Illinois bill would make flying US flag upside down a felony

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

A PROPOSED LAW IN ILLINOIS IS FLYING IN THE FACE OF ADVOCATES OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT.

A STATE REP INTRODUCED A PAIR OF BILLS GEARED AT ADDRESSING FLYING THE AMERICAN FLAG UPSIDE DOWN.

ONE WOULD MAKE IT A FELONY FOR ANY GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL TO KNOWINGLY FLY AN AMERICAN FLAG UPSIDE DOWN ON GOVERNMENT PROPERTY.

AND THE OTHER – WOULD IMPOSE A FINE UP TO $25,000 ON THAT GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL.

THE PRACTICE HAS BEEN IN THE HEADLINES IN RECENT WEEKS – WITH REPORTS OF SUPREME COURT JUSTICE SAMUEL ALITO BEING ACCUSED OF HANGING THE FLAG UPSIDE DOWN AT HIS PERSONAL RESIDENCE IN 2021. 

BUT IT’S NOT JUST ALITO GETTING ATTENTION – THE ILLINOIS LEGISLATION COMES ON THE HEELS OF HOMER TOWNSHIP SUPERVISOR STEVE BALICH FLYING THE AMERICAN FLAG UNION SIDE DOWN – OUTSIDE THE OFFICIAL ADMINISTRATION CENTER – ONE DAY AFTER FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP WAS CONVICTED ON 34 COUNTS OF FALSIFYING BUSINESS RECORDS IN A NEW YORK COURTROOM.

BALICH RELEASED A STATEMENT SAYING IN PART: “AS AMERICANS, NO MATTER WHICH POLITICAL PARTY YOU SUPPORT, WE SHOULD BE OUTRAGED AND VERY CONCERNED. YESTERDAY, I TEMPORARILY FLEW OUR NATION’S FLAG UPSIDE DOWN. FLYING THE FLAG UPSIDE DOWN REPRESENTS DISTRESS, AND I TRULY BELIEVE THAT OUR COUNTRY IS IN DISTRESS AND OUR CONSTITUTION IS UNDER ATTACK.”

THE DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATIVE WHO INTRODUCED THE BILLS SAID IN RESPONSE: “THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES IS AN ENDURING SYMBOL OF OUR NATIONAL SPIRIT AND PRIDE, AND OF THE SACRIFICES MADE BY EVERY GENERATION OF AMERICANS. AS ELECTED LEADERS, WE SWEAR OUR OATH TO THAT FLAG AND THE NATION IT REPRESENTS, NOT TO A POLITICAL LEADER. THERE’S NO EXCUSE FOR SUCH DISRESPECT OF OUR FLAG, AND THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO SERVED TO DEFEND IT.” 

RIGHT NOW – THERE’S NO FEDERAL LAW RESTRICTING GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS FROM FLYING THE AMERICAN FLAG UPSIDE DOWN ON GOVERNMENT PROPERTY. 

THE BILL MENTIONS NOTHING ABOUT PERSONAL PROPERTY.

IF THE LEGISLATION PASSES THE ILLINOIS LEGISLATURE AND SIGNED INTO LAW – IT WOULD TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY.

IF A GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL IS FOUND TO BE IN VIOLATION – THEY COULD FACE UP TO THREE YEARS IN PRISON.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M LT…

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