disrespect or distress?

A Wausau WI man flew a flag upside down as a sign of distress. He's been denied a liquor license after spending $200,000 on a building and remodeling so that he could open a restaurant. The police took the flag from him just 4 hours before a July 4 parade and brought it back the next day. He's an Iraq war veteran and can't believe that this type of thing would go on in this country. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090710/ap_on_re_us/us_upside_down_flag