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That said, I want to know (1) why a Library is required to be "objective." Doesn't the fact that it is sitting on the soil of a sovereign state of the United States of America make that a moot point?
And (2) Since when is being proud of one's country "making a political statement?" Or are we finally dropping the pretense that one can be of any political persuasion and yet be a red-blooded American as well?
This tends to confirm something I've suspected for a long time. Most of these "statements" by leftists are about Pres. George W. Bush, not about the nation or its flag. If Bill Clinton or Algore were President right now, you can bet these kinds of stories wouldn't be showing up.
Eh?
To many observers, Boulder has not appeared so patriotic in years. But the decision to show the nation's colors is still political. Bombastic Channel 54 talk show host Jann Scott has denounced what he sees as a lack of flag-waving in the city. Others say the notion that not showing the flag is un-American cheapens the idea of flying one to the point that they won't.
Marcellee Gralapp, the Boulder Public Library's art director, recently turned down employee requests to hang a large flag from the glass entrance of the main branch. "It could compromise our objectivity," Gralapp said, "and we do have many flags outside."
The idea is to make the environment of the library politically neutral to every one of the 2,000 to 3,000 Boulder residents who walk in each day, she said. "We have people of every faith and culture walking into this building, and we want everybody to feel welcome," Gralapp said. Library employees can wear flag pins and ribbons, but Gralapp said she urges them to do it thoughtfully.
Such restrictions can spark controversy. In Berkeley, Calif., firefighters started mounting parade flags atop first-responder vehicles. The Berkeley fire chief told the firefighters to use smaller flags and mount them on the sides of vehicle, and some took exception to the rule, said city spokeswoman Stephanie Lopez. Far-flung accounts of the controversy portrayed it as if the department banned all firefighters from flying flags on Berkeley fire vehicles. But, according to city officials, the fire chief's order was to avoid a repeat of an incident during the Gulf War in 1991, when anti-war protesters attacked a fire truck flying a parade-sized flag.
Passersby can't miss the stars and stripes at A & V Shoe, Boot and Luggage Repair in the Table Mesa Shopping Center. A standard-sized flag flies from a column in front of the store, another one is displayed in the window and a half-dozen miniature flags are posted all over the machinery used to form, stitch and buff shoes. Shopkeeper Anthony Foster said he flew all but the outdoor flag prior to Sept. 11. His penchant for the showing stars and stripes started after he became a citizen of the United States in 1992, said Foster, 65, a of England who moved to Boulder in 1962.
Criticism that Boulder is less patriotic, based on the number of flags flying in the city, misses a crucial point, he said. Boulder is similar to Britain in that overt displays of patriotism are not the fashion, he said. "Boulder's not a flag-flying place, but it is proud to be American," Foster said.
At the Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center, the only flag on display inside is the earth flag, with an image of the planet meant to symbolize that all the planets' inhabitants are unified. Betty Ball, a peace activist with the center, said that although she opposes the bombing of Afghanistan, she understands people's urge to fly the country's flag in response to terrorism. The terrorist attacks devastated people with feelings of grief and fear, and the flags display the desire to draw together in response, she said. "The displays of patriotism help people feel they belong and are a way of saying that we're all in this together," Balls said.
At the same time, she said, the city's culture has become more mainstream over the years and knee-jerk patriotism more common. "Incredible wealth has come into this community," she said. "People in Boulder may feel as though they have more to lose, and therefore feel less free to criticize our country's response to the attacks."
That kind of talk angers J.P. Brar, a manager at Greenbelt Liquors. A 7-by-9 U.S. flag hangs over the store's sign, and another one is plastered to its door. The flags show support for the country's soldiers fighting in Afghanistan, and symbolize to would-be terrorists that Americans will not be frightened, Brar said.
As an Indian-born Sikh who has lived most of his life in Boulder, the U.S. flag means a lot, Brar said. "It's the best thing in the world," Brar said. "You gotta show them who you are." He said peace protesters who don't like patriotic displays are people with too much time on their hands and little experience of the world outside the comforts of Boulder. He advised them to take a trip to Afghanistan. "Then you'll find out the whether you want to be here or there," he said.
Why wouldn't they feel welcome? Which are the faiths and cultures that would not feel welcome?
THE FLAG
Boulder library's 'neutrality' foolish Once again, Boulder has the opportunity to become the laughingstock of the country, only this time, it's not about something as mundane as prairie dogs or pet guardians. Marcellee Gralapp, art director at our public library, has determined that flying the American flag is a political statement and hence she will not allow the flag to be displayed in the library entrance.
