Anti War crowd sinks to yet another new low

Shi Huangdi · March 12, 2003, 02:50

http://www.whittierdailynews.com/Sto...234836,00.html

Antiwar protesters trash 9/11 memorial
American flags burned and slashed
By Debbie Pfeiffer Trunnell, Staff Writer

LA HABRA -- Antiwar protesters burned and ripped up flags, flowers and patriotic signs at a Sept. 11 memorial that residents erected on a fence along Whittier Boulevard days after the terrorist attacks in 2001 and have maintained ever since.

However, although officers witnessed the vandalism Saturday afternoon, police did not arrest three people seen damaging the display because they were "exercising the same freedom of speech that the people who put up the flags were,' La Habra Police Capt. John Rees said Monday.

"For this to be vandalism, there had to be an ill-will intent,' he said.

Rees said in order for police to take any action, the owner of the fence would have to file a complaint.

Jeff Collison, owner of The RV Center in La Habra, who has allowed residents to add patriotic symbols to the fence on his property, said he just might do that.

"Their free speech stops at destruction of private property. If they are allowed to come on my property and burn flags, does that mean I can go to City Hall or the police station and light their flags on fire because that is freedom of speech? To me, this is vandalism,' Collison said.

Some residents Monday hung signs criticizing those who destroyed the display.

Tracey Chandler, a Whittier mother of four who has maintained the spontaneous memorial since it was created by other area residents soon after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, said she was shocked by the destruction.

"They trashed 87 flags, ripped 11 memorial tiles made by myself and my children out of the ground and glued the Bob Dylan song to a sign that said, 'America, land of the brave, home of the free,' ' she said.

The Bob Dylan song she referred to is "With God on Our Side,' an antiwar anthem of the 1960s.

"It's unbelievable, because there were absolutely no political messages on this fence. It was all about supporting our troops, which could mean bringing them home, and about remembering 9-11.'

Les Howard, a sociology professor at Whittier College, said the incident might be an indication of some confusion among people trying to stop a possible war against Iraq but uncertain how to express their sentiments. However, he said he does not condone the destruction of symbols important to those who erect them.

"Some think (the best way to support the troops) is to not question their role. Some think the best way is to pursue all means possible to avoid putting them in danger,' he said. "That still does not excuse any desecration of people's symbolic participation.'

Chandler said she plans to rebuild the Sept. 11 memorial.

"We are going to rebuild this memorial, and it will be brighter, bigger and better than ever,' Chandler said.

Disgusting

The people who commited the vandalism have no decency.

aaglo · March 12, 2003, 02:55

Wow... vandalism in the name of the freedom of speech.

This is new...

Dis · March 12, 2003, 02:55

isn't flag burning legal?

Dis · March 12, 2003, 02:58

In any case I support this action.

Even though I'm pro-getting rid of Saddam Hussein

They are just frustrated because they are pussies afraid of terrorist attacks.

Edan · March 12, 2003, 03:04

Originally posted by Dissident
isn't flag burning legal?

Not when you don't own the flag.

Dis · March 12, 2003, 03:06

It was no one's property. It was just left there.

MRT144 · March 12, 2003, 03:07

perhabs shi, youd like to enforce the sedition act of 1918...

Shi Huangdi · March 12, 2003, 03:16

"It was no one's property. It was just left there."

re-read the article, Jeff Collison owned it.

"perhabs shi, youd like to enforce the sedition act of 1918..."

I'd just like the anti-war crowd to start demonstrating decency and tact.

Frozzy · March 12, 2003, 03:25

Disgusting, distasteful and shocking. The anti-war protestors are entitled to an opinion, but this is beyond acceptable.

Dis · March 12, 2003, 03:27

Jeff Collison just thinks he owns it

. I suppose you can argue that posession is 9/10 of the law.

Dis · March 12, 2003, 03:29

In any case look at the violent protests of the Vietnam war. Nothing was done about the war until the protests did start getting out of hand.

Violent protests can accomplish more than peaceful protests.

Well I can't prove that

. Just a hunch.

KrazyHorse · March 12, 2003, 03:30

Shi: right in the article the police said that they woukld take action if Mr. Collins filed a charge...

Dis · March 12, 2003, 03:32

I'm glad the police did nothing. No one believes me when I say these people "bait" the police.

Great use of restraint by the police.

Good work.

Gatekeeper · March 12, 2003, 03:36

How juvenile of the protesters. What will they do next? Pee on a flag and/or some other Sept. 11, 2001, memorial to show their disapproval of Bush, et al.?

Gatekeeper

Wernazuma III · March 12, 2003, 04:46

Another idiots, in this case from the anti-war side, who can't distinguish between Iraq and 9/11 or stance on Iraq and patriotism or whatever. Must be some kind of American pattern of black-white thinking... Unnecessary action, that's it. A bunch of stupid individuals. Such a singular act doesn't even come cloe to the stupidity of ELECTED representatives who think eating French Fries is unpatriotic - take that to talk about "new lows"...

Az · March 12, 2003, 04:50

be some kind of American pattern of black-white thinking

gawd, people make here generalizations and don't even give a damn. And then claim the moral highground.

Skanky Burns · March 12, 2003, 05:01

Idiots. What a pathetic way to attempt to make a point.

Sikander · March 12, 2003, 05:04

Originally posted by MRT144
perhabs shi, youd like to enforce the sedition act of 1918...

I would. Honey, where did the kids leave my pistol?

Tingkai · March 12, 2003, 05:05

Egads, this is almost as low as killing innocent civilians. Let's hang the bastards.

Harovan · March 12, 2003, 05:05

Originally posted by Azazel
gawd, people make here generalizations and don't even give a damn. And then claim the moral highground.

Does your critic include the generalizing thread title?

Lancer · March 12, 2003, 05:06

What a bunch of low life nasty idiots.

To desecrate a memorial to the dead of 9/11.

This country needs hardship. So many people here lack character...

Tattila the Hun · March 12, 2003, 05:12

Btw, french fries are "freedom fries" nowadays...

Tingkai · March 12, 2003, 05:13

By the way, how many people believe that a bunch of LA-area cops stood around and watched three people rip up and burn American flags and stomp through a memorial to 9/11?

Sounds fishy to me.

Straybow · March 12, 2003, 05:37

Originally posted by Dissident
In any case look at the violent protests of the Vietnam war. Nothing was done about the war until the protests did start getting out of hand.

Violent protests can accomplish more than peaceful protests.

Well I can't prove that

. Just a hunch.

Wrong, bucko

. Nothing was done about the war. Period. The war ended because the North Vietnamese won. Anti-war protests did nothing except give vent to emotion and damage property.

Violent protests get more news coverage. If you think news coverage is equal to "accomplishment" then you are correct. News coverage doesn't get anything done if there isn't political will to act on it.

News coverage may influence the votes of a district Representative or Senator but the effect will be symbolic only. Which goes back to venting emotion, really.

And, yes, I think the "protestors" were baiting the police officers at the scene.

Jules · March 12, 2003, 05:38

First of all, how do we even know these were really anti-war protestors as opposed to a bunch of juvenile delinquents out for a vandalism spree? The article does not explain how they were anti-war demonstrators, except that the target happened to be a 9-11 memorial, which IMO does not prove their intent.

Urban Ranger · March 12, 2003, 06:38

Ah yes. Nice, broad stroke demonising. Surely this is much better than burning somebody else's flag?

Az · March 12, 2003, 06:41

Does your critic include the generalizing thread title?

Yes.

Dinner · March 12, 2003, 11:12

Vandalism is a criminal act. Those men went on to private property and caused damage not only should the perpetrators be ashamed but they should also be prosecuted.