Nevada Town Fines For Flying a Foreign Flag Alone

[knuckleboner]

knuckleboner also in love with alliteration...

Nevada town to fine for foreign flags
Updated 11/16/2006 10:50 AM ET
By William M. Welch, USA TODAY
The Nevada town of Pahrump is taking a stand not just against illegal immigrants but flags they may bring with them.
The elected town board in the remote Mojave Desert community voted 3-2 on Tuesday to enact an ordinance making it illegal to fly a foreign nation's flag by itself.

ON DEADLINE: Right or wrong?

Flying another country's flag, whether it is a British Union Jack or the flag of Mexico, is punishable by a $50 fine and 30 hours' community service, unless it is flown below an American flag.

"Old Glory is sovereign," says Paul Willis, a retired carpenter and board member. "You can't fly any other nation's flag higher than the American flag."

The American Civil Liberties Union says the flag restriction violates the First Amendment's guarantee of free speech.

"There's no doubt about it," says Lisa Rasmussen, a board member of the Nevada ACLU. "People have a right, as much as we don't like it, to fly ... any flag they wish."

Pahrump is a rural fast-growing town of 33,000 about 60 miles west of Las Vegas. It is part of sprawling Nye County, home of the closest legal brothels to Las Vegas.

The law passed as part of a package of measures that also declared English the official language of Pahrump and denies town benefits to illegal immigrants.

"We don't have any" benefits, town manager David Richards says. "If we ever have any, they'll be denied to illegal immigrants."

Supporters say the law is a stand on principle and doubts anyone will be arrested for violating it.

"I can't conceive of there being anyone cited for it," said board Chairman Richard Billman, who voted against the ordinance.

The ordinance's sponsor, Michael Miraglia, a retired Illinois state worker, said the flag restriction was a reaction to nationwide demonstrations in May against a crackdown on illegal immigration. He said he didn't like seeing protesters waving Mexican flags and demanding immigrants not go to work that day.

"In Pahrump, we had Mexican restaurants closed that day," he complained. "Only one restaurant stayed open."

Rasmussen said the ACLU would probably take legal action against the town.

"People are nuts out there," she says. "Totally nuts."

from usatoday.com (http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-11-15-foreign-flags_x.htm)


this is so wrong. blatantely unconstitutional. but also so wrong. you cannot legislate and mandate pride and respect for one's country. all it makes me do is fear the country that will fine/imprison me for not showing it the proper respect.

[LoungeMachine]

The things we choose to give a shit about :rolleyes:


I think we need a constitutional amendment banning morons from naming their shithole towns Pahrump.

Pa's Rump ??

[kentuckyklira]

I´d fly this if I lived there, just to piss off the locals. After all, it ain´t another country´s flag!

http://www.mattszabo.com/archives/gay%20flag-thumb.bmp

[FORD]

A town where prostitution is legal, and flying a flag isn't??

What planet is this on again?

[ULTRAMAN VH]

Originally posted by LoungeMachine
The things we choose to give a shit about :rolleyes:


I think we need a constitutional amendment banning morons from naming their shithole towns Pahrump.

Pa's Rump ??

I have a better idea, Lounge Act. Why don't you move to Iran and fly an American flag in your new front yard.

[LoungeMachine]

Originally posted by ULTRAMAN VH
I have a better idea, Lounge Act. Why don't you move to Iran and fly an American flag in your new front yard.

Still not funny.

Turn off FOX and crack a book every now and again, Gump.

[FORD]

Originally posted by ULTRAMAN VH
I have a better idea, Lounge Act. Why don't you move to Iran and fly an American flag in your new front yard.

Obsessed with Iran and living in Maryland.....

Are you Steny WHORE??

[LoungeMachine]

Originally posted by FORD
Obsessed with Iran and living in Maryland.....

Are you Steny WHORE??

2 reasons he's obsessed with Iran.

1- Rush told him to be....

2- He can spell it.

:cool:


Dumbshit couldn't find it on a map if you spotted him the I, the R, and the A

[Steve Savicki]

Originally posted by FORD
A town where prostitution is legal, and flying a flag isn't??

