Posted on 05/29/2015 2:30:54 PM PDT by GrandmaC
Last weekend was Memorial Weekend, honoring our fallen soldiers who lost their lives defending our country and our flag. Last weekend a US Forest Ranger came through our campground at Devils Elbow, which is Idaho Panhandle National Forest Land. He told our camp host, Butch & Sharon, they had to take down their US Flag. He refused. I don't know the outcome of his refusal, their is a chance he will loose his job. But he states he will not take down his flag. We also do not know if this ranger was acting on his own, or if this is a decision made by the US Forest Rangers. But whatever, this should NEVER be an issue in the United States of America.
The US Forest Rangers are paid by us, with us tax dollars. Butch and Sharon have every right to fly an American Flag. I am so thankful he did not take it down. They are Heroes in my book. He asked us to wait a week to make this known, so his bosses could contact US Forest Service. So I waited. This was why we painted our faces - a protest. We put flags all around our site. I want to say here it was not American Land & Leisure his bosses, but the US Forest Service. Please pray Butch & Sharon do not loose their jobs.
Here are some addresses if you wish to voice your complaint: US Forest Service, 1400 Independence Ave, SW, Washington DC 20250-1111. Idaho Panhandle Forest Headquarters, 381 Schreiber Way, Coeur d'Alene ID 83815. You can also contact your congressman & senator.
I have never been there (that specific campground) and won’t be there any time soon. Sorry if I gave you that impression.
That is nothing out of the ordinary. I have seen the same thing at FS campground host’s sites all over the west. It is their home for the summer and they are allowed to make it look like their home within reason. Flying Old Glory seems well within reason to me. YMMV.
The sign post is a part of their site, in fact it designates it as their site. Clearly it was no problem two years ago and I’ll assume they were the hosts in 2014 and flew it then too.
“Well, I MIGHT be seeing what the problem is - the flag is mounted on an official sign post-thing - might there be some regulation against that (??). That’s the only problem I could stretch at coming up with. “
That’s the only beef I see in that picture and is a valid one, especially if they hammered a nail into the post which is against park rules nationwide. (posts, picnic tables, signs, cabins, railings—it’s considered defacing government property)
They were, I was there the last 3 years. If Hot Tabasco notices it is a American Land & Leisure sign (which is his) Not a forest service sign.
I’m surprised the jerk made it out of camp.
I have written to US Forest Service, Idaho Panhandle Ranger service, American Land & Leisure, Next I plan to write (Probably tomorrow or Sunday) Senator Mike Crapo and Jim Risch, and Congressman Raul Labrador. Others of us that were at the same group camp are writing too. One of them plans to contact the media, but we were waiting the week that the host asked for. It is not my job, it is the Camp Host... hopefully his boss got it worked out. But, it should of never been an issue in the first place.
Sounds like a power hungry Barney Fife ( except Barney never would have demanded the flag taken down).
GrandmaC is absolutely correct. I live near Devil’s Elbow. I’ve camped there since the good ol’ days. It and Berlin Flats, Kit Price and other have full time hosts during the camping season. Not sure of the beginning or ending dates.
My extended family will be there this August, in the group camp, for a week of family reunion.
Will you ask them to check with the host to see what happened with this story. I’d appreciate it. I pray they will still be there flying their U.S. Flag.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.