Posted on 09/22/2009 7:41:38 AM PDT by kellynla
Greenville, South Carolina saw the arrival of a Marine who perished in Afghanistan, and Gaffney, S.C. was his ultimate resting place.
Only the faint sound of lightly marching feet could be heard as hundreds stood silent on the Greenville-Spartanburg International tarmac Wednesday while fully adorned Marines carried Lance Cpl. Chris Fowlkes’ flag-draped coffin.
The solemn arrival began an afternoon-long procession that ultimately wound through the streets of the 20-year-old Marine’s hometown of Gaffney, where businesses shut down and mourners lined the streets.
The homecoming came six days after the former Gaffney High School football player died in a military hospital in Germany from injuries sustained a week earlier in an explosion in the Helman province of Afghanistan.
Well-wishers waved flags, saluted and shed tears as an army of police cars escorted Fowlkes’ family along the 40-mile stretch from the airport to the town.
Lance Corporal Chris Fowlkes was a popular and well known young man in Gaffney, and a brave warrior who gave his life in the service of his country. It was seemingly a very heart-felt and patriotic funeral procession. But all was not well in Gaffney, S.C.
A South Carolina Bank of America branch is drawing criticism Thursday after an employee reportedly ordered the removal of American flags placed to honor a fallen Marine over fears that people would be offended.
The Palmetto Scoop received one eyewitness email claiming that the branch manager at Bank of America’s Gaffney branch at 1602 West Floyd Baker Blvd. “told a citizen who was preparing the route for a U.S. Marine killed in action in Afghanistan by placing small American flags along the roadway that the flags might upset some of her customers.”
Said the outraged tipster, “[The branch manager] took them down and made the citizen go in to get them if she didn’t want them thrown away.”
The flags were part of the funeral procession of Lance Corporal Christopher Fowlkes, 20, who died last week after an explosion in Afghanistan’s Helmand province.
WSPA-TV has also received similar tips about the “flag flap.”
A teller at the branch confirmed to TPS that the branch manager had been there around the time of the incident but had left for the day.
Bank of America released a statement apologizing for the incident and celled it a misunderstanding.
“We want to ensure the community knows how deeply proud we are of the men and women who have sacrificed so much in service to our country,” the statement said. “The bank does fly the American Flag at our locations throughout the country and flags were displayed in front of our banking center in Gaffney the evening prior to our dedicated Marine returning home.”
UPDATE: WCBD in Charleston reports that Bank of America said the incident was a “miscommunication in corporate policy.” That raises the question, which policy would require employees to remove American flags that are part of a funeral procession for a fallen Marine?
One commenter says “You Lie.” The branch in Lexington [Main Street, Lexington, South Carolina, United States of America] refuses to fly the flag the tellers tell me they have on site. The flag pole has been naked for over 2 years now. It is a disgrace, and a poke in the eye.”
So should BofA rename their corporation to bank of Russia? Is it Bank of America, or is it not? With whose offense were they worried? Really. Who, exactly, would have come into the bank and demanded that an American flag be removed for a Marine who perished in Afghanistan? And why would Bank of AMERICA have cared?
What corporate policy was in effect? Was this a branch-specific issue, or is there a corporate policy that forbids the displaying of American flags for the fear of causing offense? Who was responsible for removing the flags? Has corporate policy been changed? If so, why was the policy in effect? If not, what is the justification for the policy? Will Bank of AMERICA issue a formal apology to the Fowlkes family first and then to AMERICA?
There are many unanswered questions concerning this ugly incident. I feel that it’s necessary for a BofA official to formally comment on this article to enlighten my readers.
In the mean time, my most sincere condolences goes out to the Fowlkes family. God be with you through this most difficult time.
Semper Fi,
Kelly
Ping
Just heard about this on Fox. (Which is free on www.blinkotv.com)
Megyn Kelly ripped them good.
Any FReepers who have accounts with B of A, close it out and join a credit union.
You get a higher rate of return
You get great service
Credit unions are much more likely to loan you money
Accounts are insured
There’s a reason they changed their logo to the background with that awful red that drowns out the flag.