What planet is this on again?
Gambling, big corporate casino land. Oops, that's Vegas.
Lounge's right... Pa's Rump.

EDIT - No, it's not just the flag - Pahrump is getting alot of attention because it's their way of dealing with illegal immigrants: http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Nov-15-Wed-2006/news/10847735.html

Pahrump targets illegal immigrants

Ordinance declares English town's official language, limits flying foreign flags, denies benefits

After a heated public meeting Tuesday night that was repeatedly interrupted by boos and applause, the Pahrump Town Board adopted an ordinance that targets illegal immigrants.

The ordinance declares English the town's official language, sets restrictions on flying foreign flags and denies town benefits to undocumented immigrants.

Approval of the ordinance was met with a standing ovation and cheers by many of the approximately 250 people at the meeting.

One man wore a stars and stripes bandana on his head and a T-shirt that said: Speak English or get the (expletive) out.

Another proponent, Elliott Brainard, who identified himself as a naval officer who served during World War II, said, "These people who don't speak English ... take money and support away from our citizens who need it."

Another man, who said he was an Army veteran, said since this is the United States, there should be only one language.

"I go bananas when I go to Wal-Mart, put my credit card in and they ask me if I want English only," he said.

About a dozen audience members spoke during the hour-long public hearing. The comments were about evenly divided for and against the ordinance.

Most of those for the ordinance said the federal government has failed to deal with immigration issues and has forced leaders of cities and towns to take matters into their own hands.

Those who spoke against the ordinance, like Pahrump resident Vicky Parker, were roundly booed by other audience members.

Parker told the board that she was "appalled at the overt Hispano-phobia going on."

"In the United States people have the freedom to speak in any language, not just English," she said.

Lee Rowland, staff attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada, was called "evil" by one audience member and was heckled throughout her three-minute comment period.

Rowland told the crowd the treatment was "fine."

"I like a feisty crowd," she said.

Rowland told the board that the ordinance has nothing to do with patriotism, immigration or what sort of language is heard at Wal-Mart.

"What patriotism really means is our Constitution and our Bill of Rights," she said. "Our freedom is based on our ability to express ourselves as Americans."

Rowland said the section of the ordinance that disallows a solo display of a foreign flag is clearly unconstitutional. She warned that was opening the door for litigation.

"If you pass an ordinance that is blatantly in violation of the First Amendment, this town will be on the hook" for a lawsuit, she said.

The board adopted the ordinance with a 3-2 vote.

Richard Billman, the town board chairman, called it unnecessary and unenforceable.

Board member Laurayne Murray said she was bothered by the section that denies benefits to undocumented immigrants without identifying what those benefits are.

Most everyone agreed that not much will change with the ordinance's adoption.

The town's business is already conducted in English, the ordinance regulating the display of flags won't be enforced, and the town has no real "benefits" it can take away because public aid there is administered by the state or the county, officials said.

The ordinance is a stripped down version of a previous proposal by town board member Michael Miraglia. The original version also would have made it illegal to hire, do business with or loan money to illegal immigrants.

Miraglia said he proposed the "English Language and Patriot Affirmation" ordinance after getting tired of encountering people who don't speak English.

He toned down the ordinance a bit because the town doesn't have the money or resources to go after employers and landlords.

Tuesday night, Miraglia said the ordinance was "for all our servicemen and women who died for our country."

But earlier in the day, Lucero Enrriquez, an immigrant from Mexico who lives in Pahrump, said racism is the true inspiration for the ordinance.

The 30-year-old owner of Mi Ranchita market couldn't think of any other reason anyone would want to pass laws that she says target immigrants, documented or not.

"We come here to work, and we work very hard," Enrriquez said in Spanish while ringing up non-Hispanic customers who were buying tacos, fresh guacamole and Mexican pastries.

Enrriquez said she didn't understand why an ordinance was needed to declare English the official language.

"It already is," she said.

Her English is passable but not perfect, she said.

"Some of us don't speak English well," she said of herself and her Hispanic employees. "But a taco is a taco, carne asada is carne asada in Spanish or English. Why should we be forced to speak English?"

