USA Today: Arlington (NY) 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
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."
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.
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
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."
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.
25 comments:
I feel like I'm back in the 60's. Did we pass through a time warp?
Replace them with Mexican or ISIS flags - show some respect for your new overlords!
I suspect they would be fine with burning the flag, but having it just displayed is too much for the local politicians.
Flags! They are offensive to all the immigrants.
Sounds like a bunch of Lefties were made Fire Commissioners.
Also sounds like the town is full of Italians; I thought the Eyeties liked it here.
And I even thought they liked the flag.
I agree this is primarily hate America horseshit. However, I have worked in our litigious culture since the 70's. Attorneys, particularly those who work for municipalities, are ALWAYS trying to justify their worth[tough job!]. So, the liability angle is part of that. Again, probably not the primary motivation, but certainly part of this toxic equation.
Hold up. Wait a mi-i-i-i-nute.
It's not like they were told to remove two tiny flag, or two decals. Those are two regular flapping distracting low-rider, General Grant, no call having, where'd I park my truck flags. It's weird having them as decoration in the first place. The whole fire engine is basically an American flag in its way. You wouldn't put them on your car for reasons of common sense, for reasons of parking, for reasons of not being a dofus on the highway, for reasons of opening your trunk, for reasons of not being pulled over by the cops. C'mon, be reasonable.
It doesn't seem a decision arising from ochlophobia. Although it does appear to arise from resentment about not being part of the decision, and just plain, "we'll show you who's the boss."
You have to admit that they're goofy. They're childish. Worst of all, they really do look like they could interfere with rolling out hoses, and rolling them back, or using the ladder. It might even have been a fireman who mentioned it to the board.
Would you want large flags attached to AF and Navy jets? Two large flags attached to the stern of Coast Guard boats? Two giant flags attached to bulletproof Presidential limousines? Two large flags attached to police motorcycles?
I don't think it has anything to do with them being offensive. I'm fine with the decision.
I see a primary liability which is sorta legit. There are many death/injury lawsuits over shit flying off the back of moving vehicles. This is a vehicle that travels @ high rates of speed and takes sharp corners. Now, it could be secured to make that very unlikely. But, shit does happen. What about large flag decals on the truck? That will eliminate the liability and make the America haters expose themselves.
Whatever happened to dalmatians? What a thrill it was to see them in the fire truck cab when I was a kid.
I think they should have 10 flags like that on the trucks, if not 10 twice as large, because I care about America more than some people, and those people really suck, and yea, we're coming for you.
LOL!!
BTW, Trump's speech yesterday was fantastic. If he had operated like that for the last 2 months, he'd be winning now. Can he keep it up? Is it too late? He's got a lot of work to do.
ric, Dalmatians moved to Budweiser clydesdale wagons.
bag, I just read a glowing report on his new campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway. And the person is not a fan of Trump. She is half Irish half Italian. She is a GWU law grad. A mother of 4 and VERY disciplined. This person giving her background was her professor and has high praise for her. I like the move. Manafort is a fucking K Street mope.
Of course, WTF do Commies like bags and I know. We need to hear from the experts here. This Conway worked for Cruz so I can take a wild guess what one guy thinks of her.
Of course bags is here to say Trump's speech was "fantastic" but implies it was too little and too late. Of course most of America is not paying attention during the heat of the summer and will only turn their attention to the election in October which is how it always works.
Conway is a very effective spokeswoman but the key additions are the former head of Breibart News Steve Bannon and the announcement that Roger Ailes will be deeply involved in Trumps campaign. This is very significant as it shows that media savy people will have more to say then bundlers and inside baseball guys like Manafort. These guys can play the media like a fiddle and it will be interesting to see what they come up with..
The measure of how effective it will be is how vociferously they are being denounced by cucks like Ben Shapiro and Allahpundit who are all over the place freaking out. The pig squeals when it is getting stuck.
bagoh20 said...
BTW, Trump's speech yesterday was fantastic. If he had operated like that for the last 2 months, he'd be winning now. Can he keep it up? Is it too late? He's got a lot of work to do.
He was. Some people were hoping the NeverTrumpers would waylay him somehow.
As for the subject of the post....the simple solution is to use a smaller American flag if safety was the issue. Of course that is not the issue. The issue is that flying the American flag and patriotism is anathema to certain segment of our population. That is why American born students are kicked out of school for wearing American Flag tshirts while illegal Mexican immigrants are encouraged to wave their flags by the school administration. People who think Americans are fat, stupid and lazy and should be replaced by "hard working Illegal immigrants" scoff and denigrate waving the flag and showing your patriotism on your sleeve. Because that is not elitist enough for them. We have seen this all before and the usual suspect pile out peddling their poison. Sad.
Sorry for the grammar but it is hard to post on my ipad while traveling.
How 'bout this?
Of course the men hired are the important people and the woman is inconsequential.
That goes w/o saying.
Yes, I can see the liability, but until an accident occurs; those things don't come off until someone gets offended. I would think starting a fire in the middle of a crowded street would carry liability too, but that's considered freedom of speech.
As for coming off a vehicle "moving at a high rate of speed"; fire trucks don't really go that fast. They move quickly because they can run through lights and screech loudly for right of way. But typical speeds are less than 50 mph. Flags on the other hand are crafted typically to sit at the top of a flag pole attached to a simple clip and handle wind speeds of 50 knots.
Chip said:
Although it does appear to arise from resentment about not being part of the decision, and just plain, "we'll show you who's the boss."
Yep.
If you're really, really interested in this you can hear the board's discussion here at 1:17:55.
The tone of the first speaker, Chairman Beretta, gives it away. The liability issue is just an excuse to support the Chairman against the Union.
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