Pennsylvania Firefighter Suspended Over Locker Decoration

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Robert T. Marchetti on October 16, 2009 at 2:19pm

Is Fire Commissioner James Johnson AN AMERICAN? It doesn't sound like it to me if he objects to the display of AMERICAN FLAG DECALS!!!!!

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Rick K. on October 16, 2009 at 2:42pm

I agree is Commissioner Johnson an American ?Sounds to me like someone needs to get a life and worry about other things other than our countrys flag!!!!!!

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Chief Mike France on October 16, 2009 at 2:22pm

is it that bad that we to create more issues, it's our flag, we wear them on our uniforms, why not on our helmets, GOD BLESS AMERICA, this guy needs a reality check

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by BillySFCVFD on October 16, 2009 at 2:26pm

Lack of common sense by Fire Commission: One day pay for every duty day flag decal is on locker.

Displaying the US Flag and never being ashamed: Priceless

TCSS

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Chief Mike France on October 16, 2009 at 2:35pm

Only in America , please the one's that it means nothing to and have not served under it, if they only knew.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by David Nelson on October 16, 2009 at 8:23pm

Thats Bull this still is the United States of America is it not.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Alan Shaw on October 17, 2009 at 2:20am

This Commissioner may technically be an American, but he is certainly not a patriotic one.

This knee jerk reaction to an offensive cartoon is very similar to one that hit home for me last month. A kid was suspended from school because he wore one of his dad's FD T-Shirts because a blue shirt might be used as gang colors. Just another example of failing to deal with the actual problem and instead punishing the masses. This kind of mentality would be the same as outlawing cookies because some kids don't listen to mommy and sneak a cookie from the jar before dinner. Better yet, lets outlaw jars, since some of them are used to store cookies.

Now I have too problems that are specific to this current flag issue. First I don't see how the American flag can ever be offensive, especially on our own soil. Grouping our national flag in with cartoons and even organizational stickers, is idiotic at best. Second, the article said that the department wears the very same flag on their uniforms, which would tend to imply that it has already been approved for display. Would they order someone to remove the department patch from the lockers because it might be offensive? If the United Flag is at risk of offending someone, I would expect it to be removed from their uniforms as well.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Andrew Dalgarno on October 18, 2009 at 11:32am

OK, I can see that the line needs to drawn somewhere. If one item is allowed, then what about this one...or this one...or this one...

But come on, the flag is on your turn-out gear, it's flying in front of your station, it's flying on your trucks, there are decals of it on your trucks, it may even be hung somewhere inside your station...that's OK, but don't put it on your locker????

I hope this firefighter sticks to his guns, fights this all the way and wins - and I'm not even an American!

Andrew

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Art "ChiefReason" Goodrich on October 18, 2009 at 12:33pm

I would hope that this is not a race based issue.
The cartoon that sparked this ban on decorating the exterior of lockers was racially offensive to the nine firefighters who complained.
So, instead of issuing a policy banning offensive materials on the outside of lockers, which by the way, are displayed outside as soon as you open your locker door again; the ruling was all or nothing.
If the chief and Fire Commission believes that an American flag should not be displayed on the outside of lockers and ONLY American flags by the way, then it's only a matter of time before the flags come off of uniforms, off of the rigs and taken down at the fire stations.
The argument that policy is policy will not fly here. The "policy" was enacted after a cartoon was deemed racially offensive. The policy was lacking common sense and poorly written and didn't address the issue at hand.
Based on what I have read and seen on the news channel, I have to say that there appears to be racial tensions on this fire department.
If there is someone close to this department and this situation, please let us know.
TCSS.
Art

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by jbwonfire on October 18, 2009 at 1:45pm

Charlton Heston, a great American once said as he addressed the graduating class at Harvard, "Telling us what to say, has evolved into telling us what to think, then telling us what to do can't be far behind." He was talking about our government. Let me tell you something. Good, hard working, honest, God fearing people are only going to take so much and I am here to tell you its about at the brink. If you do not wish to pay reverence to the flag that stands for every man and women who has fought for your rights then so be it. But you have no right to take my beliefs from me or tell me what to say, think or do. As far as those of you who stand against what this country has done for you and the fact that this country was founded under God, I have one phrase I would like you to memorize. Seek life elsewhere!

God Bless you who fight the right battles every day,

Lt Barry Whitt
Engine Company 2
Grenada Fire & Rescue

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Reg Mathis on October 18, 2009 at 2:21pm

Once again OUR government takes great strides in proving that they, themselves, are the primary source of rampant human stupidity...

Did you ever get the feeling that you were not getting NEAR the government you are paying for?

TCSSolvent,

Reg

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Reg Mathis on October 18, 2009 at 2:44pm

On further reflection, I had some additional thoughts.

In the past, asking a citizen to "strike his colors", to take down his flag, would mean that the citizen was surrending and the one giving the order would be considered an aggressor and treated accordingly.

On the issue of the offensive item posted on the locker. Instead of these 9 individuals reporting this offense to the chief, why not, as a group, go to the individual who posted the item and explain your argument. If one person finds the item offensive, that's a decision for the chief. If NINE people find it offensive, majority rules.

Is it just me, or does common sense seem to be a vanishing commodity? Here's a scenario that I don't believe is too extreme. A FF enters his house for a shift and goes to his locker to change. In order not to offend, he hangs his necklace(say...a cross/star-of-david/hammer-of-thor), in his locker. Later, while he is removing an item from his locker, another FF on his shift sees the religious symbol and runs to the Chief to report this display. In this day and age, there is a real possibility that this FF could be reprimanded...

I wonder if I could get any support for a Common Sense Conservation Society?

TCSS,


REG

▶ Reply to This

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• Next ›
• Page