Town orders U.S. flags removed from fire trucks
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. — American flags were removed from three fire
trucks in New York on Tuesday sparking heated discussion on social media
and disappointment from union members.
Firefighters told to remove American flags
from their fire trucks
Arlington Fire Chief Tory
Gallante was directed by the Board of Fire Commissioners to remove the
flags from the backs of the trucks during Monday's meeting. He declined
to comment on specifics of why the decision was made but said he is
“very disappointed with their direction.”
Arlington Fire
Commissioner Chairman Jim Beretta said the board majority feel the flags
are a "liability during normal operations for our people and other
motorists," and that the board had not been consulted before the flags
were mounted.
The flags, which were only recently mounted on the
trucks at the request of the union, were removed during a ceremony at
Arlington headquarters in the Town of Poughkeepsie on Tuesday.
Union President Joseph Tarquinio said he's disappointed in the
board's direction, but "if we had to take them down, they had to be
taken down the right way. At the time when the country needs unity, to
do something like this ... it's next to flag-burning in my mind."
There was an open discussion about the issue at Monday's meeting "and each board member gave their opinion," Beretta said.
Two
board members "had no problem with it as long as it was safe and not in
the way of operations," Beretta added. Three board members "did have a
problem with it for normal operations, citing liability and distraction
to other motorists."
Tarquinio is pleased with the outpouring of
support — Gallante said dozens of messages have poured in from around
the nation, decrying the board's direction.
"I think (for) a lot
of people ... (the issue) crosses political lines, moral lines,
religious lines," Tarquinio said. "It's the flag of this country."
Online,
reaction varied. Hundreds of people expressed outrage at the decision.
Others said the display, while patriotic, violated U.S. flag code. Some
said there are bigger issues to worry about and that displaying — or not
displaying — an American flag does not make one person more patriotic
than another. (What do YOU say?)
The board did not take an official vote on the
matter Monday, but "a direction (based on majority) was given to remove
the newly affixed physical flags," Beretta said. "The board has the
authority to provide direction to the chief based on a board majority."
Gallante said the firefighters union recently asked him if they could display American flags on the rear of fire trucks.
He
granted the union permission to do so, as long as the flags were
maintained properly and safely secured, and "at their (the union's) cost
... the flags were placed on the vehicles," Gallante said. The flags
were "checked by our mechanics to make sure" they were safely secured.
After the flags were removed, Gallante said he hopes the outpouring of support will prompt the board to reconsider.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2016/08/16/town-orders-us-flags-removed-fire-trucks/88881822/
The enemy within is taking 'America' away from us - one step at a time - and we are doing NOTHING to STOP it.
