this post was submitted on 26 Aug 2025
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The arrested man identified himself as a combat veteran and said he was burning the American flag in protest of an executive order Trump signed Monday targeting flag burning.

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[–] ThePantser@sh.itjust.works 122 points 1 week ago (2 children)

That was fast, good on that guy. Will this be a watershed moment when his infernal majesty's decrees are challenged?

[–] unexposedhazard@discuss.tchncs.de 25 points 1 week ago (7 children)
[–] Bronzebeard@lemmy.zip 52 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Most of his shit IS getting overturned. The doom and gloom isn't helpful.

[–] themeatbridge@lemmy.world 40 points 1 week ago

Most, but not all. And the SCOTUS is eroding our rights one bribe at a time. If this goes to the highest court, are you certain we will still have the freedom of speech when it's over?

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[–] Rentlar@lemmy.ca 10 points 1 week ago

SCOTUS: Let's see, we have to consider the "Trump can do no wrong" precedent, and the "I like money🎤🦀💰" exception doesn't apply, so...

[–] jaybone@lemmy.zip 105 points 1 week ago (13 children)

How can you make an executive order like that? That’s not exactly an order.

That would need to be a law, passed by Congress.

This dude has gone so fucking nuts with executive orders left and right out the ass, that no one is even asking wtf? It’s not supposed to be the magical “I can do anything” card. But everyone is ok with this I guess…

[–] InputZero@lemmy.world 39 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (4 children)

It doesn't matter, Trump can legally do whatever he wants, he's a king. 1/3rd of the population of America believes that Trump can rule unilaterally. The other 2/3rds are scared of the first and they should be. Trump and MAGA have the executive branch, the judicial branch, the legislative branch, the armed forces, law enforcement, immigration enforcement, and wall street in their side. They only group not on Trump's side is the general public and it should be pretty obvious now that he doesn't have any use for the general public. Trump won. He's king of The United States of America, I suggest you start to think about what you're going to do about it.

[–] NotMyOldRedditName@lemmy.world 10 points 1 week ago (4 children)

He can't legally do it, its still against the law.

He's personally immune from punishment, but if he does something illegally it can be undone.

E.g if he illegally arrests someone, they'll still get released... one day... and probably get punitive damages. But Trump won't be held accountable.

[–] Doomsider@lemmy.world 23 points 1 week ago

Yeah, tell that to Abrego Garcia. Just because one day some judge might reflect that it was wrong for the government to lie, human traffic, and manufacture false charges doesn't mean his life wasn't ruined.

I really find it hard to conceive of a government that doesn't hold their leaders accountable, but that is apparently what we have been doing for a looong time.

[–] itslilith@lemmy.blahaj.zone 15 points 1 week ago (1 children)

He absolutely can do it. He's not allowed to do it, but rule of law has gone down the drain. The USA are back to the divine right of kings, now

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[–] InputZero@lemmy.world 10 points 1 week ago

Except that his administration is. Look at Abrego Garcia. He's going to be deported and there won't be any recourse to undo that. If it can be done, with no consequences, and can't be undone, doesn't matter if a piece of paper says it's illegal. It won't be enforced, and a law that isn't enforced might as well not exist.

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[–] FreshParsnip@lemmy.ca 9 points 1 week ago (2 children)

My advice to Americans is to leave if they can

[–] nymnympseudonym@lemmy.world 13 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

Running will do for a spell. But I intend to stay and (politically) fight.

Besides, I'm not sure anywhere is significantly better than USA for places to stand against it. No place with humans is immune to the disease of leader worship.

Iran was once a relatively tolerant democracy. Then the people who actually take their religion seriously took over.

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[–] 4grams@awful.systems 37 points 1 week ago

Both congress and the Supreme Court handed ceded all their power to the executive branch. We have a dictator now, full stop. This country is run by the whims of a pedophile protecting (at best), rapist, criminal (convicted, not punished - REWARDED).

[–] xyzzy@lemmy.today 24 points 1 week ago

It would need to be a Constitutional amendment unless the Supreme Court "reconsiders" precedent on this exact issue.

The executive order, like most others, is completely illegal, but when authoritarians control all the levers of power and have military on the streets of DC and the DC police answers to them, then who's going to stop them?

[–] oyo@lemmy.zip 22 points 1 week ago

Congratulations on waking up from your coma! A few things have happened since 2015. Let me help you get up to speed...

[–] Brunbrun6766@lemmy.world 12 points 1 week ago

They're not orders to him, they are decrees

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[–] nimble@lemmy.blahaj.zone 70 points 1 week ago (2 children)

That's such a stupid executive order because the only difference between so called desecration and retiring a flag is the your intentions in how you are setting the flag on fire

people should start holding solemn ceremonies to retire flags via fire in public and see how that goes as well

[–] yetAnotherUser@discuss.tchncs.de 18 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I mean, intent is very often a major defining factor whether something is illegal or not.

