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Reciting of Pledge of Allegiance prompts controversy
Syracuse Post Standard ^
| 03.03.06
| Scott Rapp
Posted on 03/03/2006 5:53:02 AM PST by Behind Liberal Lines
SENECA FALLS NY--Former Seneca County lawmaker Richard Ricci said Thursday "that's a bunch of baloney" to criticism that he was grandstanding when he led the reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance at a public hearing Wednesday night.
At the close of his prepared remarks, Ricci called on the crowd of about 300 at the New York Chiropractic College to stand with him and recite the pledge.
Many in the crowd stood on cue, but a scattering of people didn't. They included Clint Halftown, the New York Cayuga Indians' federally recognized representative, and Syracuse lawyer Daniel French, a former U.S. Attorney who represents the Cayugas.
A few reporters and two federal Bureau of Indian Affairs officials at a front table also remained seated.
On Thursday, Halftown and French defended their reasons for keeping their seats. Halftown also criticized Ricci for what he said appeared to be a grandstand attempt to play to the crowd at the hearing, which was held for residents and politicians to have their say on the tribe's land-trust application before the BIA.
French, who was U.S. attorney for the Northern District of New York from 1999 to 2001, said it's unfortunate when people use "something as sacred" as the Pledge of Allegiance to question somebody's patriotism.
Ricci said he asked the crowd to recite the pledge because the BIA - which was holding the hearing - did not open the meeting by saluting the flag.
TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: New York
KEYWORDS: allegience; clinton; clintonista; danfrench; god; hildebeast; indians; onenation; pledge; pledgeofallegiance; under
I can cut a Native American some slack for not standing...but the fact that federal officials, a former US Attorney and reporters refused is shameful.
I also note that the Clintonista attorney fell back on the old "how dare you question my patriotism" ploy.
To: Behind Liberal Lines
French, who was U.S. attorney for the Northern District of New York from 1999 to 2001, said it's unfortunate when people use "something as sacred" as the Pledge of Allegiance to question somebody's patriotism. Maybe that's because your patriotism IS questionable.
2
posted on
03/03/2006 5:56:57 AM PST
by
mikeus_maximus
(Liberals hate America.)
To: Behind Liberal Lines
I can cut a Native American some slack for not standing...but the fact that federal officials, a former US Attorney and reporters refused is shameful. I also note that the Clintonista attorney fell back on the old "how dare you question my patriotism" ploy. I won't cut the Cayuga Indian one inch of slack. The Cayuga Indian Tribe hitched their wagon to the British in the War of 1812. The Brits lost and so did the Cayuga. The Town of Aurora was built on the ashes of a Cayuga Indian village destroyed after the war. So screw the Cayuga's and their land claim.
3
posted on
03/03/2006 5:58:01 AM PST
by
Ouderkirk
(Funny how death and destruction seems to happen wherever Muslims gather...)
To: Ouderkirk
So screw the Cayuga's and their land claim.I agree with you on that. I was simply noting that an Indian may have a legitimate religious belief that may prevent him or her from reciting the pledge.
To: mikeus_maximus
Maybe that's because your patriotism IS questionable.
White feathers, yellow bill, walks like a duck, quacks like a duck........
To: Behind Liberal Lines
"French, who was U.S. attorney for the Northern District of New York from 1999 to 2001, said it's unfortunate when people use "something as sacred" as the Pledge of Allegiance to question somebody's patriotism."Sacred? Why yes it is. And that is why "under God" will stay. Shame on the attorney for succumbing to liberal "peer pressure" to stay seated during something he believes is "sacred". Then again I am more inclined to believe that he really doesn't see the pledge as sacred and was just using it as an opportunity to "grandstand" himself.
6
posted on
03/03/2006 6:02:01 AM PST
by
uptoolate
To: uptoolate
Shame on the attorney for succumbing to liberal "peer pressure"The attorney in question is a former Clinton administration official. He didn't succumb to liberal peer pressure, he IS liberal peer pressure.
To: Behind Liberal Lines
I can cut a Native American some slack for not standing...but the fact that federal officials, a former US Attorney and reporters refused is shameful Private citizens are free to act as they wish, however reprehensibly. However the federal officials should be fired for not reciting the pledge while acting in their official capacity. They work for the "Republic for which it stands", they can certainly pledge allegiance to that Republic or find other work.
