical incident or period of history in which a nation or part of any nation once was a colony of another then many places in the world would have to restructure their nations. And, if anyone can claim what belongs to who, it would be the Native American who lived here much longer than Spain or the English colonists or even the Viking/Scandanavian individuals who explored and may have even tried settling on the shores of this nation’s geographical location.
In other words, all of this is bunk and the veteran did what too many Americans don’t have the intestinal fortitude to do. It is about time that we insist that all foreign people who come here assilimilate and quit all of this nonsense - especially coming from Mexico and Mexicans.
Some of the comments I read here and other places personally makes me sick and wonder what has become to America’s citizens who would stick up to this sort of defiant dishonor to our flag, our laws, our nation - and people continue to stick up for their actions. It is Mexicans or Mexican-Americans like those mentioned in the article that give the Hispanic American community a bad reputation and cause what they term as “bias”.
Keith, there is no law stating that the U.S. flag should be in a prominent position above any other flag, protocol yes, law no. In addition, I disagree with your assumption that the bar owner deliberately defied any protocol regarding the placement of the Mexican flag. If you go over the comments here alone, there are Americans who don’t have all their facts straight with regards to flag placement. I’d also love to know why you are singling Mexicans in particular out in your comment. Once upon a time we were all immigrants. I’m pretty sure your family didn’t arrive here on the Mayflower and unless your ancestory is Native American then at one time your ancestors were newcomers. A little tolerance and understanding goes a long way my friend. Your rambling comment, which resembles more of a blog, goes to prove my point that intolerance, racism and prejudice is still very much prevelant in American society.