OLD GLORY: Comments keep coming in about Mike Smith and his
conflict with the city over flying the American flag at his
business, an action that reportedly interfered with East Main
Street traffic. (And, by the way, we’ll get to all comments
eventually!)

Don Poleto of Bradford writes, “In regard to flying our nation’s
flag, why now after a lot of years is the person(s) complaining
about their vision being obstructed at Smith’s on East Main Street?
Do these same person(s) wear safety belts as state law requires?
Why don’t ‘all’ city employees use safety belts unless the job they
are doing is hindered by their usage.

“The point is – leave unimportant things alone. If the flags are
bothering some people, then drive or park somewhere else. God bless
our troops – and also all veterans! Chances are these people making
these complaints were never in the service. I am flying my
flag!”

Kenneth Lunn of Mount Jewett writes, ” ‘To really live, one must
almost die. For those who fought for it, freedom has a flavor the
protected will never know.’ These words were scratched into a wall
of a North Vietnam prisoner-of-war camp known as Hanoi Hilton.

“Today we are losing our constitutional and God-given rights at
an alarming rate, but it is a real sad day when a 23-year disabled
veteran loses his right to fly the flag of the country he served
for so long and another flag that honors those whose country has
abandoned them. At the end of the Vietnam War, this nation left
over 10,000 of our countrymen over there.

“Twenty-three years and disabled – this veteran has earned the
right to fly these flags. I wonder what those complainers have ever
done for their country. I was there; those flags do not block
vision at all. Instead of making trivial complaints, maybe they
ought to try serving their country as Mr. Smith has.

“Our soldiers and veterans need our support, not our complaints
or criticism. Remember if you like your freedom, then thank a vet.
If it weren’t for them, you wouldn’t have any rights at all, not
even some to complain about. Maybe Mr. Smith should fly his flags
upside down. When a vet can’t fly the flag of the nation he fought
for, then that is definitely a nation in distress.”