The difference between murder and manslaughter often hinges on whether there was intent.

And for something as stupid as loitering intent is the sole deciding factor for guilt.

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[–] thedruid@lemmy.world 7 points 1 week ago

That.....

Is actually fucking brilliantly appropriate as well. It would symbolicly illustrate Trumps facsict regime us burning our country in peices, thereby destroying the states.....

[–] Wazowski@lemmy.world 48 points 1 week ago (5 children)

This ends with blood in the streets. We just need to decide whose blood.

[–] Remember_the_tooth@lemmy.world 38 points 1 week ago (6 children)
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[–] HexadecimalSky@lemmy.world 46 points 1 week ago (3 children)

Many U.S. veterans I know support the right of freedom of expression, to include flag burning. They say they feel its disrespectful but its the right they bleed for, for people to express themselves

I remember a case where this singer burnt an american flag in protest (I think korean war) and the president was grilled on his take on the matter and he daid that whats beautiful about our country, that we can do these things, and that im the countries we are fighting agianst thier citizens dont have the same freedoms as americans.

[–] Univ3rse@lemmynsfw.com 13 points 1 week ago (1 children)

This idea that the military "fights for our freedom" needs to die. It's complete horseshit. The last conflict the US military was involved in that could remotely be considered as a defense of Americans (the populace, not the oligarchs) was WW2. Everything since has been neocolonialism and gangster activity. Even prior to WW2, their primary function over their life has been genocide and colonialism. It was the US military that brought the world concentration camps. If there is any hope for Americans, we need to kill the civic religion.

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[–] mitch@piefed.mitch.science 9 points 1 week ago (8 children)

I don't even understand what is so offensive about flag burning. It's something teenagers and sheltered young adults do as a feeble form of symbolic rebellion. Genuinely, who cares? It's not like the flag has some kind of mystical power. It's not the original version. 9/10, it's just a cheap copy that was purchased specifically for that demonstration.

I'm a grown man. Why the fuck do I care about teenagers skateboarding in the church parking lot? I got my own problems.

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[–] CharlesDarwin@lemmy.world 7 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Hey, it's cool that some of them understand the law, but.... also, I don't think veterans have any special privilege or insight into how our freedoms work.

I don't think any of us need their permission to exercise our rights. I don't think that's what you were going for, but I'm just saying this because so much of the discussion often seems to go to what "the troops" think about it. It just doesn't matter.

[–] HexadecimalSky@lemmy.world 8 points 1 week ago (2 children)

I was bringing it up half out of people tending to use veterans and soldiers as justification for "cracking down" on things like flag burning, saying how it disrespects our troops or something. When 1) as you say, thier opinion doesn't matter and 2) They also aren't as offended as republicans say they are.

[–] captainlezbian@lemmy.world 7 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

It's my first amendment right to call the troops babykillers and to thank their Jodies for their service. And if someone wants the government to stop me then they're anti American. The first amendment is especially for the right to criticize and mock the government and her agents.

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[–] quick_snail@feddit.nl 44 points 1 week ago (1 children)

If he was burning a book, the fascist cops would have joined-in

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[–] CascadianGiraffe@lemmy.world 28 points 1 week ago (10 children)
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[–] sturmblast@lemmy.world 24 points 1 week ago (1 children)

It's not illegal to burn the flag. Any flag.

[–] SketchySeaBeast@lemmy.ca 17 points 1 week ago

And executive orders are not laws.

[–] aesthelete@lemmy.world 23 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Where can I contribute to the legal fund?

[–] IzzyJ@lemmy.world 10 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Guy was already released actually

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[–] CircaV@lemmy.ca 23 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Trunp and Magats are such effing snowflakes they need a safe space.

[–] FuckFascism@lemmy.world 17 points 1 week ago

Like prison?

[–] fedupwithbureaucracy@lemmy.world 20 points 1 week ago (3 children)

More confederates should have had their heads blown off instead of lukewarm acceptance back into the union

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[–] Guyonthecouc@lemmy.world 19 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Y’all know this is just so they can replay clips of their “opposition” burning flags on Fox News. To vilify more people is the only goal here.

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[–] imdoneinteracting@sh.itjust.works 15 points 1 week ago (1 children)
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[–] MourningDove@lemmy.zip 11 points 1 week ago (2 children)
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[–] frog_brawler@lemmy.world 9 points 1 week ago

Good on him. I was thinking about doing that myself but I don’t live near DC.

[–] SCmSTR@lemmy.blahaj.zone 6 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Jesus Christ, what is wrong with humans

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