Flag planting would be felony under proposed law
In response to the recent Ohio State/Michigan game, Ohio is proposing that teams attempting to plant their flags in the middle of Ohio Stadium during Ohio State games will be dealing will be facing time in jail. Ohio state Rep. Josh Williams introduced a bill Tuesday that would classify flag planting at Ohio Stadium around Buckeyes football games as a felony.
The O.H.I.O. Sportsmanship Act, authored by Williams, states, "No person shall plant a flagpole with a flag attached to it in the center of the football field at Ohio stadium of the Ohio State University on the day of a college football competition, whether before, during, or after the competition. Whoever violates this section is guilty of a felony of the fifth degree."
A fifth-degree felony is the least severe in Ohio and carries a penalty of six to 12 months in prison, up to a $2,500 fine and up to five years' probation.
The Big Ten issued $100,000 fines to both Ohio State and Michigan following the flag planting incident, but no other individual discipline has been specified. In reference to the fines, Williams said: "That's pennies, that's nothing."
Michigan coach Sherrone Moore also mimicked flag planting while appearing on the videoboard at the school's men's basketball game Saturday at home against Iowa as the crowd roared.
"That indicates that that institution is not taking this incident seriously," Williams said. "We're bragging about it, and it's going to continue in the future, and that's going to cause increased risk, increased security costs and potential for violence, as a result of a college football game."
Williams said a criminal penalty was needed because those who travel across state lines and violate university policies likely would avoid any significant repercussions. Williams, who said he coached youth sports for 15 years, is a strong advocate of sportsmanship and noted that the bill would apply to Ohio State players planting flags after home games.
Williams earned his law degree from the University of Toledo. He described himself as "a Buckeye, through and through." Adding, "That was a tight game. It wasn't a blowout victory. You know, Michigan should have taken its victory, and we take our loss on the chin and live to fight another day, concentrate on the next week and the next year, the next recruitment period. But instead, we have to have this conversation."
Conclusion
I simply can not decide what is the saddest part of this story:
1. The lack of respect by the players and coach of Michigan,
2. The violent reaction by the Ohio State Players over a silly non-violent act, or
3. That politicians believe we need a law for every situation.
How is it that we the people keep electing people that react out of emotion and not logic? Are these really the people that represent the average person in our society? The need to regulate every function of our lives is so pervasive in modern political circles - what you can drink, when you can be out, and now a law for flag planting.
Is flag planting such a pervasive problem we need to criminalize it? In Ohio, you can smoke your blunt on the football field, but it is a felony to plant a flag. The funniest part is the law does not exclude the flag of the field's home team, state flag, or US Flag. Therefore don't plant any flag, for any reason on an Ohio football field, because clearly they don't have any bigger problems to deal with in Ohio.
If you need an attorney to plant your flag in the Courtroom, please give us a call at Winslow Law 843-357-9301.
May God Bless You, Your Business, and the United States of America,
Tom Winslow
COMMITTED COUNSELORS FOR OUR CLIENTS AND OUR COMMUNITY.
Written by
Tom Winslow
and
Adam Rittenberg
