Sheriff REFUSES to enforce town's "unconstitutional" foreign flag ban

[Bluebear]

"If you start victimizing a segment of our population, we will be there to arrest you. If anyone commits a crime because of someone else's ethnic background, they can face being arrested for hate crimes. We have a zero tolerance for that type of attitude." - Sheriff DeMeo



PAHRUMP -- In a small act of civil disobedience, Pahrump residents Bob and Liese Tamburrino on Saturday raised an Italian flag and a Polish flag over their garage.

In a not-so-civil act, a vandal or vandals, in the middle of the night less than 24 hours later, egged their Italian flag. "They probably thought it was a Mexican flag," Bob Tamburrino said of the Italian flag, which was chosen as a tribute to his ancestry.

The Pahrump Town Board on Nov. 14 adopted an ordinance that bans the flying of foreign flags by themselves. The board also declared English the town's official language and denied unspecified, and apparently nonexistent, town benefits to undocumented immigrants.

The Tamburrinos, who are incensed at the ordinance they say is unconstitutional and smacks of racism, called police after the egging even though they could have been ticketed for violating the new ordinance. But officers did not cite the couple, and Nye County Sheriff Tony DeMeo said Wednesday that he has no plans to ever enforce the ordinance. DeMeo also called it unconstitutional.

"The sheriff is a constitutional office," he said. "My job is to make sure when we enforce something there's a constitutionality behind it." The ordinance also is divisive, DeMeo said. "I don't think passing an ordinance like this is healthy to the community. It's driving a wedge between certain segments of the population." :applause:

http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Nov-23-Thu-2006/news/11008521.html

[pinto]

1. Kudos for some simple, common sense, Sheriff DeMeo. And for speaking up.

[Minnesota_Lib]

2. The fact they egged the Italian flag, which is similar to Mexico's...

..and not the Polish flag pretty much confirms that the right's new "anti-immigration" movement is less about homeland security than it is old fashion bigotry.

[Vorta]

4. The town went about it artlessly.

[Bluebear]

8. How could this have been done "artfully"? nt

[Vorta]

34. more speech

The ACLU position states that the recourse for offensive speech is more speech, speech stating your position or criticism of that speech. Law should not prohibit expression of either the offender or the offended.

If the government of Pahrump was concerned by the expression of Mexican flags, then as a constitutional government it would have been within its rights to fly American flags in any number from government buildings, paint those buildings and even the sidewalks red, white, and blue. It could uniform the city workers in the national colors. It could hang bunting from the light posts. It could arrest anyone it caught defacing these expressions. It could market itself as America's most patriotic city.

What it can't do is tell a property owner or leaseholder (with landlord permission) that he can't fly flag, whether he is doing so in ethnic pride or he is doing so for the purpose of cultural aggression.

[silverojo]

9. There's no bigotry involved

If it were an attack on non-white people, then blacks, Asians, etc., would also be targeted.

These laws are simply an attempt to enforce the border laws where our federal government has failed.

Secure the borders, and no town would even THINK of passing such laws.

Simple as that.

[Bluebear]

10. "Simple as that"

Izzat so.

[tblue37]

31. A more effective approach would be to crack down on the

employers who hire undocumented workers at far below a reasonable wage because all they really care about is cheap labor, especially if the workers can't go to the authorities to report abuses.

The border is porous because the rich and powerful want it to be porous.

[RagingInMiami]

11. So tossing an egg at a flag that looks like a Mexican flag is enforcing our borders?

[SlavesandBulldozers]

28. yes, its that simple.

how? i don't know. but it apparently is;)

[flying_monkeys]

13. So until we "secure the borders", it is understandable that people will menace others?

And Eye-talians and others who use similar colors for their Nation's flags should just google "Best Way To Get Egg Out Of Flag"?


Whether one thinks illegal immigrants are a problem or not, one should HEED the laws respecting private property whether suspected illegal or not.



Ironic that some are braying, "They broke the LAW by COMING HERE!" while countenancing egging personal property - - since THAT is also against the LAW....



Could we get some consistency here? Either ALL LAWS are equally BAD, or cut some slack for people who hopped a river without papers, Jack....

[On the Road]

16. I Believe Other Ethnic Groups Have Been the Object of Prejudice

even when there has been no question of their legal status.