8
posted on
03/03/2006 6:06:33 AM PST
by
El Gato
To: Behind Liberal Lines
Why would you cut the indians any slack?
9
posted on
03/03/2006 6:07:35 AM PST
by
em2vn
To: em2vn
Bewteen Kiwanis, The Knight of Columbus and the Republican City Committee I am saying the Pledge like I was back in Grammar SChool and I'm loving it!
10
posted on
03/03/2006 6:11:58 AM PST
by
massgopguy
(massgopguy)
To: em2vn
an Indian may have a legitimate religious belief that may prevent him or her from reciting the pledge.
To: em2vn
Because if im not mistaken, by federal treaty, Native Americans actually have seperate nations recongnized by the US govt. Personally, the Indians lost the wars and oh well, thats the way the cookie crumbles. Maybe on a reservation, they shouldnt take federal tax dollars if they dont want to salute the flag? But generally, I have no beef with Indians.
To: em2vn
Why would you cut the indians any slack?Because technically they would be part of a sovereign nation with which these United States have treaties? Why should they say a pledge to the flag? Of course one could ask why anyone would say a pledge to a flag. For some reason I don't remember seeing references in history to the pledge of allegiance before it was invented by a Socialist in 1892. It is not a definition of patriotism.
13
posted on
03/03/2006 6:14:24 AM PST
by
billbears
(Deo Vindice)
To: Behind Liberal Lines
Sorry, that line was sarcasm and was used as a set up for the last statement I wrote which is really what I believe was going on.
To: uptoolate
To: billbears
Who would that Socialist be?
16
posted on
03/03/2006 6:44:55 AM PST
by
em2vn
To: em2vn
Francis Bellamy. If you really want to see what he intended goal was, read the book by his cousin Edward Bellamy,
Looking Backward.
Written in the late 1880s, it's a 'progressive' piece advocating a socialist utopia that would exist in the year 2000
17
posted on
03/03/2006 6:53:47 AM PST
by
billbears
(Deo Vindice)
To: Fighting Irish; devolve; chambley1; Ragtime Cowgirl; Alamo-Girl; MeekOneGOP; potlatch; Happy2BMe; ..
To: Behind Liberal Lines
A few reporters and two federal Bureau of Indian Affairs officials at a front table also remained seated.1) The reporters NOT standing is a hell of a statement. Why? When you're covering a meeting like that, you'd want to see who was standing and who was not, because it's an important part of the story. You can stand and study the crowd, whether you recite the pledge or not. NOT standing is an obvious POLITICAL statement that took precedence over the scribes doing their jobs.
2) The federal bureaucrats should be fired. If they don't respect the country, they sure shouldn't be drawing a paycheck from its government.
To: Behind Liberal Lines; Ouderkirk
I agree with you on that. I was simply noting that an Indian may have a legitimate religious belief that may prevent him or her from reciting the pledge. You would think such serious religious beliefs might keep them from drinking so much booze.
20
posted on
03/03/2006 9:37:44 AM PST
by
Full Court
(Baptist History now at www.baptistbookshelf.com)
To: Behind Liberal Lines
To: Behind Liberal Lines
Many of the indians belong to regular christian churches. I have historical letters telling about their participation. This appears to be just "deliberate disrespect" for the country that supports and protects them.
22
posted on
03/03/2006 11:51:42 AM PST
by
Sacajaweau
(God Bless Our Troops!!)
To: Behind Liberal Lines; Fred Nerks; Justanobody
Thank you for posting this article.
I am NOT at all surprised that some reporters refused to stand. Most of them root against this Country and do all they can to undermine its success! See tagline...
23
posted on
03/03/2006 11:54:07 AM PST
by
jan in Colorado
(Beware of the ENEMEDIA!!! What treason have they perpetrated today?)
To: All
My Name Is Old Glory
I am the flag of the United States of America.
I fly atop the world's tallest buildings.
I stand watch in America's halls of justice.
I stand side by side with the Maple Leaf on the worlds longest undefended border.
I fly majestically over institutions of learning.
I stand guard with power in the world.
Look up and see me.
I stand for peace, honor, truth and justice.
I stand for freedom.
I am confident.
I am arrogant.
