American Flag Concecration a Success!!

OK, first of all, you spelled it wrong, but it doesn't matter because you also used the wrong word.

To "consecrate" something is to "make or declare something holy." I don't think that's what was intended here, right?

The word you're looking for is "desecrate": which means "to treat with violent disrespect."

Sorry if this is nitpicky, but y'all are just handing material to the rightwingers to make fun of your asses.

"We also will create a website
about Flag Consecration because we believe this will be a new tradition.
Burning a flag in honor of our freedoms helps us feel that this country is what it says it is. "

Even the normally right-wing writers on the Santa Cruz County Sentinel Forum website are denouncing the absurd and extensive police attack on drinking, fireworks, and beach access on the 4th of July weekend.

See
http://www.topix.net/forum/source/santa-cruz-sentinel/TEB2Q242QS301OG3U
and
http://www.topix.net/forum/source/santa-cruz-sentinel/T880J8UB267O8O25B



The Sentinel Coastlines noted on July 3rd:

Beach residents, police to meet

Police will host a neighborhood forum with beach area residents July 10.

The town hall meeting will focus on crime and gang issues in the area, which includes the lower Ocean Street neighborhood, Beach Flats and Beach Hill. There will be a presentation about gangs in the community, including information about gang trends and an overview of what has been happening in the beach area.

Deputy Police Chief Patty Sapone, Capt. Steve Clark, beach beat Lt. Lee Sepulveda, police detectives, patrol officers and community members are expected to attend. Spanish interpretation will be provided.

The meeting will be 6 to 10 p.m. at the police department community room, 155 Center St.



Those interested in holding the SCPD accountable might want to attend this meeting in numbers with questions.

Its true.. I'm a fool who forgets he can't spell well and doesn't use the spell check. You got me.
As for the choice of word you're wrong. We mean "consecrate". We intend to honor the flag and
celebrate it as something that is sacred to us.. of course not the flag itself but what it represents
to us, like our freedoms and the many who gave their lives for those freedoms.
In answer to giving something to the rightwingers to make fun of our asses.. that is okay.
First we believe that a flag consecration gets their attention and if they pay close enough attention to what
we are saying (you kind of failed that test) .. then they'll see a different way to look at it.
Its challenging. Besides, let them make fun of our asses. Thats free speech. And... no press is bad press
and I thank you for taking time to comment.

So Its not a protest, although in the past people who have showed talked as if it were. Its a symbolic sacred, blah blah blah. Its meaningless. If your going to burn a flag, do it for protest, not to show that its sacred, its not. Its a symbol that means different things to different folks. To burn a flag to honor our fallen soldiers... That is just ludicrous. First off, I think our military in Iraq may be full of misled misguided young people. I don't have a lot of ... patriotism for them. But if I did, I would think that the VAST majority of fallen soldiers would disagree with your actions if they could. If your so patriotic about our fallen soldiers, protest to get the ones alive the fuck out.

There is so much to change in this world, do you honestly think this is going to become the new way to celebrate what few freedoms we have left? I think this is all about you.
Most of your flags are made in China. I can buy flag underwear. Thats symbolic , but far from sacred.

Santa Cruz Sentinel had an article on the issue, complete with hostile commentary on the internet today at http://www.topix.net/forum/source/santa-cruz-sentinel/T8UE4FDF3VBLBT6D9

About 4 years ago I attended one of these flag burnings on the fourth, it was coupled with a food not bombs lunch in Harvey West Park. I didn't burn any flags myself but at first found myself laughing and enjoying the spectacle while eating delicious soup with my friends.

A few minutes into the burning of the flags, I started to observe something that disturbed me. Surrounding us were several families, mostly latino, that were gathering to celebrate the 4th. The little kids that bounced in tents and parents grilling meat on the barbecue stopped the festivities and looked on in horror as this group of privileged white kids danced around throwing burning flags in various places around the park.

Rather than becoming angry and hurl pissed off insults and threats, as we'd expect conservative right-wing redneck nuts to do, many of the people in these families just stood with a look of sadness, confusion, and disgust at what was happening. I immediately became very self-conscious of assosciating with this group. For a long time after I analyzed what had happened in that park and saw it as a turning point in my frame of thinking.

