(Treating such a burning as arson is truly absurd.) As Orwell observed in Animal Farm, some animals are more equal than others. Now we have a man getting 16 years for the petty theft of stealing a gay flag and burning it later. So let’s unpack this shall we? The US Supreme Court has ruled that laws punishing the burning of the American flag are unconstitutional because of their infringement on freedom of speech. Story County Attorney Jessica Reynolds said hate crime charges were added because Martinez is suspected of criminal mischief against someone’s property because of “what it represents as far as sexual orientation.” Martinez admitted to police that he lit the banner on fire using lighter fluid and a lighter after stealing it from the church, according to court documents. Police said he stole a pride banner hanging at Ames United Church of Christ and burned it early June 11 outside the Dangerous Curves Gentleman’s Club. – An Iowa man was sentenced to about 16 years in prison after he set fire to a church LGBTQ flag in June.Īdolfo Martinez, 30, of Ames last month was found guilty of a hate crime – a class “D” felony – third-degree harassment and reckless use of fire. As Robert Heinlein predicted long ago, these are the crazy years:
