Posted on 11/11/2003 4:51:30 AM PST by NewHampshireDuo
SOUTH PORTLAND — The buzz surrounding this city's first Veterans Day parade in nearly 60 years isn't about color guards or marching bands. It's about the yellow ribbons attached to utility poles that line the parade's route down Broadway.
Representatives of local veterans organizations want the ribbons to stay up long after the parade ends - to acknowledge troops fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.
But what seems like a simple decision for local veterans has become an increasingly complex and contentious issue during the past four months. It has put elected officials between a mother whose son is fighting in Iraq and free speech rights outlined in the First Amendment.
Sam Flint, commander of Post 832 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, wants the ribbons to stay. "As far as I am concerned, it should not have been an issue," he said.
But some residents, city councilors and City Attorney Mary Kahl disagree. They say the posting of ribbons raises free speech issues, one of the rights that almost 1,000 veterans living in South Portland have fought to protect all over the globe, including in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Opponents say the ribbons are a political symbol that show support for President Bush - not just American troops.
"I was offended by people saying people against yellow ribbons were not patriotic," said Kathy Cabana, a resident who spoke during a recent city meeting on the issue.
The debate started in August when city officials told Valorie Swiger, whose son, Jason Swiger, is an Army scout fighting in Iraq, to take down yellow ribbons that she had tied to public buildings and utility poles around the city. Councilors learned the city had an ordinance preventing items from being attached to city property or utility poles on the public right of way.
But a small group of residents began pushing for the ribbons to go back up. They were led by Swiger, who at one point came to a meeting and held a picture of her son to remind councilors what the issue was. The debate included some contentious exchanges between residents and councilors, including Councilor David Jacobs, who cannot serve in the military because he is gay.
Local veterans organizations got involved in recent weeks, pushing the issue toward a resolution.
"Every one of those ribbons represents a soldier to me. It doesn't represent a Republican. It doesn't represent a Democrat," said Swiger, who explained the ribbons have helped her focus on something other than worrying about her son's well-being.
The council seems ready to change the city's ordinance and allow ribbons to stay up after the parade. The question now is how to do it, and whether the change in regulations will satisfy both veterans groups and the Maine Civil Liberties Union.
The First Amendment forbids a city or town from writing an ordinance that controls the content of what is posted on public property. Kahl explained during a recent interview that the city can dictate whether items are posted, their size and the duration of time they can stay up. But once items are allowed, the city must allow all items, no matter what point of view they express.
The council has been debating language that would allow for "nationally recognized symbols of support for America and Americans," which local veterans have supported. This would preclude other ribbons that support an array of causes, such as breast cancer prevention or AIDS awareness.
Roger Sabourin, a Vietnam veteran and parade organizer, objects to opening the city's utility poles and public areas to every cause. He said a yellow ribbon is not a cause. He talked about a time when soldiers returned from Vietnam and received no support from their communities.
"It is about service and sacrifice," Sabourin said.
But Kahl said if the council limits who can post items, the decision likely will be struck down in court, and the Maine Civil Liberties Union could be the group that ensures this happens.
The MCLU is following the issue and wants to ensure all points of view, and not just the ones that are popular among the general public, can be expressed, said Louise Roback, the organization's executive director.
"We seem to have to learn this lesson again and again," Roback said.
It is unclear how the issue will play out after today's parade. The ribbons can stay up in the coming weeks. In the meantime, the council will struggle to come up with an ordinance that satisfies all sides.
Why, of course! I remember yellow ribbons taking off in the 1970's and even then I knew that they were all about George W. Bush. Yup, he was just a young whippersnapper back then, but it was clear that Tony Orlando and Dawn were singing about George W.
Oh, wait! Maybe the ribbons are NOT about President Bush and just show support for soldiers. I guess that explains why some folks hate 'em.
Oh, get OVER it. This is AMERICA....you have the right to pursue happiness.....you do NOT have the right NOT to be offended.
Ya know, if we worried about offending "someone" everytime we did, or tried something, we'd still be living in caves. Yet, ANOTHER case of the minority dictating to the MAJORITY. And, ya best not say anything about it because THEN, you're a hater.
EGGGGS-actly Batman!
