The tyranny of hurt feelings

Interesting that on Independence Day, a handful of cops showed up on the property of Vito Congine Jr. and stole his American flag.

Mr. Congine is attempting to open a restaurant in Crivitz, Wis., but the town's council has vetoed his move to acquire a liquor license. So, to protest, the would-be entrepreneur decided to fly Old Glory upside down on his flagpole. He says he faces the distress of probable financial ruin without the city's permission to sell booze.

His monthlong protest was interrupted July 4, when police officers came on scene and swiped the flag. Evidently, neighbors were offended by the gesture and feared it would ruin their Independence Day parade. (The flag was later returned, and Mr. Congine has resumed his protest.)

In this brutal recession, there is some irony that flunkies on a city council rejected one man's plans for opening a new business. The events since are even worse.

Mr. Congine has been subjected to the culmination of an overbearing town council, a busybody district attorney with a severe lack of respect for the Constitution, a thuggish sheriff, and stupid deputies who are far too willing to follow orders. For this incident, every one of them deserves to be fired or defeated in the next election.

And the worst ingredient of all is a group of Americans who think they can call the authorities every time they see something they don't like. Those authorities only add to the problem when they do the mob's bidding.

For some reason, too many Americans think they have the right to never hear anything they disagree with. Too many think they have the right to never be offended. They think they can dial 911 because McDonald's is out of chicken nuggets. They're acting like idiot children badly in need of a spanking.

I don't like the smell of the feedlots near my hometown but I hardly assume the right to close them down. I don't own the world, and neither do the people of Crivitz.

The abused businessman is a veteran of the war in Iraq. His comment on the matter is simple, harsh and appropriate: "It is pretty bad when I go and fight a tyrannical government somewhere else, and then I come home to find it right here at my front door."

However angry Mr. Congine is, it's not nearly enough.