I am proud.
When I am flown with my fellow banners,
my head is a little higher,
my colors a little truer.
I bow to no one!
I am recognized all over the world.
I am honored - I am saluted.
I am loved - I am revered.
I am respected -- and I am feared.
I have fought in every battle of every war for more then 200 years. I was flown at Valley Forge, Gettysburg, Shiloh and Appomattox. I was there at San Juan Hill, the trenches of France, in the Argonne Forest, Anzio, Rome and the beaches of Normandy, Guam. Okinawa, Korea and KheSan, Saigon Vietnam. Know me, I was there.
I led my troops, I was dirty, battle worn and tired,
but my soldiers cheered me, And I was proud.
I have been burned, torn and trampled on the streets of countries I have helped set free. It does not hurt, for I am invincible.
I have been soiled upon, burned, torn and trampled on the streets of my country. And when it's by those whom I've served in battle -- it hurts. But I shall overcome -- for I am strong.
I have slipped the bonds of Earth and stood watch over the uncharted frontiers of space from my vantage point on the moon.
I have borne silent witness to all of America's finest hours.
But my finest hours are yet to come.
When I am torn into strips and used as bandages for my wounded comrades on the battlefield,
When I am flown at half-mast to honor my soldier,
Or when I lie in the trembling arms of a grieving parent at the grave of their fallen son or daughter,
I am proud.
MY NAME IS OLD GLORY... DEAR GOD, LONG MAY I WAVE.
Author © Howard Schnauber
24
posted on
03/03/2006 12:13:06 PM PST
by
jan in Colorado
(Beware of the ENEMEDIA!!! What treason have they perpetrated today?)
To: Behind Liberal Lines
Dan French, protege to the late Senator Daniel P. Moynihan, graduated law school in 1995.
French was first appointed to be a US Attorney by Clinton in '99, and left in early 2001 when Dubya took office.
Dan French came into his job as U.S. attorney with something to prove two years ago. Of the 94 U.S. attorneys across the country, none had less legal experience. There was grumbling in the legal community that someone just four years out of law school didn't deserve to run an office where career prosecutors had been putting away criminals for decades. As the top prosecutor in the Northern District of New York, French was in charge of prosecuting federal crimes in a 32-county region that includes Syracuse.
...
He said he wants to get involved in federal lobbying and might eventually run for public office. But he and his wife, Channel 9 reporter Kelly French, plan to stay in the Syracuse area.
25
posted on
03/03/2006 1:27:21 PM PST
by
Fixit
To: Fixit
his wife, Channel 9 reporter Kelly FrenchBut there is no liberal media, there is no liberal media, there is no liberal media...
To: billbears
>>Written in the late 1880s, it's a 'progressive' piece advocating a socialist utopia that would exist in the year 2000
Did it work?
27
posted on
03/03/2006 5:19:36 PM PST
by
DelphiUser
("You can lead a man to knowledge, but you can't make him think")
To: DelphiUser
Look around you. A populace concerned more with their nationalistic pride and a national government taking over day to day operations of our lives more and more. Maybe not at the level of Bellamy's desires but we're getting closer
28
posted on
03/03/2006 6:10:14 PM PST
by
billbears
(Deo Vindice)
To: Behind Liberal Lines; ntnychik; devolve; PhilDragoo; Smartass; Boazo
Thanks for the ping!
29
posted on
03/03/2006 6:51:01 PM PST
by
potlatch
(Does a clean house indicate that there is a broken computer in it?)
To: potlatch
Thanks for the PING potlatch
"French, who was U.S. attorney for the Northern District of New York from
1999 to 2001, said it's unfortunate when people use "something as sacred"
as the Pledge of Allegiance to question
somebody's patriotism."
Well Mr. French, I'd say it was more un-American to sit, instead of standing!
30
posted on
03/03/2006 7:56:05 PM PST
by
Smartass
(Si vis pacem, para bellum - Por el dedo de Dios se escribió)
To: Smartass
31
posted on
03/03/2006 9:39:09 PM PST
by
potlatch
(Does a clean house indicate that there is a broken computer in it?)
To: ntnychik
32
posted on
03/03/2006 9:40:21 PM PST
by
potlatch
(Does a clean house indicate that there is a broken computer in it?)
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