[Pushed To The Left]

18. A silly ordinance like this does nothing to solve illegal immigration

A better solution would be to have better border security and to penalize employers who are exploiting the problem! This type of ordinance is a violation of free speech.

[Richard Steele]

19. Pull the other one- it's got bells on. nm

[Kickin_Donkey]

20. That is a ridiculous statement. Your logic is nonexistent ...

Because there were no attacks on blacks or Asians, there was no bigotry involved? Hello ... maybe it was bigotry against Hispanics.

Just because blacks or Asians weren't targeted doesn't mean it was NOT bigotry against Hispanics. Asians make up only 0.85% of the population of Pahrump; blacks make up only 1.3% of the population, so the lack of attacks against them is irrelevant because they make up a negligible percentage of the population. And how do you know THEY have never been attacked? You can't get that from reading one newspaper article.

The intellectual contortions some people go through to deny racism ... or their own racism ... :eyes:

[Warren DeMontague]

21. Nooooo. "These laws" are an UNCONSTITUTIONAL violation of the first amendment.

They say, in effect, "your statement pisses us off so much, we're gonna arrest you".


Simple as THAT.

[SalmonChantedEvening]

24. self-delete

[EFerrari]

30. How does not flying a flag secure your border?

:rofl:

[proud2BlibKansan]

71. That would sure be a lot less expensive than a 700 mile fence

Let's get those flags up along the border!

LOL :rofl:

[mondo joe]

32. I don't see your logic. Banning flags doesn't secure borders.

[Violet_Crumble]

58. That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever read...

If it were an attack on non-white people, then blacks, Asians, etc., would also be targeted.

Attacks made out of bigotry are those that are aimed at specific ethnic/religious/cultural groups. There is no definition that says 'all non-whites must be attacked for it to be bigotry'...


These laws are simply an attempt to enforce the border laws where our federal government has failed.

How on earth does banning the flying of foreign flags attempt to enforce border laws??? How would me flying an Australian flag if I lived there be endangering border laws?


Secure the borders, and no town would even THINK of passing such laws.

Educate Americans as to what bigotry is and try to dispel some of that ugly xenophobia so rampant in parts of the US and no town in the US would come up with such bigoted and moronic laws...

[Vorta]

36. There is obviously more to it.

While you will find all sorts of flags of other nations flown in the US by American citizens and aliens in ethnic pride, to my knowledge the Mexican flag is the only flag which can also be said to represent a secession movement. My neighbors (legal aliens) have a Russian flag hanging from their house, but it doesn't represent their desire to "reclaim" Florida for Russia. Many people (citizens or legal/illegal alien) who fly the Mexican flag do so as a statement of one of a variety of beliefs which involve the overthrow of the government of the United States.

[Bluebear]

38. How about the Confederate flag?

Do you regard flying that as a desire to secede?

[Vorta]

45. re

Do you regard flying that as a desire to secede?

I think people fly the Confederate flag for a variety of reasons.

in no particular order:

• The South shall rise again (secession)
• Regional identity
• To piss off people who don't like the rebel flag
• Overt racism
• peer pressure/rural male identity
• varying combinations and degrees of the above

The difference between the Confederate flag and the Mexican flag is that the Confederate flag is flown only by native American citizens as a rule, and not identified with a foreign government.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

47. I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news but

while the Confederacy existed, it WAS a foreign government.

[Vorta]

48. piffle

[mondo joe]

51. Non response. The Confederacy declared itself a foreign government.

[Vorta]

53. completely different

There is a huge difference between the commonwealths of the south withdrawing from their voluntary confederation with those of the north, to be a separate confederation in and of itself, and a design for a region of the United States to be placed behind the Mexican border which was settled by war, treaty and purchase over 150 years ago.

[Ms. Clio]

65. There is no such genuine "design"

anymore than a bunch of drunk rednecks shouting "the South will rise again!" is a real plan.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

40. Enlighten us about the logical link between the Mexican flag and the overthrow of the government

of the USA.

Edit: there was a "how" too much in the subject.

[Bluebear]

41. This kind of ridiculous diatribe needs no logical link. nt

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

43. I want to watch him fumble while trying to provide one. You know, "give 'em rope."

[Vorta]

46. I should have said "ownership" of the United States

........ of the territory some folks would like to believe is "in dispute".

