Is driving through neighborhoods displaying a confederate flag an act of terrorism or guaranteed by 1st amendment rights?

CPO Andy Carrillo, MS — Wed, 14 Oct 2015 21:01:56 -0400

This much is not in dispute: numerous pickup trucks, adorned with several large American and Confederate flags, formed a caravan and drove into a neighborhood where a birthday party was being held for a child. Levi Bush, who was part of the procession, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in July that the motorcade was making its way back from a nearby event when it drove through the area. Kayla Norton, another member of the group, told FOX5 that party-goers began throwing objects at the trucks and making threats.
People from the birthday party contend that “Respect the Flag” participants yelled racial slurs and flashed guns. Police were eventually called to the scene, though no one was arrested at the time. “Officers on scene were given conflicting statements as to what led up to the confrontation,” the Douglasville Police Department said in a statement. “We do not have any evidence of any shots fired nor were there any reports of a physical altercation taking place.” The indictment says the group threatened “to commit a crime of violence to persons attending a party” with the “purpose of terrorizing those individuals and in reckless disregard for the risk of causing such terror.” The indictment does not specify what “Respect the Flag” participants did or said to that end.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/10/13/confederate-flag-supporters-indicted-under-georgia-terrorism-law/

Confederate flag supporters indicted under Georgia terrorism law

A Georgia grand jury indicted 15 members of a group supporting the Confederate flag on terror charges Friday following a July confrontation with a black family who was celebrating a child’s birthday.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 14 at 2015 9:02 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 14 Oct 2015 21:02:49 -0400

No.

Response by SGT Jerrold Pesz made Oct 14 at 2015 9:16 PM

SGT Jerrold Pesz — Wed, 14 Oct 2015 21:16:44 -0400

You don't have to drive very far in my neighborhood to see a Confederate flag. There is one flying in the next block.

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 14 at 2015 9:22 PM

Capt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 14 Oct 2015 21:22:11 -0400

Flying the flag is free speech. Threatening physical harm is not.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 14 at 2015 9:22 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 14 Oct 2015 21:22:12 -0400

seems that we have become the United States of the Offended. GROW UP. Seems like everyone is looking for a lawsuit lotto.

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 14 at 2015 11:00 PM

SCPO Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 14 Oct 2015 23:00:31 -0400

I'm terrorized by anyone wearing a green, red, and black skull cap. I think it's racist and highly divisive!!! Silly, ain't it. Is this particular racially-infused question, like so many on here, inherently one-sided, guaranteed to get you slandered and called everything but a racist if you don't call for these vehicles to be confiscated and blown up by the BATFE?

Response by SSG (ret) William Martin made Oct 14 at 2015 11:03 PM

SSG (ret) William Martin — Wed, 14 Oct 2015 23:03:25 -0400

Some how WBC stay incident free with the police. Their choice and style of protest offends and harassed me.

Response by Capt Mark Strobl made Oct 14 at 2015 11:03 PM

Capt Mark Strobl — Wed, 14 Oct 2015 23:03:55 -0400

Maybe one day we'll wake up, start taking responsibility for ourselves, our feelings, and our actions. Until then, I reserve the right to throw down my "butt-hurt" card!

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 15 at 2015 1:48 AM

SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 15 Oct 2015 01:48:09 -0400

...these guys were probably in the wrong here considered 2 of the 15 members have already been indited for assault charges for an altercation that happened earlier in the day. Flying a large ass American and Confederate Flags doesn't make you look patriotic...it simply makes you look like a prick.

With that said driving around with a large ass flag shouldn't be a crime as long as you're not threatening physical harm to anyone...I may think you look like a prick doing it...but I'll defend to the death your right to do so.

Response by CW4 Guy Butler made Oct 15 at 2015 11:21 AM

CW4 Guy Butler — Thu, 15 Oct 2015 11:21:43 -0400

This is why I like going to the local news source - better and more details:

"Melissa Alford, who was hosting the July 25 party, said at the time a convoy of Confederate flag-bearing pickup trucks and their passengers interrupted the celebration with threats and racial epithets.
Cellphone video posted on social media showed Douglasville officers holding back a group of black men and women as at least seven pickup trucks drive off. The trucks’ white passengers were seen riding with Confederate, American and military flags flapping on poles mounted on their vehicles.
Another video showed trucks gathered on a grassy area, and at least one racial slur can be heard. Alford said the trucks drove by several times before parking in the field next to her house."

http://m.ajc.com/news/news/local/confederate-flag-backers-indicted-in-clash-with-bl/nnz2Q/

Big difference between just driving by and parking next to the house.

Response by SSG Warren Swan made Oct 15 at 2015 11:45 AM

SSG Warren Swan — Thu, 15 Oct 2015 11:45:16 -0400

My personal opinion is that that flag Heritage and Hate. I don't look down on folks who fly it, I honestly don't care when they do. There's a garrison sized confederate flag displayed on someone's land on 95 south just after Spotsylvania VA. I look at it and see no problem with it. When I would begin to GAF is the moment someone stops and starts using racial slurs or begins talking about how the South did this and that 150 years ago. You have freedom of speech and I get it, but once you cross over into hateful speech, you stand a very good chance of making a debt with your mouth that your a** can't cash. Just fly the rag and be done with it already. "Members of “Respect the Flag” told the Washington Post the group drives around with its flags flying in order to raise money to donate American flags to people who can’t afford them" The hell sense does that make? Fly the confederate flag to raise money to buy the American flag...sounds like a lot of BS to me. I'm going to fly an ISIS flag to raise money so folks who cannot afford to buy the American flag can get one? That just sounds stupid as hell. I'm not sold on the terrorism charge. The article as written leaves quite a few holes in the story and seems to want to inflame the readers. If there was an incident beforehand then we have a legitimate problem. If they purposely drove through a neighborhood knowing that there were going to be a large concentration of minorities with an agenda of "stirring the pot", then they get what they give, and should be happy that's all that happened. Brandishing weapons on the locals? I applaud the locals for just calling the cops and not matching ignorance with ignorance.

Response by SFC James Welch made May 3 at 2021 3:35 PM

SFC James Welch — Mon, 03 May 2021 15:35:54 -0400

I would say it all depends on where you live. People in the North don’t fly the Flag their Armies fought under. They don’t care. However, come to the South and you will see far more Stars and Stripes than Stars and Bars!