With the exception of the outermost fringes of our political spectrum, the flag does not represent a political statement. Rather it shows love, honor and respect for our country — a country that, in case Ms. Gralapp hasn't noticed, is at war because thousands of our citizens, and those of other countries, were murdered and incinerated by evil people. If Ms. Gralapp is afraid of offending these evil people, too bad. She wants people to feel welcome when they come into the library. Since when has a flag made people feel unwelcome? Hey Marcellee, ever hear of Ellis Island? Do you think we should not have flown the flag there?
I urge our city government to reverse this ridiculous edict and allow the flag to be displayed. If Ms. Gralapp can not find a flag, I will donate the one that draped my father's coffin. I doubt he thought of the flag as a political statement as he was fighting to keep our country free. --LARKIN HOSMER, Boulder
Is flag display really 'political'?
It was heartwarming to read that our art director at the Boulder Public Library, Marcellee Gralapp, has turned down employee requests to hang a large flag from the glass entrance of the main branch (Local News, Oct. 28).
After all, we know that many of the terrorists have been using our library Internet system to plot their attacks, and we would not want to make them feel uncomfortable by making a bold political statement at the entry of our public libraries. As Gralapp astutely points out, a library's objectivity should not be compromised, and displaying the flag might suggest a bias for pride and respect for our country, rather than an objective openness to those who wish to destroy us.
PAIGE S. RODRIGUEZ, Louisville
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These letters raised some "issues" as shown in the November 3 article Further flurries in flap over flag
By Matt Sebastian, Camera Staff Writer. A flap over not flying flags at the Boulder Public Library reached a muted crescendo Friday as a group of self-proclaimed patriots draped the Stars and Stripes across the front entrance to the city building.
Inside, though, library officials — who recently nixed an American flag display as discomforting for some — were seemingly unaware of the small protest outside their glass and stone walls. Randy Smith, the library's assistant director, said he didn't know nine flags were taped up on the building's south entrance Friday afternoon. Nevertheless, Smith said he didn't object to Old Glory's presence.
"The wind will probably blow them away," he said. "I don't think I'll probably do anything." The brouhaha began last weekend when Marcellee Gralapp, the library's director, was quoted in a Daily Camera article saying she had rejected her employees' request to hang a large American flag in the building's glass entryway because it would "compromise our objectivity." "We have people of every faith and culture walking into this building, and we want everybody to feel welcome," Gralapp told the newspaper.
Her comments offended many people, some of whom called the Camera, while others phoned the library. The controversy was the topic of a heated discussion Friday on Mike Rosen's talk show on KOA (850 AM). But it was two letters to the editor in Friday's Camera that spurred Jonathan Sawyer and his co-workers at Boulder's Free Wave Technologies Inc. to take action. Sawyer said he was unaware of the flag clamor before he read the letters, which lampooned Gralapp for her position. After reading the paper, Sawyer and a half-dozen co-workers drove to McGuckin Hardware and purchased flags and tape.
"This is a government building and this is our country's flag," said Sawyer, the firm's chief technology officer. "For them to say this flag could be considered offensive, well, that's just beyond the pale." Besides, Sawyer added, "We paid Boulder sales tax when we bought these flags, and that supports the library."
Library employee Smith pointed out that there are flags at the facility — nine flags outside, between the library and the Boulder Municipal Building, and quite a few inside. "We think it's appropriate to have flags at a government building, and we always have," Smith said.
But a quick survey inside the library revealed no American flags on display, although a few were seen inside staff offices.
Outside, patrons paused before the flags, many asking why the banners were taped to the building. Most were supportive, although one couple engaged Sawyer in a spirited discussion about U.S. foreign policy and how they thought it sparked the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C.
"Hey, I think this is great," Dale Clinker said after emerging from the library. "I've even got a couple flag stickers in my pocket here." One library employee ventured outside to see what all the commotion was about. "I'm not offended by the American flag," he said.
Contact Matt Sebastian at (303) 473-1498 or sebastianm@thedailycamera.com.
General Boulder library e-mail: feedback@boulder.lib.co.us
Also
Anyone who lives here is not surprised by the lack of patriotism from this community. They are too busy hugging trees, spending their trust money, and minding other people's business to care about freedom and liberty!
I wonder if it compromises her damn objectivity when she cashes her state/city payroll check?????????????? B@#ch! Go to Afghanistan lady - see how much objectivity you'll find there!