Time for a reminder to all those who have forgotten:
************************************************************
We, the sensible of the United States, in an attempt to help everyone get along, restore some semblance of justice, avoid any more riots, keep our nation safe, promote positive behavior and secure the blessings of debt-free liberty to ourselves and our great-great-great grandchildren, hereby try one more time to ordain and establish some common sense guidelines for the terminally whiny, guilt-ridden delusional, and other liberal, commie, pinko bedwetters.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that a whole lot of people were confused by the Bill of Rights and are so dim that they require a Bill of No Rights.
ARTICLE I
You do not have the right to a new car, big-screen color TV or any other form of wealth. More power to you if you can legally acquire them, but no one is guaranteeing anything.
ARTICLE II
You do not have the right to never be offended. This country is based on freedom, and that means freedom for everyone -- not just you! You may leave the room, turn the channel, express a different opinion, etc., but the world is full of idiots, and probably always will be.
ARTICLE III
You do not have the right to be free from harm. If you stick a screwdriver in your eye, learn to be more careful, do not expect the tool manufacturer to make you and all of your relatives independently wealthy.
ARTICLE IV
You do not have the right to free food and housing. Americans are the most charitable people to be found, and will gladly help anyone in need, but we are quickly growing weary of subsidizing generation after generation of professional couch potatoes who achieve nothing more than the creation of another generation of professional couch potatoes.
ARTICLE V
You do not have the right to free health care. That would be nice, but from the looks of public housing, we're just not interested in public health care.
ARTICLE VI
You do not have the right to physically harm other people. If you kidnap, rape, intentionally maim or kill someone, don't be surprised if the rest of us get together and kill you.
ARTICLE VII
You do not have the right to the possessions of others. If you rob, cheat, or coerce away the goods or services of other citizens, don't be surprised if the rest of us get together and lock you away in a place where you still won't have the right to a big-screen color TV or a life of leisure.
ARTICLE VIII
You do not have the right to demand that our children risk their lives in foreign wars to soothe your aching conscience. We hate oppressive governments and won't lift a finger to stop you from going to fight if you'd like. However, we do not enjoy parenting the entire world and do not want to spend so much of our time battling each and every little tyrant with a military uniform and a funny hat.
ARTICLE IX
You do not have the right to a job. All of us sure want you to have one, and will gladly help you along in hard times, but we expect you to take advantage of the opportunities in education and vocational training laid before you to make yourself useful.
ARTICLE X
You do not have the right to happiness. Being an American means that you have the right to pursue happiness -- which, by the way, is a lot easier if you are unencumbered by an overabundance of idiotic laws created by those around you who were confused by the Bill of Rights.
Copyright © Lewis W. Napper
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Go to the Binary Bunker for more common sense.
Ok, so have all the people tie them on their trees in their yards!
Many of them. 3 or 4 to each tree even. LOL
"I was offended by people saying people against yellow ribbons were not patriotic,"
It's almost confusing.
I do. Public support for the troops. It's that simple, and it speaks volumes to those either returning from or with loves ones deployed overseas.
The jerkweeds voting against supporting the troops:
Mayor Ralph C. Baxter, Sr. 97 Simmons Road South Portland, Maine 04106 Telephone: (207) 799-7608 Term Expiration: December 2003
David Jacobs 52 High Street South Portland, Maine 04106 Telephone: (207) 329-5005 Term Expiration: December 2005 Email: Djacobs@southportland.org
James Hughes 1776 Broadway South Portland, Maine 04106 Telephone: (207) 773-9118 Term Expiration: December 2005 Email: JHughes@hbisoftware.com
Here is the URL for the minutes of the City Council meeting that decided the issue. Notice: the council put this as THE LAST item decided. (item #12 in the agenda)
"I was offended by people saying people against yellow ribbons were not patriotic," said Kathy Cabana, a resident who spoke during a recent city meeting on the issue."
IT'S THE SOLDIER
It's the soldier, not the reporter
Who has given us freedom of the
PRESS.
It's the soldier, not the poet,
Who has given us freedom of
SPEECH.
It's the soldier, not the campus
ORGANIZER,
Who has given us the freedom to
DEMONSTRATE
It's the soldier, not the lawyer,
Who has given us the right to a
FAIR TRIAL.
It's the soldier who salutes the flag,
Serves under the flag
And whose coffin is draped by the flag,
Who gives the protester the right to burn the flag.
-Father D. E. O'Brien
I hope you spend a lot of time on such a worthy cause. But please don't accuse the rest of us as lacking substance because we support our troops in a variety of ways. Including sporting yellow ribbons.
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