Still, Enrriquez said, she will respect any ordinance that is passed. She will even remove the painting of a flag with the colors of Mexico from her building.

"I'll take it off," she said, shaking her head. "But I have to let people know it's a Mexican market somehow."

George Romero, the owner of Romero's Mexican restaurant a few miles away from Mi Ranchita, also blamed racism for the ordinance; but, he said, it was the racism of one man, Michael Miraglia, not the entire town.

"Most people are not in favor of it," said Romero, who helps organize the town's annual Cinco de Mayo festival. "It's just a handful of people who support it. The problem is that others (who would oppose it) don't know about it."

Pahrump as a whole is a very accepting community, he said. But when Romero chose to close his business on May 1 to show support for immigrants' rights, vandals painted slurs on the windows of his restaurant, he said.

"It was nasty, nasty stuff," he said, declining to be more specific.

Romero said one person also left a post-it note with a message: "Don't bite the hand that feeds you."

He said both the official language and flag portions of the ordinance are "silly."

At the last Cinco de Mayo festival, 75 percent of the attendees were non-Hispanic, "And they didn't say, 'Don't wave the Mexican flag.' We did it respectfully with both (the Mexican and U.S.) flags."

Miraglia countered the racism allegations aimed at him by turning them around.

"Who's refusing to speak English? The ones promoting that people should speak their own language are racist," he said.

Town Manager David Richards said the ordinance is meant as a statement "that this is America and we speak English here."

"Everyone should speak English, and if you are going to move here then you ought to respect the American flag and fly it in prominence," Richards said.

Miraglia said he hoped the ordinance "gets the ball rolling" for other cities.

"We have to start somewhere," he said, "and in the state of Nevada the town of Pahrump is going to be the start."

So this Hicktown Pahrump is a staging base for Hispanophobics?

[Lqskdiver]

Originally posted by kentuckyklira
I´d fly this if I lived there, just to piss off the locals. After all, it ain´t another country´s flag!

http://www.mattszabo.com/archives/gay%20flag-thumb.bmp



Well, sheeeeeeeeeit! If yu alls gonna fly yo flag, I figahs' ah might az well fly mine!!!

http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/images/u/us-csanj.gif http://www.enduringvision.com/archives/hick.jpg

[LoungeMachine]

Originally posted by Lqskdiver
Well, sheeeeeeeeeit! If yu alls gonna fly yo flag, I figahs' ah might az well fly mine!!!

http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/images/u/us-csanj.gif http://www.enduringvision.com/archives/hick.jpg


Is that directly from the George Allen 2008 website?

[Lqskdiver]

That's Vuhginia to you.

And way to kick a man when he's down.

;)

[ULTRAMAN VH]

Originally posted by FORD
Obsessed with Iran and living in Maryland.....

Are you Steny WHORE??

Sounds like sour grapes to me. Sorry your corrupt leader Murtha lost. maybe next time.

[FORD]

Originally posted by ULTRAMAN VH
Sounds like sour grapes to me. Sorry your corrupt leader Murtha lost. maybe next time.

Saying NO to an entrapment scheme is not corruption.

Betraying your country by putting the interests of another nation first IS.

Fuck Steny Whore. He's no more of a Democrat than Michael Steele was.

[ULTRAMAN VH]

Originally posted by FORD
Saying NO to an entrapment scheme is not corruption.

Betraying your country by putting the interests of another nation first IS.

Fuck Steny Whore. He's no more of a Democrat than Michael Steele was.

There you go again, coloring a different picture. He didn't come right out and say no. Maybe you should read the article again. As for Steny, I agree, he is the King of the earmark.

[LoungeMachine]

Originally posted by ULTRAMAN VH
There you go again, coloring a different picture. He didn't come right out and say no. Maybe you should read the article again. As for Steny, I agree, he is the King of the earmark.

Where was this ethical outrage of your's during DeLay, Lay, Cunningham, Abramoff, Frist, etc.........?

"He didn't come right out and say no" 15 years ago.......

But in the last 6 years The Republican Party has said YES to corruption, thievery, and graft.

