Oakland County Republicans refuse to lower flags for war dead

[1gobluedem]

Get a load of this. So typical.

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."

[lazarus]

1. link?

I'd love to post this elsewhere, do you have a link?

[opihimoimoi]

5. The Political Right Thing to Do FILTER is backing up/overflowing

Those guys are confused as what to do.....

sounds like the White House.....

[1gobluedem]

8. I only have the AP text

This was sent to me by someone else. I'll try to find a link, though.

[chelsea0011]

2. Shhhhhhhhhh! We are not suppose to mention the war dead.

It's a policy thing. "We've turned the corner".... Bush And Freddie Krueger is waiting.

[Az_lefty]

3. That's right, reminding the civilians that our people are dying

would certainly undermine support for the bush* war. These are the
repug's that supposedly support our troops? What a bunch of hypocrites!

[wryter2000]

4. Utterly disgusting

We had something similar happen on a writers' list I'm on. One of us who's not overly political posted a letter from a friend's son in Iraq about how tough things have been for him and how he'd like more mail. The liberals immediately expressed sympathy and promised to send stuff. A couple of conservatives agreed. And then the arch-freeper, a former Air Force pilot who'd said nada about this poor kid (who wasn't criticizing, just saying how he was down) posted a tasteless joke about how we ought to taunt the Taliban by sitting outside in the nude drinking beer. It ended with "God Bless America." I guess God wants us all outside in the nood getting loaded. For the good of the country.

This is patriotism?

[klook]

6. But aren't their flags still at half-mast

for Ronnie Raygun? I've seen quite a few that haven't been raised back up, and figured it was probably for The Great Mendacitator. Now the morAns have a dilemma--do we keep the flag at half-mast for Raygun, risking people thinking we have it lowered for casualties?

[denverbill]

7. Bet that asswipe had no problem lowering the flag for Reagan.

You know, the coward who avoided service in WWII by serving in the Army 'file unit' making movies, then bitched about his high taxes.

[Ruby Romaine]

9. how many from Michigan have diedin Iraq in the last 2 weeks?

4-7?
Please post a link as soon as you see one.

[1gobluedem]

10. I can't find a link

But here is the full text:

"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"

I urge all Oakland County DUers to register a protest with the county. The cowards won't publish an e-mail for L. Brooks Patterson but the address, phone, and fax are below:

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

Phone: [phone]

Fax: [phone]


A search of the commissioners turns up e-mail addresses that are lastnamefirstinitial.co.oakland.mi.us but I have no idea if L. Brooks' first initial would be l or b.

This is so shameful. I'm glad I live in Washtenaw County.

[Ruby Romaine]

11. Republican values --links so far

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,WXYZ_15924_3083594,00.html

[Ruby Romaine]

12. please post in LBN

[1gobluedem]

13. Done n/t

[JLuckey]

14. Why do you HATE our Troops Mr. Patterson?

[gasperc]

15. call or write Patterson's office, 248-858-0484, jam their lines

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]

[Lefty48197]

16. L. Brooks Patterson flip-flops on honoring war dead.

Here's the Free Press link:

http://www.freep.com/news/locoak/flag7_20040807.htm

Brooks once opposed it, but now he realizes how stupid he is, and he has changed his mind.
P.S., If you don't like the way Brooks drives, then stay off the sidewalk!