Well, the headline should sum up exactly how silly the situation is, but we’ll endeavor further because people continue to amaze us.
The Hampton Inn in Springfield, OH, has an American flag. Two days before the U.S. tracked down and killed Osama bin Laden, the hotel had an issue: the flag wasn’t in the best shape. So, maintenance came along to replace Old Glory. Unfortunately, maintenance only got the flag half-way down before it got stuck.
Assistant manager Connie Smith told MSNBC:
“He was trying to lower it down and it got stuck … and it got stuck at half mast,” Smith said. “It was raining, we’ve had non-stop rain for the past two or three weeks. The rope was slippery, it was so rainy, so windy, we just couldn’t mess with it.”
Of course, people tend to notice when a flag is at half-mast. Putting two and two together as only common Americans can, residents assumed the hotel was mourning Osama bin Laden. Of course.
This article appears in May 4-10, 2011.
The manager needs to be fired for being such an idiot. Oh, it’s raining I guess we should just leave it there. Absolutely no flag etiquette.
Who on the face of the planet wasn’t aware of the depth of passions aroused by the Bin-Laden event? Who would have failed to realize what outrage the seeming respect toward the fallen terrorist would generate? Americans are clever and resourceful; by one means or another – dousing, sheathing or cutting down, that affront to public sentiment could have been removed.
If I had seen that flag I would have assumed that someone local was being mourned, like a cop or firefighter who died in the line of duty. How weird to assume that a major hotel chain would mourn the world’s most notorious terrorist. And no, the3dm, the manager should not be fired because the flag flew in the rain. They were taking it down because it was worn, which my nearest fire department doesn’t even do. At least this hotel was making an effort, which few people do with their tattered flags. Hardly a firing offense.
Vince Grzegorek needs to be slapped in the face for suggesting that the public’s concern for a flag flying at half-staff is – and I quote “dumb. Don’t forget dumb.”
You’re the dummy here, Vince, for underestimating the sense of patriotism in this county at this time, and for allowing the manager the excuse that it is EVER OK to fly a flag at half staff for a mere “mechanical problem”. To suggest otherwise is asinine.
There are some serious retards on here. Like the world should stop because an American flag “was left in the rain”. Usually, they are made of weatherproof material, anyways. Wait, what if you live in Seattle, where it rains most of the year? then, you probably wouldnt have your flag out much. THEN you would probably be accosted by more idiots for never flying the flag etc etc etc..
The problem with America is 90% of Americans.
I understand that leaving a flag at half mass is wrong and something should have tried to have been done about it; however, I don’t think that risking someone’s life for a symbol is something that should be done at any cost. How would people be reacting if this story read maintenance man died while trying to get half mass flag down because local hotel didn’t want to make people think they were mourning Bin Laden’s death. Would we be saying that this man died a hero, or would we be saying that the hotel should have waited until the conditions were safe? Patriotism is not putting American’s lives in danger last time I checked.
I understand that leaving a flag at half mass is wrong and something should have tried to have been done about it; however, I don’t think that risking someone’s life for a symbol is something that should be done at any cost. How would people be reacting if this story read maintenance man died while trying to get half mass flag down because local hotel didn’t want to make people think they were mourning Bin Laden’s death. Would we be saying that this man died a hero, or would we be saying that the hotel should have waited until the conditions were safe? Patriotism is not putting American’s lives in danger last time I checked.