Fucking hypocrite :rolleyes:

[LoungeMachine]

Originally posted by ULTRAMAN VH
There you go again, .


Ronnie Reagan Playbook Page 3, paragraph 1


Since you have the IQ of a handful of Jelly Bellies, that's a good place to start, Skippy.

[LoungeMachine]

Originally posted by ULTRAMAN VH
Sounds like sour grapes to me. Sorry your corrupt leader Murtha lost. maybe next time.


LMMFAO

Sorry your corrupt leader "lost" ??????

Talk about sour grapes, moron.

:D


Still hurting from the DEMO-lition :eek:

[ULTRAMAN VH]

"What patriotism really means is our Constitution and our Bill of Rights," she said. "Our freedom is based on our ability to express ourselves as Americans."

This is where the American Criminal Liberties Union attorney stuck her foot in her mouth. A large majority of these Hispanics are not American Citizens and have no right to be in this country flying Mexican flags. They are not paying taxes, not learning english, and living off benefits supplied buy the middle class taxpayers. This isn't Hispaniphobia, it is American citizens who have had enough. The Elites are not going to do anything about this situation, so they are standing up to this illegal alien problem and making a strong statement.

[FORD]

Originally posted by LoungeMachine
Ronnie Reagan Playbook Page 3, paragraph 1


Since you have the IQ of a handful of Jelly Bellies, that's a good place to start, Skippy.

Hey, don't insult perfectly good jelly beans like that! :mad:

http://www.nassaucandysouth.com/jelly%20belly%2049Flavor%20mini%20jar.jpg

[LoungeMachine]

Originally posted by ULTRAMAN VH
[B


A large majority of these Hispanics are not American Citizens [/B]

A Large Majority?

How large?

And what is your source for this information......

Or are you just making shit up out of whole cloth, and not knowing what the fuck you're actually talking about.

Let's see some proof of this claim.

[ULTRAMAN VH]

Originally posted by LoungeMachine
LMMFAO

Sorry your corrupt leader "lost" ??????

Talk about sour grapes, moron.

:D


Still hurting from the DEMO-lition :eek:

Well, Lounge Queer, as I stated in an earlier post, I was disapointed that Bob Ehrlich and Michael Steele lost. Maryland is basically screwed with O'Malley at the helm. But the Republican party deserved the ass kicking they received. If they had stuck with Conservative Values and not the advice of the Neo cons this shit would never have happened. George Bush and his Adminstration went down the wrong path. After 9-11 he had the sympathy of the world and could have gone after the terrorist organization that organized the attack and brought it to fruition. Instead he took the wrong advice and now his Administration and party are paying a heavy price. Goodluck to your Dumbocrats, I don't believe they will fair much better. I firmly believe they will be as ineffectually inept as the Republicans when it comes to addressing the problems in Iraq.

[knuckleboner]

Originally posted by ULTRAMAN VH
"What patriotism really means is our Constitution and our Bill of Rights," she said. "Our freedom is based on our ability to express ourselves as Americans."

This is where the American Criminal Liberties Union attorney stuck her foot in her mouth. A large majority of these Hispanics are not American Citizens and have no right to be in this country flying Mexican flags.

first of all, the law doesn't say that only non-Americans can't fly foreign flags. it says everybody. that law is definitely unconstitutional. i'd bet any sum of money that scalia would agree.

but, does it really matter if the law just targeted non-American citizens? the constitution says, "congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech." legal non-citizen residents would have the same right, since the constitution merely says that congress can't make such a law (which this flag law is.)


as for illegal immigrants, i understand people trying to stop illegal immigration.

but that shouldn't entail a wholesale corruption of the 1st amendment by outlawing expression under the pseudo-guise of mandating patriotism.

[Little Texan]

Who is running that town, the Nazis or the KKK? Their mayor must be David Duke!

[sadaist]

Originally posted by FORD
Saying NO to an entrapment scheme is not corruption.

Betraying your country by putting the interests of another nation first IS.



Like flying another nation's flag within your own country?

[LoungeMachine]

Originally posted by sadaist
Like flying another nation's flag within your own country?

