HIPPY wanted to burn AMERICAN FLAG on campus

[Danno 1,228]

GRAPHIC VID CAPTURES CONTENTIOUS LSU FLAG-BURNING PROTEST AS PLANNER WHISKED AWAY TO SAFETY

Things got out of hand quickly at this afternoon’s flag-burning protest on the campus of Louisiana State University. And while counter-protesters are claiming victory, that victory didn’t come without controversy.

As we reported earlier, communication studies graduate student Benjamin Haas had planned an event to protest the recent arrest of a student who stole a university American flag and burned it. He planned on burning his own American flag. But students, led by student government President Cody Wells, planned a counter-protest. Now, first-hand reports say that the flag-burning never happened. Instead, as pictures and video show, the protest got heated as counter protesters mobbed Haas, who then had to be whisked away in a police cruiser for his safety.

John Baham, who attended the protest, explained exactly what happened in an e-mail to The Blaze:

Ben Haas did not burn the flag. There were hundreds of students, veterans, and other patriotic Americans in free speech alley where a heated debate was taking place between a few vets, and a female student. We couldn’t hear what was being said, though. [...]

Suddenly, a student yelled, “Hey there‘s Ben Haas and he’s talking to the cameras!” Everyone ran to the parade grounds, and surrounded him while chanting many different things: “U.S.A.,“ ”Love it or leave it!,“ and ”Geaux to Hell Hippie, Geaux to Hell!” This last chant is a play on a cheer said during LSU vs. Ole Miss games.

While Ben was speaking to the news camera’s people in the crowd started to throw water bottles, water balloons, etc. at him. The mounted police officers had to escort him away across the parade grounds, and into a police car that was waiting in the middle of a very busy road through campus. The whole time the crowd was following him chanting various things, and they even surrounded the police car until the mounted officers cleared a path.

“He was taken away for his safety,” Baham makes clear, adding that “there were some very angry military vets there, both young and old.”

At one point Baham caught a glimpse of Haas, who he says “looked very scared.”

Baham’s story was captured in pictures by the student newspaper, The Daily Reveille (Haas is in the checked shirt):

According to the paper, “hundreds” showed up to protest Haas. But an unofficial LSU message board put the unverified number in the “thousands.”

A video posted on YouTube shows exactly how the event unfolded. Students can be seeing surrounding Haas as some (as Baham notes) chanted “U-S-A!” while others shouted obscenities and threw things at him. Mounted police can be seen trying to protect him during the ordeal:

[Robert&Liliya 31]

Seems like a bit of a jackass protest. To protest the arrest of a student who Stole a flag and burned it. Um, he stole it and destroyed it so should have been arrested. To protest the arrest of a thief who destroyed property that did not belong to him is just dumb. I do not agree with burning the American flag (Too many good men and women have given their lives for it) but this is one of the freedoms we have in this country. Again too many good men and women have given their lives to protect those very freedoms. So even if I do not agree with his protest I do agree he has the right to do it. Also people have the right to peacefully protest what he was doing. (Started to look not too peaceful though) Its the great catch 22 – protecting freedom of speech also includes the speech we do not want to hear.

[mRx 16]

I can't believe there is a military member in uniform right there in the middle of the protest!

Someone needs to read the UCMJ.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Seems like a bit of a jackass protest. To protest the arrest of a student who Stole a flag and burned it. Um, he stole it and destroyed it so should have been arrested. To protest the arrest of a thief who destroyed property that did not belong to him is just dumb. I do not agree with burning the American flag (Too many good men and women have given their lives for it) but this is one of the freedoms we have in this country. Again too many good men and women have given their lives to protect those very freedoms. So even if I do not agree with his protest I do agree he has the right to do it. Also people have the right to peacefully protest what he was doing. (Started to look not too peaceful though) Its the great catch 22 – protecting freedom of speech also includes the speech we do not want to hear.

I agree except that it is not a "catch 22" Unpopular freedoms are exactly those that need to be protected. No one needs to protect popular freedoms.

That said, he did steal and destroy someone else's property and that is a crime, be it a flag or not.

[Danno 1,228]

Seems like a bit of a jackass protest. To protest the arrest of a student who Stole a flag and burned it. Um, he stole it and destroyed it so should have been arrested. To protest the arrest of a thief who destroyed property that did not belong to him is just dumb. I do not agree with burning the American flag (Too many good men and women have given their lives for it) but this is one of the freedoms we have in this country. Again too many good men and women have given their lives to protect those very freedoms. So even if I do not agree with his protest I do agree he has the right to do it. Also people have the right to peacefully protest what he was doing. (Started to look not too peaceful though) Its the great catch 22 – protecting freedom of speech also includes the speech we do not want to hear.

I doubt if we took a poll of all those dead service members and asked :]Was burning the American Flag in Public one of the things you died for?

I doubt the majority would say yes.... in fact this stupid flag burning thing is relatively new in our nations history. Why presume you know what their opinion might have been?

Look if you buy a flag and want to burn it in your back yard, thats one thing but when you go into such theatrics in the public square.... that is closer to inciting a riot than speech.

There are so many ways to speak.. to express your unpopular viewpoint, and these should be protected but this akin to shouting in someones face or me standing with a bullhorn one your sidewalk all night.