Must still be infected with managers from the time when BOA was headquartered in San Francisco.
sory i cancelled due to connection with acorn
Well, hell. Cancel them again! LOL
SC ping
South Carolina county takes action against Bank of America after flag congroversy (the actual headline)
The Cherokee County Council voted Monday night to close its accounts with Bank Of America.According to our coverage partners at the Spartanburg Herald Journal, the move comes nearly a week after the bank said a miscommunication in corporate police led a local branch worker to remove American flags that were placed on the bank’s property lining the road to honor the death of fallen Marine Lance Corporal Christopher Fowlkes.
The flags were down for a short period of time and the placed back up in time for the arrival of Fowlkes’ body.
Apparently the county council was not impressed with the BofA apology.
negative - rename their corporation the Bank of Mexico.”
I believe B of A was issuing VISA cards and making mortgages available to illegal aliens prior to the bust. Maybe they still do??
If this is true, then this branch manager should become an ex-branch manager today!
bttt
Anyone have an e-mail address for the CEO of this bank?
...on the bright side! ;)
Many have called it Band of Amigo
From The Consumerist Info:
[I have not verified - 2008)
Reach Bank Of America Executive Customer Relations
If this happened in my neighborhood my veteran’s motorcycle club would surround this place with mean and nasty bikers holding flags and educating all who approach. B of A would be writing a very large check to a veteran’s charity before it was over and the bank manager would have relocated to another continent.
They have every right to remove flags from their property and we have every right to let their customers know what they stand for.
There was a time when this country was less than respectful to its returning vets. We will never let that happen again.
just fired off an email to a nancy condos at b of a....will update if i get a reply...
Thank you for your support.
Semper Fi,
Kelly
I can not believe this!
and this is the SAME Bank of Amigo that Americans gave FORTY FIVE BILLION DOLLARS TO! "no good deed goes unpunished!"
Here’s an update to the story:
The Cherokee County Council voted Monday night to close its accounts with Bank Of America.
Thanks for the ammunition for my explanation for when I close my account next week!
Hellovaquestion. I love your brain.
Corporate police? So now they have a miscommunication on the miscommunication of corporate policy.
Doesn't give one a whole lot of confidence in their management.
My brain is shrinking ma. But the question did seem appropriate.
SC ping.
Bank of Change.
Everyone banking there should withdraw everything they’ve got, and go open new accounts somewhere else. I’m sick of these ‘Rats.
Related from today (video w/ Megyn Kelly): http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2345751/posts
Time for ALL FReepers to close BOA accounts.
South Carolina
Ping
Send FReepmail to join or leave this list.
Telling all friends, and anyone who will listen, do not do business with these America/Military hating scoundrels.
.
Here’s the Youtube video from FOX this morning.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIiHA_RcGu4
Living in Gaffney, I can honestly say, many people here are PO’ed at BoA and have closed out their accounts. I heard today over 500 customers have closed their accounts, including the Cherokee County Council.
They’re about to have a bank rep on to backpedal and splane, on Fox News with Megyn Kelly this morning. It’s 9:30 eastern now.
Nice thought...I don’t bank with ‘em, so can’t do anything but send a nice email to the CEO.
Say, if enough customers pull out, they may well qualify for another multi-billion dollar bailout from our POS (not POTUS.....POS!). That’ll show ‘em!
Militant
ping
I switched everything to USAA and left .01 at B of A. Just for fun.
Taken directly from Bank of America’s website (http://www.bankofamerica.com/community/index.cfm?template=cdb_laraza), here is the list of community groups that BoA supports. It’s basically a list of every radical leftist organization in the country.
National Community Relationships
Organizations
AARP
ACCION USA
ACORN Housing Corporation (AHC)
Center for Housing Policy
Center for Responsible Lending
Congressional Black Caucus Foundation
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute
Consumer Federation of America
Enterprise
Greenlining
Homeownership Preservation Foundation
Housing Assistance Council
Leadership Conference on Civil Rights
League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC)
Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC)
Low Income Investment Fund (LIIF)
Mercy Housing
NAACP
NACEDA
NALEO
National American Indian Housing Council
National Association of Affordable Housing Lenders (NAAHL)
National Coalition of Asian Pacific American Community Development (National CAPACD)
National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC)
National Congress of American Indians
National Council of La Raza (NCLR)
National Council of State Housing Agencies (NCSHA)
National Housing Conference (NHC)
National Housing Trust
National League of Cities
National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC)
National Urban League
NeighborWorks America
Opportunity Finance Network (OFN)
Pathstone (formerly Rural Opportunities, Inc.)
Rainbow PUSH
U. S. Conference of Mayors
U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
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