Illinois lawmaker, a veteran in the field, is against the recently proposed legislation that would criminalize the act of knowingly flying an upside-down flag on government property by government officials.
Representative Harry Benton has proposed a new law that aims to prevent any disrespect towards the flag that stems from political motivations.
According to Benton, the American flag serves as a timeless representation of our country’s resilience and honor, embodying the selfless contributions of every American generation.
Benton is currently addressing a recent incident that occurred in the local area where a Will County official had flown the American flag in an upside-down position following the conviction of Donald Trump on 34 felony counts.
According to reports, Steve Balich, the supervisor of Homer Township in Will County, made the controversial decision to fly the national flag outside of the township offices upside down following the conviction of former President Donald Trump.
Despite attempts to contact Balich for comment by The Center Square, there was no immediate response from him.
Benton criticized the public official’s decision to show disrespect towards the nation’s flag and its values, stating that it was a regretful choice. Despite the official’s disappointment in the outcome of a criminal trial, it is no justification for such actions. Additionally, the official’s attempt to deflect the mounting backlash by using the very same flag they had just disrespected was seen as pathetic by Benton.
As an air force veteran and State Representative, David Friess firmly believes that individuals should have the right to fly the flag upside down if they feel that the country is going through a difficult time.
Friess, a veteran, maintains his composure even in situations where he may not agree with someone’s actions, such as flying the flag upside down. He acknowledges that free speech is one of the greatest freedoms we have and respects an individual’s right to express themselves, even if he disagrees with it.
House Bill 5860, introduced by Benton, proposes to criminalize the act of knowingly displaying the national flag upside down on government property by a government official.
According to Friess, he believes that the bill is unlikely to gain any traction, but he is optimistic that Benton will consider pairing it with a proposal that would ban the burning of flags during demonstrations supporting Black Lives Matter or Pro-Palestine causes.
Firess suggested that it would be great to have a bill that prohibits the burning of the flag during rallies supporting Hamas, Palestine, or the Black Lives Matter movement.
In a recent news release, Benton emphasized that despite any differences we may have, at the core, we are all Americans.
In addition to criminalizing the act of flying an upside-down flag, Benton introduced House Bill 5861, which proposes a fine of up to $25,000 for violators.
According to a recent news release from Benton, his two bills, House Bill 5860 and House Bill 5861, aim to provide clarity on the proper use of flying the flag upside down. The bills state that the flag should only be flown in this manner in situations where there is severe distress or imminent danger to life or property, as outlined in the U.S. Flag Code.
According to Friess, a significant portion of the population believes that America is in a state of distress, especially since Trump has been found guilty while still running for the presidency.
According to Friess, the only reason for the prosecution of the former president is his decision to run for president again. He firmly believes that if the ex-president had not expressed interest in running for the 2024 election, he would not have been prosecuted. Friess is convinced that the motivation behind the prosecution was solely political.
According to Benton, the oath taken by elected leaders is to the American flag and the country it symbolizes, rather than to a specific political figure.
Upon seeing House Bill 5861, which proposed a fine of up to $25,000 for flying a flag upside down, Friess chuckled heartily.
According to Friess, the timing of this issue is critical as the Democratic party is currently working towards decriminalizing all forms of behavior. He believes that whenever there is a penalty enhancement, Democrats react in an extreme manner. In his opinion, imposing a fine of $25,000 for an expression that falls under the purview of the First Amendment is unjustified.
There is a possibility of both bills making progress in the upcoming November veto session.
