Oakland County, MI Republicans refuse to lower flag for war dead

[1gobluedem]

This just in:

"AP-MI--Flag Flap

Oakland County exec won't lower flags for troops killed in action

PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) - One county isn't honoring Governor
Granholm's request to fly flags at half-staff when Michigan
soldiers are killed in active duty.
Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson calls the order
political symbolism. The Republican says it undermines the effort
in Iraq and promotes opposition to the war.
Granholm's order issued last year says state flags should be
lowered from the day the death is known until the soldier is
buried.
A spokeswoman says the Democratic governor won't force
municipalities to follow it or penalize those who don't. As she
puts it, "we're not the flag police."
The order took effect most recently last month after the death
of Army Private Nicholas Blodgett of Wyoming.


(Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

AP-NY-08-06-04 0929EDT"

[AdrianInOcala]

1. Damn, I should have lowered my flag after Raygun died...

I didn't realize it was a sign of disrespect and sedition. I left up so it looked like I wasn't honoring him. I guess I was mixed up.

[Moderator]

2. need a link

Please provide a link, or I'll be forced to lock this.

Thank you.

[Ruby Romaine]

4. here are 2 links

Republican values --links so far



http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/3623968/detail.html
http://www.wilx.com/news/headlines/909197.html

[1gobluedem]

5. Links

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/3623968/detail.html
http://www.wilx.com/news/headlines/909197.html
http://www.wxyz.com/wxyz/nw_local_news/article/0,2132,W...

[Wickerman]

3. Well that makes me physically ill

playing politics with our war dead.

:puke:

[MallRat]

6. Why do Michigan Republicans hate America?

n/t

[TahitiNut]

20. It's Oakland County (my 'home') not Michigan.

Oakland County is one of the wealthiest in the country, home to auto executives and multi-generational wealth. "Me First-ism" is a plague here. I've never seen so many single-passenger SUVs in my life. Around late afternoon, I can look at the vehicles stopped at a light and the vast majority (often >75%) are SUVs with solo occupants. It's really incredible. Until a year ago, I'd spent the last 20 years on the left coast. Compared to the Bay Area, the Puget Sound area, and the Phoenix area (with which I'm most familiar), this is SUV country; compact autos are in the small minority here (less than 20%).

[jmcbroom]

29. SUV's in Oakland County

I go to a pretty wealthy private school in Oakland County (I live in Detroit), and literally 80 percent of the kids drive SUV's. One kid has a Hummer. It's sickening.

[TahitiNut]

31. Detroit Country Day? Cranbrook?

It really is appalling to me to see this in this area. Even though gasolene is priced a bit below average, it's still creeping over $1.90/gallon right now. Furthermore, these >6,000lb behemoths shouldn't be allowed on residential streets. It's no wonder the streets and highways are such broken-down crap (except in the wealthy 'burbs).

[jmcbroom]

34. Cranbrook.

Although I wouldn't be surprised to find the parking lot at DCD filled with similar cars.

[TahitiNut]

37. Oh my! I would imagine ...

... a politically-astute progressive feels quite "unusual" there. While it's certainly regarded as the "creme de la creme" of schools, I sure don't get the impression it's populated with teenagers that're either progressive or politically-aware (but I repeat myself).

I remember (way back in the "dark ages") when I was in high school (Farmington) and we lusted after the straight-haired, nubile, tanned, Villager-clad young lasses there. Needless to say, we weren't very politically-aware. :evilgrin:

Good on you, jmcbroom! Welcome to DU! :hi:

[llmart]

44. I live in Macomb and go to Oakland often...

For those DU'ers who don't know, TahitiNut is right. Oakland County is, I believe, the second wealthiest county in the US. And the characterization of "Me Firstism" is right on. Everyone here is so materialistic and SUV's are rampant as are Hummers. However, I believe Oakland County voted for Gore in 2000 if I remember correctly.

[jmcbroom]

45. Oakland only went Gore because...

of the southern, inner ring suburbs (Pleasant Ridge, Ferndale, Royal Oak, Southfield, etc.) The rich areas (Bloomfield, Birmingham, West Bloomfield, Troy) tend to be overwhelmingly Republican.

[TahitiNut]

46. Don't forget Farmington Hills ...

... the home of the newest nouveau riche and commuting lobbyists.

On the other hand, there's Oak Park and Hazel Park, too ... also in Sander Levin's (Carl's brother) Congressional District.

[cthrumatrix]

22. the repugs obviously do not like "freedom" ...