I didn't mean to say or imply that they had designs on Washington DC.

[Solon]

50. Why would Russian Americans want Florida, Alaska is where its at...

Also, flying the Mexican flag indicates secession? What type of convoluted logic is that? First, there is a small minority of wackos who think Mexico should take back territory it lost, there are a few others who think a new nation should form from territory between the U.S. and Mexico. As far as I'm aware of, flying the Mexican flag is no signal for either movements. In fact, I'm sure there are some Russian Americans in Alaska that do the same with the Russian flag, wackos too, to be honest. Puerto Ricans are another example, some hoist up the Puerto Rican flag in support of secession from the United States, again a small minority of people in all these groups. Hawaiians, same thing. For California, also, same thing. Republic of Texas as well, how many more examples do you need?

[Vorta]

54. I didn't say "Russian Americans" I said: Russians.

[Solon]

56. And that makes a difference, why?

We have homegrown and foreign secessionists movements all over the place, its nothing new, and is almost always just a small minority of people that support such movements. Why people get paranoid about one particular subset of nutcases is beyond me.

[Vorta]

60. Because it isn't what I said.

The Russian neighbors are here legally.

We have homegrown and foreign secessionists movements all over the place, its nothing new, and is almost always just a small minority of people that support such movements. Why people get paranoid about one particular subset of nutcases is beyond me.

Because there is a difference between citizen secessionists and foriegn invaders. There is a difference between legal aliens and illegal aliens. The Mexican movement is not something to dismiss as a subset fo whackos, when there are million of illegal aliens in this country and reserves on the other side fo the border. It is not something to dismiss, when Mexico itself is experiencing military scale insurgency.

http://aztlan.net/mexican_insurgents_warn_bombings.htm

[Solon]

61. So now illegal immigrants equals a foriegn invasion?

How you could equate impoverished people who came here, with something more like an invading army is mind-boggling.

Uhm, do you take any medication by any chance? Just asking.

[Vorta]

62. Yeah, everyone you disagree with is on drugs.

[Solon]

66. Actually, I was hoping that...

You were taking something so you can properly deal with reality, instead of this paranoid delusion you seem to live in at the moment.

[Ms. Clio]

64. It is PRECISELY something to dismiss as a "subset of whackos"

and anyone who posts such links to such a non-credible site also belongs in that subset.

I was trying to take you seriously, but not anymore.

[judaspriestess]

55. I talk to many Mexican nationals

who have the mindset that USA somehow belongs to Mexico. the mentality is there. They are obviously getting fed this information from the corrupt Mexican government. just saying :)

[Solon]

57. And the English still call us Colonials, your point? n/t

[mconvente]

59. yep - that pretty much sums it up

Bigotry will exist, even when it must be "under the radar"...

[Vorta]

3. It will be interesting to see how/if the Republicans comment on this.

They were all over Gavin Newsome, saying it wasn't his place to decide if a law was constitutional. The court agreed that it was not the place of a mayor to decide if a law is constitutional. Demeo appears to be a Democrat (his opponent got contributions from Nye County GOP), so I am wondering if the GOP will criticize him for this, or stay away from it so they don't look "anti-hispanic".

[Bluebear]

5. My impression is DeMeo could give a rat's behind if he's criticized

His faith in the Constitution is whole, it is complete, it is total.

[pinto]

6. And it stands on its own, outside the spin. We need more of this, not more spin.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

42. Now, come on, give us your OWN opinion.

(Even though it's pretty apparent by now)

[Zhade]

7. Hell yeah, DeMeo. That's the way to do it.

Fuck the racists.

[RagingInMiami]

12. More power to Bob and Liese Tamburrino

And even more power to Nye County Sheriff Tony DeMeo (isn't that one of them foreign names?)

[cyclezealot]

14. The Day bush started shock and awe, I was so upset.

We did not know what to do. We flew the French flag alone, in protest. San Diego County, Calif.

[mondo joe]

15. Good for them. There is still a First Amendment - despite the efforts of

authoritarian fucks to destroy it.

[Canuckistanian]

17. Here's the crux of the illegal immigration issue

From the article:

The final ordinance was a stripped down version of a previous proposal that would have made it illegal to hire, do business with or loan money to illegal immigrants.