:rolleyes:


In the grand scheme of things this country needs to CARE about......


Let's all fiddle while Rome burns, shall we?


By the way....

What the fuck ever happened to FREEDOM OF SPEECH???

I can fly any god damned flag I want to .

Got it?



:cool: :cool:

[sadaist]

Originally posted by LoungeMachine


I can fly any god damned flag I want to .

Got it?




Not in Pahrump.

[sadaist]

Originally posted by LoungeMachine

By the way....

What the fuck ever happened to FREEDOM OF SPEECH???

I can fly any god damned flag I want to .

Got it?



:cool: :cool:


By the way, what flag do you want to fly?

[LoungeMachine]

Originally posted by sadaist
By the way, what flag do you want to fly?


Ahh, that's my point.....

No one gets to determine that but me.


I want to fly the flag of PEACE.

I want to fly the flag of TOLERANCE

I want to fly the flag of FREEDOM


Care to make any suggestions? ;)

[LoungeMachine]

Originally posted by sadaist
Not in Pahrump.


Wouldn't be caught dead there .........

Makes Orange County look reasonable and tolerant.

[svrwthr]

It is unconstitutional but enough is enough. 12 million illegal mexican immigrants. That number does not even reflect other nationalities. But who cares. I agree wholeheartedly with kick them out. If they want to live here, do it legally. I dont give a shit how long it takes to get a green card, work visa or citizenship. Show me that you truely want to be a LAW ABIDING american citizen and for starters, FLY AN AMERICAN FLAG. Want to fly the country you originated from, fly it along with the American flag ABOVE it. Be proud of your nationality but be sure to be prouder of the country you chose to live and work in.

By the way 85% of you have no idea what freedom of speech is. You DO NOT have the right to say or do whatever you want.

Your freedom of speech ends where mine begins.

[sadaist]

Originally posted by LoungeMachine
Ahh, that's my point.....

No one gets to determine that but me.


I want to fly the flag of PEACE.

I want to fly the flag of TOLERANCE

I want to fly the flag of FREEDOM


Care to make any suggestions? ;)

How 'bout this one?

http://ec3.images-amazon.com/images/P/B0000AXWTG.01-AZ71P3AYYLDQO._SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg

[LoungeMachine]

Originally posted by svrwthr


Your freedom of speech ends where mine begins.


Nice bumper sticker.

But what the fuck does that even mean?

[Nickdfresh]

Originally posted by ULTRAMAN VH
Sounds like sour grapes to me. Sorry your corrupt leader Murtha lost. maybe next time.

No, actually he won. Reelection.

[Nickdfresh]

Originally posted by ULTRAMAN VH
"What patriotism really means is our Constitution and our Bill of Rights," she said. "Our freedom is based on our ability to express ourselves as Americans."

This is where the American Criminal Liberties Union attorney stuck her foot in her mouth. A large majority of these Hispanics are not American Citizens and have no right to be in this country flying Mexican flags. They are not paying taxes, not learning english, and living off benefits supplied buy the middle class taxpayers. This isn't Hispaniphobia, it is American citizens who have had enough. The Elites are not going to do anything about this situation, so they are standing up to this illegal alien problem and making a strong statement.

So you're saying it's okay to fly foreign flags as long as they're not Mexican, huh racist?

[ULTRAMAN VH]

Originally posted by Nickdfresh
So you're saying it's okay to fly foreign flags as long as they're not Mexican, huh racist?

Never said that Nick. To get right to the point, if you are here illegally you really should not have any rights period. I have an idea, why don't you, Lounge, Ford and OD take a jog across the Mexican border and see how long it takes for all of you to be taken into custody. I'm guessing 20 maybe 30 minutes.

[Nickdfresh]

Originally posted by ULTRAMAN VH
Never said that Nick. To get right to the point, if you are here illegally you really should not have any rights period. I have an idea, why don't you, Lounge, Ford and OD take a jog across the Mexican border and see how long it takes for all of you to be taken into custody. I'm guessing 20 maybe 30 minutes.

The bill doesn't say that, it says the Mexican flag cannot be displayed.

And even illegals have basic human rights...