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CRIVITZ - An American flag has been flying upside down, and causing some controversy. A Crivitz man raised the flag "union down," saying he was in distress, because of a problem with the village.

Vito Congine bought a Crivitz building last fall, planning to turn it into a supper club. He says the village board welcomed the idea, and was planning on granting him a liquor license. But when it came time to get the license, after Congine invested more than $180,000 into the building and renovations, the board said no citing the economy and other concerns.

"My wife and I are on the doorstep of bankruptcy," said Congine. "We're in distress. And I told them you just put my building and my home and my entire family in distress. I'm going to express myself."

Congine expressed himself by flying the flag upside down.

Right now there's no flag on Congine's property. He says someone vandalized the rope on the flagpole.

But he had been flying the flag union down. Before the Fourth of July parade, which would go past Congine's property, the Crivitz Police Department took matters into its own hands. The police department says it received complaints about the flag, and tried to contact Congine.
On the 4th, the police department took the flag down, returning it to Congine the next day.

"It's ridiculous. They violated my first amendment rights," said Congine.

No one from the village of Crivitz would do an on-camera interview because of the possibility of future legal action. The village issued a statement saying on the advice of the district attorney, the flag had to be taken down to prevent things from getting violent, and to protect Congine.

"Nobody ever even brought that forward to my attention," said Congine.

For now, Congine's flag sits inside his vacant supper club, but he he plans to fly the flag upside down again this weekend.

The American Civil Liberties Union is looking into taking legal action against Crivitz. An ACLU official says taking the flag appears to be illegal.

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Comments

ACivilWarsAComing said:

So the government can water board people, take away trans fat, send my kids to war, reward banks and car company for being stupid. Yet, a man can't hang a flag in protest. What happen to free speech? What Happen to America? If you want to take away anyones free speech how about starting with the Lady, who takes nasty signs to dead soldier funerals. My flag will be UPSIDE DOWN TODAY, not because I hate America, but because I hate the over paid, paper smart, pencil pushing jack **** that think they know what's best for this country. I bet everything is great in their world as they drive their Mercedes and sip their coffee. It's time for more than turning the flag around. Time for a new America. A better America... A free America.....

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www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/local_crivitz_upside_down_flag_causes_con
troversy_20090710_rev1

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Title 36, U.S.C., Chapter 10

§ 176. (a) The flag should never be displayed with the union down, except as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property.

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