Click source link for enlarged version of photo that shows details of torn, frayed flag and for Amanda Carpenter's video report.
Posted on 09/23/2009 1:01:21 PM PDT by kristinn
Click source link for enlarged version of photo that shows details of torn, frayed flag and for Amanda Carpenter's video report.
Inspirational artist Thomas Kinkade's renowned "Flags Over the Capitol" painting depicted Old Glory flying pristinely and proudly over Congress. But the American flags fluttering this month atop the House office buildings on Capitol Hill where lawmakers and their staffs work each day were tattered, torn and neglected - hardly worthy of a patriotic portrait.
The flags - in various states of disrepair - were captured in photos and videos by The Washington Times as they rippled atop the Rayburn, Cannon and Longworth office buildings where the 435 members of the House of Representatives and their aides go to work each day. Congressional staffers and other passersby didn't even notice the poor state of the Stars and Stripes until a reporter pointed it out.
SNIP
The responsibility of raising, flying and replacing the flags is shared by a handful of administrative offices on Capitol Hill. But when confronted about the state of the flags, the U.S. Capitol Police acknowledged that it was ultimately the department's job to replace flags that have been damaged.
SNIP
Kristinn Taylor, co-leader of the D.C. Chapter of the conservative-leaning website Free Republic, said he noticed the damaged flags while participating in a pro-troop demonstration on September 10th on the corner of New Jersey and Independence avenues. They were ripped on the edges, in a manner that some of the stripes looked like separate strips blowing in the wind."It shows a lack of pride in our country," Mr. Taylor said.
Several other tourists interviewed in subsequent trips to the Capitol Hill also saw the damaged flags and said they sent a bad message.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
Seeing the flags in person in such a state was disgraceful. The Capitol Police are taking the rap, but the fish rots from the head first, and the head on this fish belongs to Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats. However, the Republican members should have noticed this and done something about it so this is one of those situations where everyone is repsonsible so no one is responsible.
Why would they want to replace them? I am sure Pelosi and Reid would love to put the hammer and sickle up there instead.
“conservative-leaning”
....................
Huh you mean we are all of a sudden mainstream.
Not some wing-nut fringe.
I guess they are starting to take us seriously.
DAMN
This is very strange. Members of both the House and Senate provide flags that have flown over the Capitol to constituents on request. In the Senate, for years, there was an entire office and a team of people who did nothing else but run new flags up the flag poles, run them back down, pack them up and send them to those who requested them. Did the Dems eliminate that office?
P& R never even look at the Flag. They hate it so much.
I bet Pancy would say, flag what flag.
Interesting. My Congressman sells flags that have been flown over the Capitol to his constituents. They come with a certificate saying that they have flown over the Capitol.
My understanding is that the flags are hoisted to the top of the pole and then brought down and another goes up in its place — all day long. I’m sure that he makes a tidy little sum for the beneifit of his office account (that’s who I write the check to).
He’s just put out another ad about this service. The prices have gone up about 1/3 over what I used to pay for them.
I think I was walking by you that very day and she was walking out of the Cannon Bldg with her notepad.
Sorry yes Amanda Carpenter deserves a two thumbs up.
Congress brutally abused Neglected Tattered US Constitution.
Is all I see when I read this story.
I was thinkig the same thing! Wouldnt shock me if the Dems did away with that office.
I have a flag pole in front of the house. I’ve thought about placing the “Don’t tread on me” flag above the American flag.
This is such a perfect example of how the country and the people are being represented in congress.
“Kristinn Taylor, co-leader of the D.C. Chapter of the conservative-leaning website Free Republic, said he noticed the damaged flags while participating in a pro-troop demonstration on September 10th on the corner of New Jersey and Independence avenues. They were ripped on the edges, in a manner that some of the stripes looked like separate strips blowing in the wind.”It shows a lack of pride in our country,” Mr. Taylor said. “
B T T T
“conservative-leaning “
We don’t lean. We stand on that principle.
At one time the Flag was flown one day and sent to be use for funerals and displays for exceptional persons.
You are correct, sir.
BTTT!!
I would fly the Gadsden Flag instead of the American flag, but that is just me.
One man touring the capitol with his sons told the Washington Times that the damaged flag he saw on top of the Rayburn building sends the message of "A tattered and torn country which, you know has a bit of truth to it presently..."
The flags over the Capitol were in good condition. The flags flying over the House office buildings are the ones that were displayed in a disrespectful manner.
These aren’t the ones flying over the Capitol itself. These are flags on the various House and Senate office buildings in the area around the Capitol.
}:-)4
Yeah but you could really make a statement by flying it over the American flag. I have the old Navy Jack flag. Red and White stripes with the snake. I understand the Navy started flying it again....not sure about that today.
Typical Democrat priorities.
The flag represents the condition in the House. Thanks for being a Watchman on the wall in Washington.
“This is very strange. “
When I was looking for clip art today, I could not find anything in the history section that had to do with Lincoln, Jefferson, OR the Flag. I was on the classroomclipart.com page.
In the section titles, there was no “patriotic” or “flags” section.
In the holiday section, there were sections for Valentine’s, St. Patrick’s, but none for the 4th of July, president’s day, or Memorial Day.
I could not find an American flag anywhere except in the 911 section which may have been an oversight.
Perhaps it’s just me, but I think there has been a great purging of our history in schools and online.
Thanks!
When I retired in 1997 after 37 years of government service, my sister gave me a flag which had flown over the capitol. She got it from her then-representative, Newt Gingrich.
I’ll take the description “conservative leaning” as opposed to the usual “right wing” description.
The current crowd infesting the Capitol has no regard for the Stars and Stripes.
More than welcome, Kristinn! And thanks for representing our community so well. You do us proud.
Didn’t they used to fly them for maybe a day, and then give them away to organizations that might need them?
Even in these times, we should fly a flag that reflects the country we used to be. Perhaps it should be upside down for as long as the socialist occupies our White House, but it should be a proper flag in good repair.
It’s a symbol of the party in power and that is a same. The country is in tatters.
Makes sense with this crowd. I’m sure that they have already ordered the UN flags to fly, they just haven’t arrived yet.
As usual, Democrats cutting costs in all the wrong places.
Ditto. Two Gadsdens out front.
Weirder still. For many countries they have several flags, but for our country they just have this. I have seen a clip art book with all kinds of flags.
Nicely done as usual, Kristinn.
It bugs me enough when I see this crap going on at a business or home, much less at the Capitol.
They need to call an old high school friend of mine. She retires old flags.
http://www.pegasusnews.com/news/2009/jun/12/video-interview-dallas-flag-lady-seeks-out-respect/
“In the section titles, there was no “patriotic” or “flags” section.
In the holiday section, there were sections for Valentine’s, St. Patrick’s, but none for the 4th of July, president’s day, or Memorial Day.
I could not find an American flag anywhere except in the 911 section which may have been an oversight.
Perhaps it’s just me, but I think there has been a great purging of our history in schools and online.”
I remember reading somewhere last week Zero was meeting w/ history book publishers...
Also, wiki [notoriously inaccurate] does not indicate the US is a sovereign nation.
There is something fishy going on.
It’s a reflection of the administration.
Why do they have any tattered flags? It seems like every school and community event has a donation of a “flag flown over the US Capitol.” They would have to have large staffs dedicated to flying those commemorative flags — or our critters are lying to us again.
Sign of the times.
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