[arwalden]

26. They Hate America And Fallen Soldiers

WHY???

[gasperc]

7. oooo weee, guess I'll be busy this weekend here in Detroit!!

what ratbastards!!!!!!!!!!

[Tempest]

8. Poll on web site: 89% support lowering the flag

$10 says it'll be lowered by Monday.

[MichiganVote]

9. Only Republicans honored?

L. Brooks Patterson
Oakland County Executive

First elected: 1992

Role: As the Chief Executive Officer of America's second wealthiest County, Patterson oversees a workforce of 4,400 employees and controls an annual budget of more than a half billion dollars.

Activities:

Founder, Rainbow Connection (1980) (charity grants wishes to children with life threatening illnesses).
Oakland County Achievements:
In 1968, Patterson was hired as an Assistant Oakland County Prosecutor. Prior to leaving that post in 1971, he had the distinction of becoming the first Senior Trial Lawyer in the Prosecutor's Office.
Elected Oakland County Prosecutor (1972). Over the next 16 years as the crime victim's attorney, Patterson compiled an enviable record that included a successful campaign to reform the parole system, end plea bargaining, and vigorously prosecute habitual criminals.
In 1974, he successfully argued a case before the United States Supreme Court (Michigan v. Tucker).
Awards:
State of Israel Eleanor Roosevelt Humanities Award (1996).
March of Dimes Humanitarian of the Year Award.
Oakland County Distinguished Citizen of 1991.
Outstanding Young Men of Michigan (1973).
Personal:

Patterson attended the University of Detroit and the University of Detroit Law School, where he received his Juris Doctorate in 1967. During his brief hiatus from public service, Patterson entered private law practice. In 1990, Lawyers Weekly selected him as one of the top 20 attorneys in the state of Michigan.

[1gobluedem]

10. Funny, I can't find the DUI's on this bio

Or the fact that he received very special treatment when stopped on suspicion of drunk driving -- instead of administering a breathalyzer or arresting him the Oakland County Sheriffs drove him home (and drove his car home for him).

[Inland]

12. geez, why all that?

He's a prodeath penalty guy and that's what he made his political bones on. What's with all the rest?

[AdrianInOcala]

16. Ahhh, good old L Brooks Patterson

I remember him being the County Prosecuter when I was a kid, growing up in the next County. He's a GOP 'Lifer'. The DUI thing IS suspiciously absent from his bio, hmmmm.

[Inland]

11. Ah, that explains my Michigan trip

Some flags were lowered and some weren't--I had no idea why.

[JohnLocke]

13. Nicholas Blodgett

Nicholas Blodgett was on the management track at a Grand Rapids area Schlotzsky's Deli.
Then one day almost two years ago, he arrived at work to find the doors locked.
"He just showed up, and they had gone out of business," recalled Paula Blodgett, his step-grandmother, on Friday. "So then he tried to get into security work, but they wanted people with military experience. He'd always wanted to either be in the military or a cop, so he joined the Army."
Private First Class Blodgett, 21, from the Grand Rapids suburb of Wyoming, died Wednesday in Ad Duluiyah, Iraq, when an explosive ripped into the Bradley fighting vehicle he was riding in. Six other soldiers in his 1st Infantry Division, 4th Calvary Regiment, were injured by the blast, an Army spokesman said.
He is the 28th Michigan soldier killed in combat in Iraq, and the first from the Grand Rapids area.
(...)
http://www.freep.com/news/obituaries/sold24_20040724.htm
----
As a young boy, Nicholas Blodgett wanted to join the military or become a policeman.
"He was a fine young man," said his grandmother, Paula Blodgett. "He was home in November, and he told us how proud he was to be fighting for our country. He was very positive about going to Iraq."
Pfc. Blodgett, a scout with the Army’s 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, was killed Wednesday in Abdalluyah, Iraq, when his patrol vehicle hit an improvised explosive device, the Defense Department said Thursday.
Blodgett of Wyoming, a Grand Rapids suburb, joined the Army in May, 2003, and he had been in Iraq since February, his grandmother said.
Blodgett was 6 feet 5 inches tall, and often protected kids smaller than he was. He always wanted to help others, Paula Blodgett said. He graduated from Grand Rapids Catholic Central High School, where he played trumpet in the school band.
He also enjoyed martial arts.
"His whole family would practice tae kwon do," his grandmother said. "He really enjoyed that."
Survivors include parents Rita and Robert; and a 20-year-old brother, Matt.
His body was expected to be returned to the United States today, his grandmother said. Funeral services are not yet finalized.
Blodgett is the 28th member of the U.S. military with ties to Michigan to die in Iraq. He is the third Michigan serviceman to die in Iraq in five days.
http://www.pigstye.net/iraq/article.php/20040723082255994

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

42. When I first saw

Mr. Blodgetts name I wondered if he was related to someone I was in boot camp with in 1968. It's a shame and being a native Detroiter, (Hennry Ford High) I can tell you the Oakland County exec ought be ashamed of himself......

