Posted on 12/02/2001 9:31:00 AM PST by ElectricStrawberry
When the United Nations flag went up on Oct. 24 at Jamaica Pond, it was meant to be a significant statement about people living together in peace and a way to recognize the important role the United Nations is playing in the war on terrorism.
Now, just a few weeks later, the flag has been taken down because it made "some people" uncomfortable according to Gerry Wright, the president of the Jamaica Pond Project.
Although the Jamaica Pond Project received approval from city officials to fly the flag along with POW/MIA and city flags and below the American flag, calls were made to the Office of Justine Liff, Commissioner of Parks and Recreation, requesting that the flag be taken down.
"I thought [flying the UN flag] was a great idea, but it made some people uncomfortable, so we had to respect their wishes," said Mary Hines, spokesperson for the Parks department.
She said around a dozen people felt it was not appropriate to fly the United Nations flag with the American flag. Since the Parks Department only received messages, she said it was hard to speculate who the complainers were.
At present, the United Nations is playing a key role around the world and in Afghanistan.
President George W. Bush said in his first address to the United Nations on Nov. 10, "The United States will work closely with the United Nations and development banks to reconstruct Afghanistan after hostilities there have ceased and the Taliban are no longer in control. And the United States will work with the U.N. to support a post-Taliban government that represents all the Afghan people."
Although Wright was disappointed to take the flag down, he complied after reading the Preamble, Purposes and Principles of the Charter of the United Nations.
According to the charter, "the people of the United Nations are determined to practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbors."
Wright said, "To me, the Preamble, Purposes and Priciples were why we put the flag up and then took it down."
For Wright, seeing the flag at Jamaica Pond was significant to "the environment and the poor people throughout the world." He said he admires the United Nations' interest in human rights and actions as a peace keeping force.
Wright said he thought it was crucial to have the United Nations flag not only because of the September 11 tragedy, but also to shed more light on the everyday struggles of people around the world.
Hines, who said the citywide policy is only to fly the American, POW/MIA and city flags commented that Wright and Christine Cooper, Project Directer and Park Keeper, put a lot of thought into their idea. She said, "We could not run Jamaica Pond without Gerry and Christine."
Now the flag has found a new home inside the First Church Unitarian Universalist of Jamaica Plain. The Jamaica Pond Project donated the flag to the church, and the church accepted.
Reverend Terry Burke said, "We are pleased to accept the gift of the United Nations flag from the Pond Project. We are proud to be providing a sanctuary for the flag."
To be a liberal socalist means you do not have to think.
Duly noted.
& Laughing a lot!
Thats what you get for thinking you big dummy!!
Now, if someone burned that flag and the church caught on fire, would that freedom of expression or arson?
Now, if someone burned that flag and the church caught on fire, would that be freedom of expression or arson?
Sorry.
Now if I wanted to go out in public and burn a U.N. flag in protest, would I need some kind of permit? Or do the laws differ from state to state? I seriously asking here because I don't know and happened to acquire a U.N. flag I'd like to light up in public.
Its removal is just not a political cause, it's a matter of personal safety. Get it off that Unitarian Universalist church as well for the same reasons. Sue them as a safety hazard.
I now stay away. You become the sum totla of what you input into your mind. Dissenting opinion is fine but their stuff is filth and garbage. I do not have the personal strength to feast on their trash and stay positive and happy. So I stay away.
Here is what I meant to say to Madhatter...
Just a tip. Invite all the media. Make an event out of it. Study how the other guys get the airtime and copy their tactics...to a point of course. let the media know it will be a Afghan relateed protest maybe. Guerilla warfare pal.
read "Guerilla marketing". It will give you ideas for this and for life. I personally enjoy quiet activism. I got stopped recently by a jerk of a cop. I called his super and complained. BUT, 2 years ago I got stopped by a very nice and professional cop. Got a ticket. I called his super and complimented.
I believe positive reinforcemnet is as important as complaining. We will win because we seek truth and good and right for all.
Sunday sermon over folks...good bye! LOL
It just so happens that the flag appeared at that intersection on October 24th.
It just so happens that this intersection has a constantly changing stop light for pedestrians.
It just so happens that within ONE WEEK of the U.N. flag raising an 80-year-old Jamaica Plain resident was tragicly killed by a car travelling 30 MPH on this road.
I wanna know if the woman was crossing against the light or if the driver was too busy looking at the U.N. flag to pay attention to the situation?
If the latter, how many more innocent people must die because of a foreign flag? I know I only saw it because I was riding by on my motorcycle. I almost blew the red light myself in my anger.
Remember ignorant drivers don't kill pedestrians, people who fly obnoxious flags at dangerous intersections kill pedestrians.
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