New York City firefighter told they can't have American Flags on their lockers

[Woodmonkey]

This order also includes pictures of comrades who died in the Towers, those who died in the WOT, or family etc.


New York City firefighters ready to defy order — with 10,000 US flags


NEW YORK: Ten thousand American flag decals are being distributed to New York City firefighters so they can stick them on their lockers — in defiance of orders to remove everything from photos of dead soldiers to prayer cards in their firehouses.

"Treating firefighters like unruly high school students is demeaning, insulting," said attorney Ronald Kuby, who represents the firefighters' union.

While some firefighters are fighting and dying in Iraq, he told a news conference on the steps of City Hall, "we don't trust them to decorate their lockers?"

The Fire Department of New York announced a news conference for later Wednesday to respond to the charges.

About two weeks ago, the department began enforcing an existing rule against posting pictures, posters, news articles or anything "offensive or controversial" in department buildings, forcing officials to scrape the personal items off locker doors, said Steve Cassidy, president of the union, the Uniformed Firefighters Association.

He acknowledged that "something offensive" on a firefighter locker may have triggered the crackdown, but said that should not result in blanket enforcement of a policy that's been on the books for years. "We're tired of being treated like children," Cassidy said.

The union was ready to sue the city, citing free speech.

"A locker is a firefighter's private space in a firehouse," Cassidy said. "This rule not only infringes on free speech protections granted by the U.S. Constitution, but further reveals the excessive and controlling micromanagement by this commissioner and his chief of department."

Cassidy said the union has sent a letter to Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta asking him to change the regulations, or at least to negotiate what a firefighter was allowed to post on his or her locker.

"Something offensive might have been put up, and they're right to want it off," Cassidy said.

Many firefighters keep photos of their loved ones, of fellow firefighters who died in the line of duty or on Sept. 11, yellow ribbons supporting the troops or American flag decals on their locker.

The union will hand out the 10,000 flag decals to firefighters on Thursday, to display however they wish, Cassidy said.

He said if an individual firefighter exhibits something inappropriate on his locker, that person should be addressed, not all of New York's firefighters. They represent the largest municipal fire department in the United States, with more than 11,000 uniformed officers and firefighters.

Right now, "nothing can be posted, whatever it is," Kuby said.

"It is an outrage," added Cassidy. "They think they can put you under their boot, and they can't."

The Source

[milmor_1]

This is PC/Beuracracy gone mental. The flag of a country, pictures of family should never be classed as offensive.

Someone on high would want to take a reality pill and PDQ, as if those firefighters havnt had enough crap thrown at them in the last five years

[Woodmonkey]

True, Mal. They also banned pictures of collegues who died rescuing people from the Towers and those firefighters who are National Guard and federalized and now deployed to Iraq. Insane!

[EdNigma]

I think I am gonna puke!!! And trust me, I get ugly when I puke...

[las47032]

Reminiscent of the time in Berkeley, California banned Old Glory from on the fire trucks shortly after 9/11. Why? Because they didn't want to offend anyone in the community and it might be a target for protestors.

Anti-American actions concerning the restricting one's right to show their loyalty to America. Can't let people know about your patriotism.

[EdNigma]

Nobody will be happy until the base of America is deleted. aka, Christianity.


You do not have to be a Bible thumper. However, the same simple rules apply.

Topping the list; and the one everyone wants to forget.

Be nice!

Also, tell a mexican not to fly a mexico flag in the US, it's racist. Same applies to every race/colour/creed, except for the only one that SHOULD fly.