[louis-t]

14. Oh, good one Brooks

Don't honor the real heroes, just the ones your party tells us are heroes.

[saigon68]

15. THEY ARE SCUM

[tom_paine]

17. Jesus Christ these people ARE fucking traitors!

It only makes sense given that, almost always, the Busheviks project their own mindset, schemes, and fraud onto us by accusing us of what they do themselves

Fucking tratiors.

Why do they hate America?

They don't even know, they just want to possess the ashes for the Imperial Family.

[benfranklin1776]

25. Exactly right and it is sickening.

Dr. Justin Frank's new book Bush on the Couch makes exactly the same point about projection. Bush projects his dysfunctionality on to anyone and everyone, particularly his critics, in order to divert attention away from his momentous screwups.

This act of refusing to lower the flag is an extremist extension of the Rethugs Orwellian "strategery" here, namely, to keep the sight of the dead and the maimed off of televison at all costs. No release of coffin pictures, no officials attending funerals, no mention of the dead or wounded by administration shills and the use of sycophantic right wing media execs jumping to censor the reading of the names of the dead. Thus this particular decision is an example of that "strategery" being stretched to obscene limits. The simple act of lowering the flag (or the reading of the names of the dead) is an acknowledgement of the death of an indvidual in service to their country. It is not a commentary on the political reasons which demanded that service. However I submit that if the Rethugs truly thought Mr. Bush's reasons for sending these young men and women to their deaths were defensible then they would not be trying so hard to make their deaths and maimings disappear from the national consciousness, but they are so strident precisely because they fear that an honest accounting will serve as a constant reminder of Mr. Bush's mendacity in waging his coveted war. Their craveness in this matter is as noxious as their pseudopatriotic bleatings.

[DEMonstate]

18. A governor has every right to order this.

Others do not have a say in the matter.

[truthspeaker]

19. mourning the dead is political and hurts the war effort?

what assholes. I hope they hear from the families of some of those killed.

[C_eh_N_eh_D_eh]

21. When's the deadline for this week's Top 10 Idiots?

This guy definitely belongs on the list.

[LisaM]

23. L. Brooks must be at least 120 years old!

Hasn't he been around forever? Someone should ask him what the precedent for this was back in World War I.

[Shadder]

30. I remember this guy from the 1970's

When i first heard of the guy, he was a slimy lawyer that I guess was not making enough chasing down car wrecks. He represented a group that was fighting a proposed forced school busing plan in Olakand County that was intended to move kids around from the schol they should be attending to one with a different racial profile in an attempt to get equailty in all the schools. I remember that my Mom and Dad were very set against this pogram,I was going to a Birmingham High and as I recall I would have been sent to a Pontiac High School under this plan. We went to a "anti-busing" gathering held at the football stadium of Rochester High School. Patterson was the featured speaker and looking back on it, it was most likely the closest I've ever come to attending a KKK meeting. All they needed was a cross burning.....

[St. Jarvitude]

36. Fantasy News Conference:

Asshole: Are there any more questions regarding this anti-American, satanist, terrorist acts of flying the flag at half mast?

CNN Reporter: Sir, was the flying of flags at half mast for war casaulties a common practice in the French and Indian War?

Ah, if only the media was more like the Daily Show :(

[kwolf68]

24. This is unbelievable

.

[NWHarkness]

27. Brooks is a racist drunk

He spends half his time driving around shitfaced and the other half trying to figure out ways to screw Detroit.

[Sabriel]

28. Personally, I think ALL flags should be half-staff for every soldier.

Maybe a state of permanent half-staffness will wake people up. Isn't a US soldier worth as much as Raygun?

[AspenRose]

32. Why do they hate America?

We lost a soldier here in New Mexico and the announcement was made on the news that flags would fly half-mast state wide.

Would these idiots do it if it was a republican governor? Would it be "political symbolism" then?

Who's being petty and partisan now? I hope they appreciate the fallen soldiers' sacrifice for them to exercise the freedom to NOT honor them in return.

