|
MINUTES OF THE
<br />ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING
<br />Monday, September 28, 2020
<br />6:00 o’clock p.m.
<br />_____________________________________________________________________________________
<br />
<br />Page 2 of 9
<br />
<br />and at the entrance to a polling place. He believes for two weeks they’ve been violating U.S. Code for the
<br />way the flag is to be respected and dishonoring the National colors. He said he’s spent his entire life
<br />respecting that flag and what it stands for, it’s been fundamental in how he’s live his life. From raising
<br />that flag in his hometown in Michigan as a Boy Scout, to taking his oath at West Point, to administering
<br />the Oath of Enlistment to hundreds of soldiers throughout his military career, that flag has always been
<br />present. It is the same flag he wore on his shoulder as they went into Bosnia in 1995; the same flag that
<br />flew over Ground Zero right after 9/11 when he took soldiers there to restore power; the same flag that
<br />was flying when he landed in Afghanistan for the first time at the air field; the same flag that was draped
<br />over caskets during his two tours in Iraq as they loaded their fallen onto the back of aircrafts to be flown
<br />home. It is the same flag that was handed to him on his last day in the Army when he retired and left
<br />active service and one day, he hopes it will be the flag handed to his next-of-kin. Mr. Edwards stated the
<br />flag has importance as a symbol and there are certain rules of etiquette and a number of laws have been
<br />passed at the National level in the Flag Code, which specifically speaks in the Section on Respect for the
<br />Flag, Sub-paragraph G, “The flag should never have placed upon it, nor on any part of it, nor attached to
<br />it, any mark, insignia, letter, word, figure, design, picture, or drawing of any nature.” In Sub-section I it
<br />states, “The flag should never be used for advertising purposes in any manner. Advertising signs should
<br />not be fastened to the staff or the halyard from which the flag is flown.” Mr. Edwards continued saying
<br />he is 100% behind supporting other uniformed services, including Police and Fire, and the U.S. Code
<br />authorizes the wearing of the patch of the American Flag on the shoulder of their uniforms. He said there
<br />are a lot of good intentions in the community, if someone took the American Flag and took the Thin Blue
<br />Line Flag and superimposed the two of them, they created this (image showed onscreen), which many
<br />people are referring to as the Blue Lives Matter flag. He said personally, as a piece of art or something to
<br />hang on the wall, it is fine, but he doesn’t think this meets U.S. Flag Code and has any place on the
<br />flagpole that flies in front of Orono’s Government Building, above the Veteran’s Memorial and in front of
<br />the polling place. His plea is to honor the Police Department, but to do it in another fashion and in
<br />another way that isn’t on the same flagpole flying a device that doesn’t meet the U.S. Flag Code. He said
<br />he’d be happy to help in finding other ways to do that.
<br />
<br />Printup agreed, noting it doesn’t mean the Council is against anything or for something more, he thinks
<br />with a very simple amended motion it can be fixed that gives the integrity to the American Flag which
<br />they all absolutely love and cherish, just by moving it somewhere else.
<br />
<br />Crosby stated he never thought by extending support for their Police Department, who to him are under
<br />tremendous strain right now, denigrates the American Flag in any way. To him, if one denigrates the
<br />American Flag, they’re denigrating the exact flag. He said he’s taken Mr. Edwards’ comments to heart
<br />and reached out to two Veterans he knows; one is a gentleman that his daughter is engaged to, and he
<br />replied if Crosby was asking if the Blue Line Flag is offensive, of course not, but he’s also a cop (MP).
<br />He said he loves that flag, and it represents the sacrifice police officers make to keep us and the American
<br />public safe every day. People understand what that flag means and that it is support for the Police
<br />Department, and he doesn’t think necessarily all Veterans view it as a degradation of the American Flag.
<br />Crosby asked another gentleman who is dating his youngest daughter who served several tours in Iraq as
<br />a Marine, and he replied it does not offend him. Crosby noted he politely disagrees with Mr. Edwards,
<br />he’s not opposed to taking the flag down and replacing with the one that was purchased, but it has
<br />symbolism of a City Council that supports its Police Department, it was a gift to their Police Chief to
<br />hang at Orono City Hall. He said it’s no disrespect to Mr. Edwards’ service or anyone serviceman’s
<br />service. Crosby has the highest and utmost regard for the people who serve this country, so much that
<br />after 9/11 he felt he had to do something to show his respect and that was Crosby serving as a firefighter
<br />for 10 years and risking his life to honor the people that died on 9/11, and he also lost a friend on that day.
|