Posted on 09/13/2001 9:31:10 AM PDT by RaceBannon
Flags were flown half-staff Tuesday on the streets of Amherst, Mass., in respect for those killed in the terrorist acts across our country.
Now, that may not seem so unusual. But it is for Amherst. Here’s why: Less than 12 hours after the Select Board voted not to display American flags downtown except on six holidays, the flags were back up on Main and North Pleasant streets, this time at half-staff.
This country needs to return to the moral base on which our forefathers founded it. Flying the American flag is one of those edicts that holds us together.
Everyone knows that these principles are slowly being chipped away: Prayer in schools, the fear that other’s rights may be infringed if I speak up, and the slippery slope of everything is OK as long as it doesn’t impact my personal space.
The news item from Amherst came to me from a former Edmond resident and occasional Sun columnist Isabel Lyman. They moved back to Massachusetts last year, and the story involved her husband, Wid.
Here’s the rest of the article, reprinted from the Daily Hampshire Gazette, in Northampton, Mass.,by reporter Nick Grabbe.
“Soon after Tuesday’s tragedy in New York, David Keenan of Shays Street called Rod Raubeson, the town veterans agent, who first put up the flags Aug. 11.
“Keenan asked where the flags were, and Raubeson told him they were at the Department of Public Works office, he said.
“After Raubeson said he would show Keenan how to attach them to the 29 utility poles, Keenan picked up the flags and brought them downtown, Raubeson said.
“Keenan, Raubeson and Wid Lyman of Harkness Road put the flags up, with help from Charlie Meadows, a radio talk-show host from Oklahoma City who was visiting Lyman.
“Carl Seppala, who chairs the Select Board, also helped put the flags up, and issued a statement saying the board supported the action.
“’It’s strange how one day can make a difference,’ Raubeson said Tuesday. ‘I had no problem getting support today. Yesterday it was kind of lonely.’
“The events in New York and Washington may have helped people understand the flag issue from a veteran’s perspective, he said.
“’Maybe we’re not the jingoistic ogres we were portrayed as,’ he said.”
Hats off to the Amherst city leaders. Let’s all take a cue from them.
(Carol Hartzog is managing editor of The Edmond Sun. The views expressed are her own. She can be reached at chartzog@edmondsun.com)
Izabel Lyman and her friends in AMherst deserve our highest praise!
There is a vast portion of our government that wants to bury us, I do not want to praise them.
We have Congressmen that will not support our values and take what they want, I do not trust them.
We had a President that traded our secrets to our enemies. We did not allow the Constitution to deal with this, I will not respect this.
Senator Byrd, according to Hugh, is blocking support of our President. No one else is voicing this, I cannot tolerate this.
I will fly our flag in battle. I will be proud to fly it! I guess, I am saying, LET THE BATTLE BEGIN!! We have enemies in this government, we have enemies outside this country. As Mike Savage has said, "it is time to take to the streets and let our government know where we stand".
How sad it is to be at this point in our history. I have a Republican Congressman that has no guts. He will not defend our Constitution, he allows illegals to fester.
"A ten year USAF veteran"
And I can tell you that on wednesday the flags went out of the store like mad....made me feel great and sad at the same time.
Perhaps my generation finally woke up...because it was young people...20 to 45 buying flags( maybe their first) No matter what or who I'm glad they are finally seeing the reason to honor this nation and those who faught for it...and those who inocently died for it.....
Hi Peach,
You do not know me! Your comments are typical of a "feel good" liberal. You did not address my concerns.
The Majority and Minority Leaders of the Senate said that they are working on a compromise and it will not
be ready before the weekend.
Wake up! This should have been completed today, with a resolution of WAR, passed...
You want me to buy stamps and I want action to protect our society... get real!!
BTW, I am a Pat Buchanan, flag-waving patriot who sees more blood each day than
you have seen in a lifetime.
I was outraged!!
I have a flag flying on our home, but I don't have one for the car. So on the way back home I was going to buy one.
It was then I found out why there aren't many flags flying. Every store is sold out, Fred Meyer, Rite Aid, local hardware store, and K-Mart. K-Mart said they are getting a big shipment in next week.
To build patriotism and solidarity, I think that McDonalds and other fast-food outlets should hand out small flags with each order.
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