Current Events > Iowa Man gets 15 YEARS in PRISON for BURNING an LGBTQ FLAG!!

(+) Yeah! (+)

Im amazed anyone would support punishment more extreme than community service for this weak shit.

But the dudes not batting an eye at 15 years, wow. Felony priors or not.

if he had burned his own flag, in his own driveway, he likely wouldn't be facing any punishment at all. I'm amazed that anyone would post such weak shit after already having that explained in this topic several times.

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DifferentialEquation posted...

The same Iowa law that gave him a penalty enhancement because the flag was a rainbow flag also applies to political affiliation. So, would you be accepting of a penalty enhancement if someone burned a Trump sign?

Despite being bullshit, hate crime laws are the law until we finally decide otherwise.
https://southpark.cc.com/clips/151849/the-free-eric-cartman-now-committee

Also...

PleaseClap posted...

This is this guy's third felony btw

15 years is excessive. If it were his own flag Id say no prison time, but since it was a churchs flag and hate speech he should certainly face jailtime.

Bottom tier human anyways.

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Medussa posted...

if he had burned his own flag, in his own driveway, he likely wouldn't be facing any punishment at all. I'm amazed that anyone would post such weak shit after already having that explained in this topic several times.

I read the topic. So you think its justified then?

This is way too much, but at the same time, I really can't care for him personally. I'd like for this to be challenged for the sake of other rights, but he's trash.

Alternatively: Has anyone had him screened by a mental health profession of some sort?

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i thought it was excessive until it was pointed out that it was his third felony. but community service? no fucking way.

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Medussa posted...

i thought it was excessive until it was pointed out that it was his third felony. but community service? no fucking way.

He stole a flag and burned it in public, potentially with the intent to intimidate. That shouldnt even be a felony.

Thats high school shit. Id make him volunteer at the YWCA for 100 hours or something. Maybe a weekend in jail since hes such an asshole.

Medussa posted...

i thought it was excessive until it was pointed out that it was his third felony. but community service? no fucking way.

It sounds like it only became a felony because it was a rainbow flag.

https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/crime-and-courts/2019/12/19/lgbtq-flag-burning-iowa-man-sentenced-church-banner-fire/2697139001/

He committed third-degree arson which is normally an aggravated misdemeanor.

https://www.iowacrimelawyer.com/criminal-defense/crimes-of-violence/arson/

But because his third-degree arson was "in vilation of individual right - hate crime", that made the punishment worse:

https://www.police.iastate.edu/hate-crimes/

When committed against a person or a persons property because of the persons race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, political affiliation, sex, sexual orientation, age, or disability status, or the persons association with a person of a certain race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, political affiliation, sex, sexual orientation, age, or disability. Iowa Code 729A Violation of Individual Rights.

In Iowa, a hate crime is considered a penalty enhancement, which means a person convicted of one of the above enumerated crimes would receive a sentence one degree higher than it would be for the same crime without a bias or hate component.

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Someone else's flag.
He has priors.
And he threatened to burn down a building.

So not just "burning a flag"

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brestugo posted...

Seems to me arson is what got him all that time. His reasons were anti-LGBTQ obviously.

Yeah he's in trouble because he went and burned somebody else's property. You can burn an lgbtq flag legally but you have to own the flag and do it on your own property or wherever it's legal to burn stuff.

Committing arson in the name of protesting a protected class is going to get you nailed every time

Another Iowa case from a few months ago:

https://www.kcrg.com/content/news/Waterloo-man-pleads-guilty-to-setting-fathers-house-on-fire-563745261.html

Burn down someone's house: get 10 years. Burn a rainbow flag: Get 16 years.
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churches condone lgbt now?
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I consider myself a liberal and a supporter of the LGBTQ community...and this is still ridiculous.

Don't get me wrong based on what the op says that guy sounds like an actual lunatic but 15 years for taking down and burning the flag is nuts. I think fine(s) and paying for a replacement to be made and hung up would suffice.

Stealing and destroying other people's property is wrong and he should be punished for that, but smacking him with 15 years because it was a lgbtq flag is just overkill IMO.

Cowthief posted...

Someone else's flag.
He has priors.
And he threatened to burn down a building.

So not just "burning a flag"

But it's duckbear, so he'll "accidentally" make the title a little misleading

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Kelystic posted...

churches condone lgbt now?

Some of them do, yeah.

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Dumb. It is freedom of speech.

Oh wait it wasn't his flag. He stole it and burned it. Stole from a church at that. Big difference.

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TheVipaGTS posted...

he got 15 year for a hate crime against a protected group, not simply for burning a flag. he also stole the flag and was cited for reckless use of fire. its not like he went to the store, bought one and just burnt it. he stole one that was hanging somewhere already and burnt it in a hate crime against a group of people whom are protected....So no he didn't get 15 years for "burning a flag". he got 15 years for a lot more.

this

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Kelystic posted...

churches condone lgbt now?

Sounds like it was a liberal church. Depends on the denomination.

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