Miraglia said he toned it down a bit because the town doesn't have the money or resources to go after employers and landlords.

The businesses, landlords and bankers depend on the local immigrants' business to survive.

Ordinances like this only cause more division, distrust and bigotry, while doing nothing to actually help their local economies.

[sakabatou]

22. Kudos to the Sheriff

[NobleCynic]

23. Wait a minute... this came out of Pahrump?

As a Nevadan born and raised that impresses me. Kudos Pahrump! You're moving forward.

[fishwax]

35. well, some of them anyway ;)

After all, they did pass the ordinance, and some (presumably) locals did egg the flag. But props to the sheriff :)

[SalmonChantedEvening]

25. Let's give the Sheriff of Pahrump a pom-pom

laden cheer!!

:applause:

[rocktivity]

68. DING DING DING! SalmonChantedEvening, you're our grand prize winner!

Let's give the Sheriff of Pahrump a pom-pom laden cheer!!

One pom-pom laden cheer, coming right up!


rocknation

[SalmonChantedEvening]

72. I was going for an evil pun...

You know.

Come they told me, Pahrump a pom-pom
Our newbor... you know the rest ;)

[Bluebear]

73. Oh, no. You didn't!

You did! :spank:

:spray:

[SalmonChantedEvening]

76. Our worstest puns we bring, Pahrump a pom-pom

:rofl:

Heya Blue! :hi: :pals:

[BlueIris]

26. Got to loooove the Sheriffs of the country.

We love the Sheriffs here in OR.

[baldguy]

27. I wonder

Does this ordinance ban the Confederate flag also?

[blogslut]

29. Here's a fun fact

Prostitution is legal in Pahrump, Nevada.

[evilgenius602]

37. what's your point?

It's nothing that I'm interested in, but it's inconsistant to make prostitution a crime. Immoral? That's relative. Wrong and debasing? Definitely. But a crime? "Selling" is legal; "fucking" is legal; why isn't "Selling Fucking" legal? Makes no sense to me.

[The Straight Story]

44. Actually, I think it is legal every where. You pay an actress to make a porn

have sex, done.

Just take a video camera when picking up a prostitute, offer her money to make a movie (sex documentary, porn, whatever), have sign a waiver, and viola.

[elias7]

52. nice syllogism

how 'bout, "drinking" is legal; "driving" is legal; why isn't "drinking & driving" legal?
Or, "fucking" is legal; "poultry" is legal; why isn't... no wait

[mattfromnossa]

33. Bravo to you Sheriff Demeo.

[shadowknows69]

39. Can we trade one consttutional office for another

Make Bush a Sheriff and Swap this guy into the WH.

[Withywindle]

49. Good for him!

Me, I'm just trying to imagine how a crackpot ordinance like this would go over where I live. (Chicago)

:rofl:

Especially during a FIFA World Cup year.

:rofl:

[Sydnie]

63. A tad bit OT but

wasn't it Pahrump that was the town that Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip just used as the town where their "stars" were arrested on the episode from two weeks ago?

For those that don't watch the show, John Goodman was the "good ole boy" judge and the star was arrested in California for assault (when he was actually only trying to protect another actor from the show from being harassed) and it was discovered that he had a warrant for him from Pahrump NV so he was taken there to be arrested on this outstanding warrant.

It was quite and interesting show. Could it be that there are other things in play in Pahrump, thus their use in the show to draw attention to that town in a major way? :shrug:

[Patiod]

69. Dammit Sydnie, you beat me to it

I was going to post a John Goodman joke.

[annabanana]

67. Hooray for Sheriff Tony DeMeo !!

(although I would have preferred for the Parumph Judge to have been standing next to him)

[Generic Other]

70. That sheriff needs to go clean up Washington DC

BRAVO for defending the rights of all Americans.

[Bucky]

74. Every St. Patrick's Day I have a brief moment of panic when I think we've been conquered by Ireland

It used to scare me so much I ended up vomiting green

[Donald Ian Rankin]

75. Am I the only person this worries?

A sherrif deciding unilaterally not to enforce a law is not something to applaud.

If he doesn't think it's constitutional - and by the sound of it is isn't - then he should challenge it through the appropriate channels, not simply decide off his own bat not to enforce it.

What if he decided there were other laws he wasn't going to enforce?