The judicial system has failed again with the worst case of injustice I’ve ever seen. A man in Ames, Iowa has been sentenced to 16 years in prison. For murder? For robbery? No, for burning an LGBTQ flag.
In the same country that considers it “free speech” to openly burn an American flag with no risk of punishment, it is considered a hate crime to burn an LGBTQ flag and punishable with over a decade in federal prison.
According to Des Moines Register,
He was arrested after stealing a pride banner hanging at Ames United Church of Christ, 217 6th St., and burning it early June 11 outside Dangerous Curves Gentleman’s Club, 111 5th St., police said.
Story County Attorney Jessica Reynolds said the hate crime charges were added because Martinez is suspected of criminal mischief against someone’s property because of “what it represents as far as sexual orientation.”
He faced a maximum of five years in prison for the hate crime and arson charge and a maximum of a year and month for the other two charges, according to Iowa sentencing guidelines. Court records list him as a habitual offender, allowing him to be sentenced to a longer prison term.
The idea of “hate crimes” is a double standard anyway. Aren’t all crimes committed out of hatred of something? If someone burns an American flag doesn’t that say they hate Americans? Murder is a hate crime but they aren’t charged as such. That must be the logical conclusion if one is going to assert that burning an LGBTQ flag means they hate everyone in that category.
