1st Amendment trampled in Wisconsin! Shocking!

WAUSAU, Wis. -- An American flag flown upside down as a protest in a northern Wisconsin village was seized by police before a Fourth of July parade and the businessman who flew it - an Iraq war veteran - claims the officers trespassed and stole his property.

A day after the parade, police returned the flag and the man's protest - over a liquor license - continued.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin is considering legal action against the village of Crivitz for violating Vito Congine Jr.'s' First Amendment rights, Executive Director Chris Ahmuty said.

"It is not often that you see something this blatant," Ahmuty said.

In mid-June, Congine, 46, began flying the flag upside down - an accepted way to signal distress - outside the restaurant he wants to open in Crivitz, a village of about 1,000 people some 65 miles north of Green Bay.

He said his distress is likely bankruptcy because the village board refused to grant him a liquor license after he spent nearly $200,000 to buy and remodel a downtown building for an Italian supper club.

Congine's upside-down-flag represents distress to him; to others in town, it represents disrespect of the flag.

Hours before a Fourth of July parade, four police officers went to Congine's property and removed the flag under the advice of Marinette County District Attorney Allen Brey.

Neighbor Steven Klein watched in disbelief.

"I said, 'What are you doing?' Klein said. "They said, 'It is none of your business.'"

The next day, police returned the flag.

Brey declined comment Friday.

Marinette County Sheriff Jim Kanikula said it was not illegal to fly the flag upside down but people were upset and it was the Fourth of July.


"It is illegal to cause a disruption," he said.

The parade went on without any problems, Kanikula said.

Village President John Deschane, 60, an Army veteran who served in Vietnam, said many people in town believe it's disrespectful to fly the flag upside down.

"If he wants to protest, let him protest but find a different way to do it," Deschane said.

Congine, a Marine veteran who served in Iraq in 2004, said he intends to keep flying the flag upside down.

"It is pretty bad when I go and fight a tyrannical government somewhere else," Congine said, "and then I come home to find it right here at my front door."

Link to Washington Post

This is will be a landmark case if it actualy goes to court. There has been talk on ATS about wether this is an acceptable act or not for patriotic Americans who feel they are in distress.

I believe that you should not fly the flag upside down but I also strongly believe that each person has the right to do so because of the 1st Amendment. I think if the police here get away with this, it just may be the gateway.

[edit on 14-7-2009 by Helious]

[edit on 14-7-2009 by Helious]

[edit on 15-7-2009 by Helious]

Wow, i think Congine struck home with his fighting a tyrannical governmen in Iraq and here. How true is that? I hope this case gets big and get attention cuase people need to hear about this.

I agree 100%, like I said, this could truly be a landmark case. The fact that the Washington Post is reporting this is a great start to get people listening.

He also said that he intends to continue to fly the flag upside down so things may get interesting. The best part of this article was his quote..

"I go oversees to fight a tyranical goverment and come home and find it at my front door."

Amazing.

I agree with his right to fly it upside down, just not his motives.

reply to post by eightonefive


Spot on, I think his reasons for doing it were a bit left of center as well but also don't know the whole story about why the denied his permit.

The fact remains that is by far a secondary issue and in no way has any bearing on what happened.

It is gonna take some serious slap-you-in-your-face things to get people to pull thier head out of there proverbial hind ends and see what is going on here. If it takes me flying my flag upside down to get you to think and to get you to take some sort of stand for this country against those that tromp on our constitution... then so be it.

reply to post by 711heaven


just keep posting until you get 20. dont take long if you take the time. you can u2u me as well, tho i am no mod.

reply to post by wx4caster


This is just the sort of thing that can help wake people up. Taking away veterans 1st Amendment right on the 4th of July because the police station got a few calls that people didn't like it.

reply to post by 711heaven


I really hope you have your 20 posts now and stop spamming and inportant thread!

Im been searching the web but so far cannot find an update as of yet.

I do not agree with what the police did, removing the flag like that, but I was always taught that if you fly the flag upside down you better have a dang good reason, like you are in a life threathining situation, etc. To me, a problem where the town won't grant you a liqour liscense is not a good one... maybe he should put some flyers up, or get on the internet, tell as many people as possible, but not fly the flag upside down.

It's obvious to make it sound like he flew the flag upside because of the license, but maybe it was for another reason?

Maybe the license is just a coincidence that the MSM is focusing on to discredit his 'true' patriotism, the fact that he knows how TPTB are violating the people and the constitution on a daily basis.

Looks like the po po aren't as reluctant to join the festivities as some people would like to convince you heh. I would've got another flag and hung it up right after they took the first.