A group of Upstate New York fire officials on Monday ordered a department to stop flying American flags from its trucks, calling the patriotic display a “liability” and a possible “distraction.”
Firefighters from the Arlington Fire District in the town of Poughkeepsie removed the flags from three trucks during a ceremony Tuesday, The Poughkeepsie Journal reported.
“If we had to take them down, they had to be taken down the right way,” Union President Joseph Tarquinio told The Journal. “At the time when the country needs unity, to do something like this … it’s next to flag-burning in my mind.”
Flag removal ceremony at Arlington Fire District headquarters pic.twitter.com/HsSRbIadtL
— Nina Schutzman (@PoJoNSchutzman) August 17, 2016
The flags were a request of the union, and Fire Chief Tory Gallante initially gave the nod for their installation, provided the flags were maintained properly, were safely mounted and the union paid for them. Gallante said a mechanic checked the flags to make sure they were put in correctly.
The Board of Fire Commissioners, however, was apparently not consulted about the original decision and found itself split on whether to permit the flags. Two board members had no issue, The Journal reported, but three members wanted the flags removed, citing “liability” issues and a possible “distraction” to other motorists.
“This past Saturday I saw one of our pumpers on Hooker Ave. going to a call. It had a physical flag mounted to the back of it. None of the board was aware, or consulted that these flags were being affixed to the apparatus,” said Arlington Fire Commissioner Chairman Jim Beretta, one of the board members who wanted the flags removed.
No formal vote was taken on the matter. Instead the directive was issued based on the majority supporting the flags’ removal, The Journal reported.
“I think (for) a lot of people … (the issue) crosses political lines, moral lines, religious lines,” Tarquinio said. “It’s the flag of this country.”
The fire trucks were allowed to keep American flag stickers on the rear of the vehicles.
The flag flap mirrors a recent Rhode Island controversy where local firefighters were called “terrorists” for deciding to fly Old Glory on the back of their trucks. In June, firefighters in California were directed to remove a pro-police version of the American flag flying from their vehicles.
Think of it:
The score; Nationalism-0 Globalism-1
: (
But if a UN flag, an Israeli flag or a Mexican flag was put on there, it would be ok.
Yea, I see how it is.
And the firemen obey orders to take down the flag rather than fight, just like the sheeple that they are. People called them heroes because they ran into a fire or a burning building without hesitation. Now they can’t even run into political fire or a burning country without hesitation.
Truly sad.
Hey, why not? The Bill of Rights in no longer still in effect in this land, and it’s especially ignored in states like NY. Flying the flag under such circumstances could be likened to false advertising. It tends to fool people into thinking they still live in a constitutional republic.
*** The flag flap mirrors a recent Rhode Island controversy where local firefighters were called “terrorists” for deciding to fly Old Glory on the back of their trucks. ***
There’s typical patriotard “thinking” for you. They don’t have a thought in their heads that wasn’t put there by Fox News or websites like Free Republic.
I’ve read about fire trucks t-boning vehicles at intersections, but I’ve never heard of anyone running into the back of a truck because they were ‘flagellating’.
Taking those WAR FLAGS (martial law) down should be done everywhere and instead fly the REAL American flag, the peace flag, but no, just more examples of how the nation is going, want to fly a jew flag? They cheer you on! Mexican? Oh hell yes!
What in the world does a flag decal have to do with safely and efficiently fighting fires in the city? How much time, attention, and money is being lost by the creation and exploitation of this “issue”? Who are these Rube Goldbergs and why are they needlessly complicating our lives?