The proliferation of of so-called “Hate crime laws” in America, which when applied, can unevenly determine which groups receive special status or protection, has resulted in affording certain groups the freedom from consequences while still others find themselves at the business end of the billy club.ĭebate over tying sexual identity and sexual preferences to civil rights protections is increasingly dividing Americans nationwide. Adolfo Martinez, 30, of Ames, was found guilty last month of third-degree arson in violation of individual rights hate crime, third-degree harassment, and reckless use of fire as a habitual offender. Since that time there have been numerous lawsuits over the act of desecrating the American flag, but no criminal charges or jail time has been given for the burning the flag. An Ames man was sentenced Wednesday to about 16 years in prison after he set fire to a church’s LGBTQ flag in June. In contrast to the LGBTQ flag and protections, a debate over burning the American flag has raged in America since 1968 when protestors burned American flags to protest the military conflict in Vietnam. Adolfo Martinez admitted to burning the flag and told local news media that. No, Adolfo Martinez did not actually hurt or assault anybody in the process of. A man who removed and burned an LGBTQ Pride Banner flying from the Ames, Iowa United Church of Christ in June was sentenced Wednesday to 16 years in prison, 15 for a hate crime of arson and given a year for reckless use of explosives or fire and 30 days for harassment. He was sentenced 16 years for getting shitfaced, stealing the flag from a church, burning it and. “But we believe God is still speaking to us through the Bible and through each other, through prayer, through worship and because of that we’ve been able to get to a place where we can affirm all of God’s children, including queer people,” Gebbie said. An Iowa man was sentenced to 15 years in prison Wednesday for stealing and burning a church's rainbow LGBT pride flag. Adolfo Martinez wasnt sentenced 16 years for burning a flag.