Idiots.

[wildeyed]

33. Maybe they should ask the families

of the fallen soldiers whether they want the flags at half-staff. If it was my mother/father/brother/sister/husband/child I would. I would want the recognition of the terrible sacrifice that had been made for our country. But I guess these people want to have their war without thinking about the consequences.

[gasperc]

35. CALL or write Patterson's office, see below

I called myself just a few minutes ago.
I told them I'm a resident of Oakland county have friends with spouses that are soldiers in Iraq and am extremely dissappointed in the decision not to lower the flag.


County Service Center, Building 34 East
1200 North Telegraph Road
Pontiac, Michigan, USA, 48341

Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

[MichiganVote]

41. I made contact with each of the commissioners today

via telephone and email. Spoke personally with four of them. Only two claimed to be aware of this and all promised to look into it. One siad she had to think about whether she was in favor of Patterson's action. Go figure.

So sad. Imagine a state where some counties honor the dead and others do not. Think of the kids.............

What a poor reflection on Michigan.

[Guaranteed]

38. Fucking Republican pieces of shit. nt

[kskiska]

39. Someday, in the future, when this is all over

people will look back and they'll have to answer some embarrassing questions.

[americanwomanone]

40. Brooks Patterson Is a Pompous Ass

I live near Oakland county, the Kingdom of Brooks and it seems to me like he has been around forever!. I guess when you are one of the wealthiest counties in the United States it earns you the right to be jerks. I'll take real people anytime!

[MichiganVote]

43. I'm out for blood

Please regard:
I have either called or emailed every commisioner in Oakland County.
I sent the following email letter.

If you want to make a similar difference, please call the Mr. Patterson or county commissioners at 1-248-858-0484 . This is wrong and I want people to make it plain to Oakland. Imagine how some family is going to feel when flags are lowered in one county but not in another.

Dear Commissioner,

Thank you for taking the time to read this communication. As some of you know, I have elected to take time out of my schedule to make contact with each of you regarding a recent decision on the part of Mr. Brooks Patterson not to fly the flags in Oakland County at half staff for Michigan soldiers who have died in Iraq or Afghanistan. My interest is that I am the parent of a child in the military and a life long citizen in Michigan.

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/3623968/detail.html
http://www.wilx.com/news/headlines/909197.html

I was able to speak with some of you by phone, leave messages with a few of you and others are just now receiving this email.

The purpose of my contact with each of you has been for you to ask Mr. Patterson to revise his decision not to honor our soldiers with the brief, but meaningful act of lowering the flag for soldiers who gave their lives in our continuuing quest for peace and fulfillment in the United States. The lowering of the flag honors not just the soldier but the soldier's family and also the citizens of Michigan who support the troops in these conflicts. Imagine my surprise when I contacted Mr. Patterson's office and was told that Mr. Patterson has elected not to lower the flags in Oakland County for Michigan fallen soldiers because he does not want the public reminded of these sacrifices or of the war.

When I made contact with Mr. Patterson's office I was informed that he is meeting with Veteran's groups tomorrow. I indicated to Mr. Patterson's office that I was pleased that he was but that Veteran's groups do not represent the loved one's of these soldiers nor do they represent the citizens of Michigan. You on the other hand, do represent the citizens in Oakland County.

So I ask you to answer these questions.

Are we so small minded in the state of Michigan that we cannot with unity and purpose agree to support our soldiers through the simple but highly dignified act of lowering our flags throughout the whole state for one or to days?

Are one of you willing to be called upon by the loved one's of a dead child, husband or father to explain why citizens in Kent or Allegan will honor their beloved but not the citizens in Oakland County?

Please contact Mr. Patterson and urge him to revise his decision. This is not an act that reflects the full and vibrant spirit of Michigan. More importantly, it does not express to the parents, wives or children of those lost our recognition and gratitude for their gift to us.

Sincerely,

Mary --------
--------------------------------

I have recieved a positive response from four commissioners I spoke with personally. One did not know how she felt about this and would have to think about it.

[Firespirit]

47. Simply despicable...

I live in a red state, and many of the fallen soldiers have been from here, but here at least the newspapers do in-depth articles about them and the local officials (mostly Repub, almost all conservative) pay respects to them. I don't know about flags being lowered, but I don't think they would refuse to do it if told to by the state gov't. This is sub-human. These jerks disrespect the dead to protect *, but that isn't the pinnacle of filthy "political symbolism"??