Despite it's oppressive foreign policy and racist anti-immigrant laws, many people are proud to call the United States their home and celebrate the struggles and dangerous obstacles that themselves and their family members have faced getting here and building their lives here. Many (including but not limited to the Latin American immigrant population of this country) celebrate America as a place that has improved their lives and the lives of their children.

I imagine that for many of the people who witnessed the spectacle that day four years ago, their ideas of the "revolutionaries" in this country are that they are a bunch of spoiled rich kids who don't know what it's like to be in their shoes, and who act in a way that alienates the real working class people in this community. It makes me sad to think about the children taking this image home with them, and it frustrates me to no end because these are the people we want to be on our side.

Think about it.

Goes to show, people who acually dare to do things differently, uninfluenced by the corporate media hype, get a bunch of brainwashed jackals and trolls spouting their lame**** reteric of hate. They care nothing of people, freedom or the fact that the 'flag' is a 'symbol' Not an 'idol'. What does the 'flag' mean TODAY people? Not back in the brainwashed 'dream'. TODAY.http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080711/ts_afp/afghanistanunrestuscivilians_080711145750;_ylt=AquG7T3v.yG5gDcbU42.jGhn.3QA What DOES it stand for TODAY? What does the world say it stands for? Things change, keep up. Are we going to implode with hate for anyone who exercises what remnant of 'freedoms' we have left? What are we NOW? The 'dream' is gone.Jackals namecallers , who are you NOW? What are we fighting FOR?

I want to know if flag desecration is also welcomed at this event.

Desecration is what the tyrants want to ban, not consecration.

I am offended by the religious attitudes toward symbols that inspire war and bigotry - the flag is a religious symbol and to call burning it 'consecration' is similar to what the KKK does when they burn a cross.

I believe in the principles of the Declaration of Independence - that the just powers of government (if there are any) are derived from the CONSENT of the governed.

Flags to not generally symbolize the consent of the governed; they symbolize military might and domination. They deserve to be burned desecration - we must purge this nation of such symbols of tyranny and revive the spirit of CONSENT, which is what the Declaration of Independence and the 4th of July should be about; the flag symbolizes nationalistic arrogance and betrayal of these great values.

I'm sorry I missed this event - is there any plan for next year - where, when, what time of day/night?

As most of you probably know hanging the Flag upside down is a sign of distress. I have on my door a small flag hung upside down. I did it because our Nation is under distress, and I am very happy to have it displayed that way. As I was trying to figure out a way to get this message out to people." Please hang your flags upside down". Can you imagine Hundreds of thousands homes with the flag in this position.. Well I wasn't able to get my campaign started, but something very cool happened. This years Veterans day parade, or something like that, important honoring our war heroes. I saw in the news that many of the "Old Vets, old timers were carrying their flags upside down. Some even had the flag displayed like that, sewn on the back of their jackets. I thought how cool and how appropriate that these people are doing this. If anyone has the "right" to do that and make an impression it's these guys. Some were so old that the cops were asking them if they needed to sit or need some water, if their heart was ok as they were taking them out of line before being arrested. Pretty crazy. Well even tho my campaign didn't make it, my wish came true, kinda like "The Hundredth Monkey" Can't remember the Authors name. Well thanks for reading this and you all be well. Peace

in response to "change of heart"

i was there too a few years back at harvey west park and felt much of what you exprerienced

...until we decided to go over and talk to those families looking on

after talking with them for a short while and explaining why we we felt entitled to burn the stars and stripes, they said they were fine with it and expressed their support (albeit laced with indifference) at our spectacle

... as long as we didnt burn the mexican flag, they said

Burning the flag, on the beach, in a town which is totally liberal and you have no threat to you. Impressive. Perhaps next time try burning it in, say, Fresno where the stakes might actually be higher.

Children.

whenever you smoked a doob, you'd burn a flag! ;-)

i guess the young burners aren't politically it tune anymore. you don't see the rolling papers in any of the head shops on Telegraph or in the Haight. weird, eh?