Posted on 11/03/2001 7:53:14 AM PST by real saxophonist
Further flurries in flap over flag
By Matt Sebastian
Camera Staff Writer
A flap over not flying flags at the Boulder Public Library reached a muted crescendo Friday as a group of self-proclaimed patriots draped the Stars and Stripes across the front entrance to the city building.
Inside, though, library officials who recently nixed an American flag display as discomforting for some were seemingly unaware of the small protest outside their glass and stone walls.
Randy Smith, the library's assistant director, said he didn't know nine flags were taped up on the building's south entrance Friday afternoon. Nevertheless, Smith said he didn't object to Old Glory's presence.
"The wind will probably blow them away," he said. "I don't think I'll probably do anything."
The brouhaha began last weekend when Marcellee Gralapp, the library's director, was quoted in a Daily Camera article saying she had rejected her employees' request to hang a large American flag in the building's glass entryway because it would "compromise our objectivity."
"We have people of every faith and culture walking into this building, and we want everybody to feel welcome," Gralapp told the newspaper.
Her comments offended many people, some of whom called the Camera, while others phoned the library. The controversy was the topic of a heated discussion Friday on Mike Rosen's talk show on KOA (850 AM).
But it was two letters to the editor in Friday's Camera that spurred Jonathan Sawyer and his co-workers at Boulder's Free Wave Technologies Inc. to take action.
Sawyer said he was unaware of the flag clamor before he read the letters, which lampooned Gralapp for her position. After reading the paper, Sawyer and a half-dozen co-workers drove to McGuckin Hardware and purchased flags and tape.
"This is a government building and this is our country's flag," said Sawyer, the firm's chief technology officer.
"For them to say this flag could be considered offensive, well, that's just beyond the pale."
Besides, Sawyer added, "We paid Boulder sales tax when we bought these flags, and that supports the library."
Library employee Smith pointed out that there are flags at the facility nine flags outside, between the library and the Boulder Municipal Building, and quite a few inside.
"We think it's appropriate to have flags at a government building, and we always have," Smith said.
But a quick survey inside the library revealed no American flags on display, although a few were seen inside staff offices.
Outside, patrons paused before the flags, many asking why the banners were taped to the building.
Most were supportive, although one couple engaged Sawyer in a spirited discussion about U.S. foreign policy and how they thought it sparked the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C.
"Hey, I think this is great," Dale Clinker said after emerging from the library. "I've even got a couple flag stickers in my pocket here."
One library employee ventured outside to see what all the commotion was about. "I'm not offended by the American flag," he said.
Contact Matt Sebastian at (303) 473-1498 or sebastianm@thedailycamera.com.
There really is only one solution to this problem, and writing it out would get me banned.
prambo
Can anybody name ONE other country that hides their flag in case it might offend one of us?
This is AMERICA. If you are offended by the AMERICAN flag, the get the hell out!
The Boulder library is a government institution supported by taxpayer dollars. Unfortunately it has a moron for a director who also distorts the truth.
No comment. Just screaming, pulling my hair out, and knocking things over on my table here.
There I feel better now.
The woman is a moron, but then, it is Boulder...
The objective of the left is to assign to the American flag the same connotations that they have successfully assigned to the Confederate flag, and thus remove it from sight as a "hate" symbol.
I have a poster of an AMERICAN flag taped to the side window of my car that states: IF LOOKING AT THIS FLAG OFFENDS YOU THEN TURN YOUR HEAD !
Mopp4- Retired Air Force
What an ignorant pompous bitch.
Any ideas out there?
Marcelee Gralapp
feedback@boulder.lib.co.us
Administration Offices:
Marcelee Gralapp, Library Director
Randy Smith, Assistant Director
1000 Canyon Boulevard, Boulder, CO 80302
Phone: 303-441-3106
"Fire her". Give her a new "sensitivity" experience. Let her ponder, off the public dole, the meaning of patriotism. Hang that flag prominently.
And for good measure, put a copy of "Miracle at Philadelphia" on a table under it.
Let's get the guy who wrote that headline.
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