Personally, I would rather see these people get smacked down by the crowd than by the court.. but it works either way.

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

I doubt if we took a poll of all those dead service members and asked :]Was burning the American Flag in Public one of the things you died for?

I doubt the majority would say yes.... in fact this stupid flag burning thing is relatively new in our nations history. Why presume you know what their opinion might have been?

Look if you buy a flag and want to burn it in your back yard, thats one thing but when you go into such theatrics in the public square.... that is closer to inciting a riot than speech.

There are so many ways to speak.. to express your unpopular viewpoint, and these should be protected but this akin to shouting in someones face or me standing with a bullhorn one your sidewalk all night.

Personally, I would rather see these people get smacked down by the crowd than by the court.. but it works either way.

Stupid Hippy...He's burnin the wrong bloody flag!

[Robert&Liliya 31]

Danno, You asked me why I presumed to know what a poll of most of these service members would have been. I never presumed to know this answer or stated such. I said "Too many good men and women have given their lives protecting those very freedoms". If I may ask a question to you I think I can prove my statement to be 100% true. How many good men and women have to give their lives protecting these freedoms for it to be too many in your eyes? My personal view is any of our men and women who have to give up their lives to protect the freedoms we love here is too many. I have talked with Service Members both who are no longer with us as well as those that are and while they (like me-as stated above) do not agree with flag burning they agree that free speech is one of our Constitutional rights and must be defended. We don't get to pick and choose the freedoms that we like.

Gary put it very well. Unpopular freedoms are exactly those that need to be protected. No one needs to protect popular freedoms. I do think technically if would fall under the definition of a “Catch 22” but that’s just semantics.

[Vi-Jay 218]

There should never be any tolerance for burning an American flag on American soil. Period.

Whisk him to safety? How 'bout whisk him to the wood shed for a good 'ol azz whipping!

Stupid kid must be from Cali. or, Maybe he ate at one of those In&Out burger joints?

From what I've heard, those damn burgers turn people into hippies.

[Danno 1,228]

Danno, You asked me why I presumed to know what a poll of most of these service members would have been. I never presumed to know this answer or stated such. I said "Too many good men and women have given their lives protecting those very freedoms". If I may ask a question to you I think I can prove my statement to be 100% true. How many good men and women have to give their lives protecting these freedoms for it to be too many in your eyes? My personal view is any of our men and women who have to give up their lives to protect the freedoms we love here is too many. I have talked with Service Members both who are no longer with us as well as those that are and while they (like me-as stated above) do not agree with flag burning they agree that free speech is one of our Constitutional rights and must be defended. We don't get to pick and choose the freedoms that we like.

Gary put it very well. Unpopular freedoms are exactly those that need to be protected. No one needs to protect popular freedoms. I do think technically if would fall under the definition of a “Catch 22” but that’s just semantics.

What we are talking about here is a right granted by a court case, at a time era when the Bench was also banning capital punishment and other Left leaning ideas.

How would outlawing the burning of flags in public places hinder speech....what ever message the speaker wants to give can still be made in a number of ways.... and no doubt with more clarity.

I am not for the hindering of speech I just don't believe burning flags or pissing on monuments or purposely doing things to incite a crowd is speech..... especially when in almost every case, no clear message was even given.

I doubt very many people even knew what it was this guy was trying to say... if anything at all.

Stupid Hippy...He's burnin the wrong bloody flag!

Now that was one lame flag burning.

[Danno 1,228]

Another vid has surfaced, chick in the red loves her country and is ready to scrap. Edited May 12, 2011 by Danno

[Ban Hammer 12,836]

I can't believe there is a military member in uniform right there in the middle of the protest!

Someone needs to read the UCMJ.

he's probably had his shot group tightened up by now - he's a pfc or pv2

[Robert&Liliya 31]

Pissing on monuments is not protected as free speech. That is public urination and will get you into trouble and rightfully so. It is also very disrespectful. Running into a theater and yelling FIRE is also not protected under free speech as that endangers others unless of course there is a fire and then it is not only legal but downright helpful. Again, I do not agree with burning our flag but it is legal as a form of free speech so it is protected by the greater premise of Free Speech which I do believe in. I also find burning the flag to be very disrespectful. I do not think his protest was a valid one as the person he was protesting for broke the law and stole the flag he destroyed. If he was trying to start a riot it further helps to confirm he was an idiot as the riot he was starting was directed right at him. I don’t think he thought this one through all the way. I also think that most of the Southern States will not take it very kindly when someone puts fire to a US flag. He did make a point but it may not have been the one he thought he was going to be making.

[sandinista! 1,816]

lmao @ the people defending the animals who used threats of violence and bodily harm, and threw objects at a man for engaging in protected speech. since when did lsu open a satellite school in pakistan?

[Danno 1,228]

lmao @ the people defending the animals who used threats of violence and bodily harm, and threw objects at a man for engaging in protected speech. since when did lsu open a satellite school in pakistan?

Water balloons are dangerous ya know.

[sandinista! 1,816]

yeah, police are called in and respond to water balloon fights all the time. police are constantly in the habit of intervening in non-dangerous, non-escalating situations. they like to disrupt picnics and couples walking in the park too. that's exactly what happened here, they were just breaking up a water balloon fight.