Hoo weee! Here we are in the closing days of 2019 in the land of the free and the home of the brave, where you get 16 years in prison for burning a flag. No, not an American flag, a gay LGBT flag.
An Ames man was sentenced Wednesday to about 16 years in prison after he set fire to a church LGBTQ flag in June.
Adolfo Martinez, 30, of Ames, last month was found guilty of third-degree arson in violation of individual rights — hate crime, third-degree harassment, and reckless use of fire as a habitual offender. Police said he stole a pride banner hanging at Ames United Church of Christ, 217 6th St., and burned it early June 11 outside Dangerous Curves Gentleman’s Club, 111 5th St.
Martinez admitted to police that he lit the banner on fire with lighter fluid and a lighter after stealing it from the church, according to court documents.
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. The sentence was aggravated because he’s a habitual offender, according to court records, leading to a longer prison stay.
What’s odd about that video is that his comments are edited for maximum effect – they clearly recorded him speaking about his motivation for the act, but then cut it off. It really makes me wonder what they’re trying to hide.
In any case, I do think there are better ways of protesting the LGBTQ agenda in the church aside from stealing flags and burning them.
ALSO, why is the female pastor wearing the dude’s sweater from The Big Lebowski?!?! This aggression will not stand, man.