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copied and pasted from a new orleans forum
it all seems a little unreal
and a bit separated from your personal reality until it reaches your front door or just outside of it.
For the past week, my neighbors have hung a large american flag upside down on their front porch. To them, it identifies the nation as being in distress. People have knocked on their door telling them to take it down, but as the flag had now become a symbol of free speech in their situation, they knew they couldn't.
The police showed up a few days after the flag was placed, saying that someone had called them concerning it and had demanded that it be removed. My neighbors politely refused once again and the police left, explaining that they have to show up if they get a call.
To make sure people didn't think that the "house was in distress," they placed notes on the flag explaining their position, and a large, prominent impeach bush sticker right in the middle.
Last night I was informed by my roommates that military personnel in full camo gear had blatantly stood across the street and taken pictures of the flag and our neighbor's house from the sidewalk. A bit later a lone soldier banged on their door, redfaced, and demanded that the flag be removed as he had "friends die for that flag." My neighbors once again explained their position, and refused.
This morning we were woken up by the screaming of one of our neighbors in the road. She wasn't hurt, but she was indeed in "distress." A cop had kicked in their door, demanded that the flag be removed, and hauled them out (no search warrant). We stood in the driveway and observed the police (7 cars at one point) not give miranda rights, admit that they did not have a search warrant, threaten to taze our neighbors, and arrest them with no explanation.
As they demanded that they get on the ground to be put in handcuffs (our neighbors were complying without violence), we asked the police why they were being arrested, and if they had a search warrant. The police told us that they didn't need any of those things, and it did not concern us.
My roommate replied "If you're going around arresting people for putting up flags in their yard, we need to know so that we don't end up in the same boat." No response.
We took pictures of the police and of the front door (thankfully without being seen.) We called the local news, and the ACLU. I doubt we hear a response from either one.
Before you say "There must be something else going on," let me stop you first. We know our neighbors very well, and they are not a "terrorist organization," nor do they sell drugs.
Welcome to your new America. Thoughts?
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