Posted on 07/07/2004 7:19:09 PM PDT by wagglebee
Under gray skies and with his voice cracking, Spirit of '76 Association President Paul Lamberton said Thursday that his group's giant American flag, paint-bombed while on display at the Lobero Theatre, cannot be saved.
The news of the $5,000 flag's impending retirement came hours after Young America's Foundation officials found paint splattered on the American flag at the nonprofit's Reagan Ranch Center on State Street.
Police have no suspects in either attack and are asking the public's help in their investigation.
Meanwhile, a tearful Mr. Lamberton raised the reward his group is offering to $3,000 and urged the "anonymous creatures of the night" responsible to "confess your sins."
"I call on them to identify themselves if they feel that what they're doing is a noble act," he said.
The paint-bomb attack against the Spirit of '76 Association's flag took place June 20, one day before it was to be taken down. It was supposed to have been on display for a week to commemorate Flag Day.
The 30-by-60-foot flag was washed, scrubbed and cleansed with a variety of chemicals for five days, but the stains remained.
"This willful act of vandalism and desecration could not be repaired," said Mr. Lamberton, his voice pained. "It will not fly again."
As a result, his group's patriotic celebration Sunday at the Courthouse Sunken Garden will go on without the flag. A Marine Corps color guard will be on hand instead.
"The flag will be burned," said Mr. Lamberton. "I'd rather retire the flag with honor."
A date has not been set.
Mr. Lamberton pledged to have a replacement ready to fly by Sept. 11, the third anniversary of the terrorist attacks against America. And like its predecessor, the new flag's going to be big.
Earlier Thursday, employees at the Young America's Foundation found someone had used paint-filled soda cans to desecrate their 15-by-25-foot flag.
"I don't know what it says to throw paint at a flag," said spokesman Andrew Coffin. "I don't think it says much, at least not much favorably about the people committing these acts of vandalism. I don't know if it's a statement about George W. Bush or the war in Iraq, but it's destruction of private property."
Old Glory, Mr. Coffin noted, is not a political symbol. "It's not a symbol of George Bush. It's not a symbol of Donald Rumsfeld. It's the symbol of a great nation, for which countless men and women have died.
"These acts are just pathetic. It doesn't raise the level of discourse," he said.
Young America's Foundation has been flying a flag on its building just south of Highway 101 since it got the place in fall 2001. Before Thursday's incident, the group had replaced the flag once, and that was because of weather.
"We're not a political organization," said Mr. Coffin. "We're an educational nonprofit. This is not something we expected. Hanging a flag on the side of our building doesn't seem like a very radical thing to be doing."
By day's end, Mr. Coffin was in touch with the Flag Factory in Carpinteria, and he was confident that a replacement for the $800 flag will be up in time for the Fourth of July.
"This is not going to deter us from flying a flag," said Mr. Coffin.
I will happily defend the right of the left to their idiotic free speech, but this is a crime and they should pay dearly for it.
Sick. Sick. Sick.
I hope the reward is enough motivation for someone to turn in these criminals!
Gag. Spare me the sap. Buy a new flag and get on with your life.
My guess is Earth Liberation Front.
Furthermore, anybody that catches these creeps "in the act" would be morally justified in using ANY force to stop them.
Thanks asshole. Frankly, I think his response was completely appropriate. I especially liked the way he phrased the challenge, "if you think this is a noble act, then identify yourselves." This is NOT a noble act, and it instead seeks to desecrate a symbal that means a lot to some of us. And even if you are so spoiled as to not give a crap about the fact that you live the best lifestyle in the world as a result of that symbol, the monetary value alone would anger me. Hell, if I ruined your $5000 car, you probably wouldn't be too happy...
Harsh, Dude. WTF?
Considering if it were a differrent flag in another country, they may get their hands chopped off. Some people are too stupid to realize their good fortune to live in this country, under this flag.
Uhh.....people DIE for that flag, Texas Eagle.
The michael moore/kerry/edwards generation show their true being.
Thanks, you beat me to it.
My guess its your average California liberal.
Does anyone know where Michael Moore was on the night in question? Does he have an alibi?
Thanks for sharing that with us. Your shallowness is matched by your brevity.
Police have no suspects in either attack and are asking the public's help in their investigation.
like get a clue dudes!
What else would you expect from the land of "fruits and nuts".....
Bastards! Hope somebody commits a hate crime when they catch these vermin in the act. I'll personally bail the person out who exacts the proper revenge against these cowards.
But, if they HATE the flag and the country it represents...then they should be given a one-way ticket to Timbuktu, never to be heard from again.
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