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Vet cuts down Mexican flag
displayed above Old Glory 
Took action after authorities didn't respond
to Hispanic bar owner's illegal arrangement

After hearing a Reno bar was flying a Mexican flag above a U.S. flag, an angered U.S. Army veteran took matters into his own hands, drove to the site and cut down the banners in front of a stunned group of Hispanic patrons.

Reno television station KRNV, which was there to document Jim Broussard's act of defiance, noted the U.S. code prohibits raising the flag of any other nations above Old Glory.

Broussard pulled up in his truck to the Cantina El Jaripeo near downtown Reno yesterday, cut the rope that anchored the flags and pulled them down from a makeshift flagpole.

He left the Mexican flag on the ground and, with the U.S. flag in hand, turned to the KRNV cameraman:

"I'm Jim Broussard," he said, "and I took this flag down in honor of my country with … a knife from the United States Army. I'm a veteran, I'm not going to see this done to my country. If they want to fight us, then they need to be men, and they need to come and fight us. But I want somebody to fight me for this flag. They're not going to get it back."

The KRNV footage shows a Hispanic man, possibly the bar owner, picking up the Mexican flag after Broussard briskly walks past him down the street to his truck.

Later, Broussard, told nationally syndicated talk-radio host Mike Gallagher he took action after hearing on a local talk station that the flags had been flying all day.

"I was immediately infuriated and felt a duty to do something about it," Broussard said. "I feel there's a lot of this turning-our-heads-on-things in concern with the Hispanic community and the things they do. They seem impervious to our laws in a lot of situations."

Broussard, pointing out the bar was committing a federal offense, said local authorities weren't sure what to do about it.

He affirmed Gallagher's comment that many Americans are afraid to speak out on the problem of illegal immigration and lack of assimilation because they are afraid of being called bigots.

Broussard said he had no idea a TV camera would be there until he arrived on the scene.

About a dozen Hispanic men came pouring out of the building when he showed up, according to Broussard.

The men said, Broussard recounted, "What do you think you're doing?"

"I said, well, watch me."

Broussard said he talked to local police after the incident, and they have not taken any action. But Hispanic leaders, he said, "are trying to coerce the bar owner to file charges against me."

The veteran affirmed to Gallagher there are many Hispanics who are equally upset about illegal immigration and the resistance to assimilation.

"We have many cultures who've come here, and they've learned our language, and they respect our culture, because they know America is a great country, and they simply want to be a part of it," he said.

KRNV said it sent a cameraman to the scene after a viewer called to say "a business near downtown Reno was flying a Mexican flag above an American flag ... which is, in fact, illegal."

ACLU Releases Statement on Mexican Flag Flying Over American Flag

    The ACLU of Nevada is concerned about recent media reports that it is “illegal” to fly foreign flags over the U.S. flag.

    While there is indeed a federal law regulating the display of the U.S. flag, that law is merely advisory and simply codifies standard government practice in displaying the American flag.

    Several federal courts have examined this law and held that the flag rules are not mandatory and cannot be enforced. Indeed, if the federal flag rules were mandatory, they would clearly violate the First Amendment, which protects every American’s right to speak and express themselves, including their choice of flag to display.

    In 1989, the Supreme Court held that we even have the right to burn our own flag, which had been outlawed by 48 states. Our robust and meaningful democracy is built upon our First Amendment, which protects our right to express ourselves even when - indeed, particularly when - that expression is distasteful or unpopular.

Brother you knew this would get me going, didn't you.

The ACLU  >:(  needs to read the protocols, for flying the American flag. This is America, not Mexico... if the bar owner wants to fly the Mexican flag above the American flag, he needs to go to Mexico.

American vets didn't fight for rights to be given away by the Anti Christ Law Union...... The Anti Christ Law Union has been busy giving and taking away to many rights of Americans. :'( :'(

Yep.

 :D :D

I am just not going to comment on this.  I have nothing to say.

Come on, brother, we know that you're just chompin at the bit to say something.   ;D ;D

Well yes I am.  And I do not drink but to coin the phrase I would like to buy that soldier a coke....haha..you all thought I was going to say beer didn't you :)

And although I fully believe in the freedom of speech and the exercise thereof.  I also believe that we should show respect to our country.  And I believe that as a symbol of our country there should be regulations on it's care and display. 

It took guts for that man to do that.  Cause quite honestly you just never know in today's world.  We had a police officer shot and killed while responding to a disturbance call at a local cantina here.  That man could have easily ended up dead.  And for standing up for the symbol of this great country the way he did...if I were President I would award him the highest award that I could...CMOH comes from congress so you know that would not happen.

If only there were a few million more like him.

Yep, I knew I saw bit chompin and foot stompin in the background.   ;D ;D ;D

To me it is more what the flag represents that it is the flag itself that demands the respect that it should be given. The lives lost, the many injured while in support of what this flag stands for. Those are the things that count. To disrespect the American flag is to spit and stomp on the graves and in the faces of the many brave men and women that have fought this countries freedoms and safety of it's peoples. Of course we see a more direct attack on these very people today and by the ones that are being protected.

(http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b207/tinabaran/red%20white%20blue/flagglitter.gif)

pretty flag but going to find prettier flag  ;)

(http://www.creatureworld.net/~David_James/canada_flag.gif)

Now my LCD has foot prints.....I saw a maple leaf and felt the urge to step on it ;)

hey!

I do agree though, if I went to another country and saw the Canadian flag at top, I would be confused and think they don't respect their own country

I have a Maple tree in my front yard. I step on maple leaves all the time, especially this time of year.  :D :D

I have been to many different countries and always tried to show respect to the people and their customs. In many countries if you didn't you ended up in jail or dead. What most of these people are doing are standing there with their hands out for our money yet want to do nothing byt disrespect us in return.

Amen to that.

I have too been around the world...and even to Canada ;)

It was always a pleasure to try and learn some of the local customs.  And never did I do or want to do anything that would disrespect their country....I was a sailor so I have to admit that I did do things that many would probably say disrespected our country...but that would have been rare and I would not have remembered them.