Cemetery flags make early exit
 

Okay so I'm a little late catching up on the local news. When I read this story I got down right mad. This is the second case of this type of behavior from local cemetaries. Makes me want to be buried in my own back yard next to the cat, dog, and two ferrets!

Cemetery flags make early exit
Troy, NY -- Diocese says it followed VFW policy by removing Stars and Stripes from Troy veterans' graves

By TIM O'BRIEN, Staff writer
First published: Saturday, July 3, 2004

As the nation prepares to celebrate its independence, Bill Blair believes his efforts to honor veterans have gone to waste.
Before Flag Day, Blair places an American flag at the grave of every veteran buried in St. Mary's Cemetery in Troy. He said they are meant to last past the Fourth of July.
But this year, Blair discovered that not only were the flags gone, but the permanent holders that go into the ground and name the war in which a veteran served were gone too. "I must've put 300 to 500 flags up there," Blair said. "It took me three days to put these flags on the graves."
But Tuesday, he drove by to find the flags gone and their holders tossed into the garbage.
"This is a shame to the veterans," he said. "It's really, really terrible."
William Bruce, a friend of Blair's and a Vietnam War veteran, is angry.
"The cemetery took it upon themselves to take out all the flag holders and put them in the Dumpster," he said. "I can't believe they did this. I'm almost sick to my stomach over it."
Ken Goldfarb, a spokesman for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany, said in a prepared statement that the diocese's policy is not to keep flags too long as a sign of respect. The diocese follows rules outlined in the U.S. Flag Code and in a booklet, "Etiquette of the Stars and Stripes," published by the Veterans of Foreign Wars and distributed by a VFW Post based in Schenectady. The booklet states: "When the Flag is placed upon a grave, see that it will not touch the ground. Do not leave it there indefinitely. In Arlington and other National Cemeteries Flags are removed the following day."
"Respecting the flag and the veterans buried in our cemeteries, our policy allows for graveside flags to be properly displayed from Memorial Day through Flag Day, in compliance with our guidelines," Goldfarb said in the statement. The cemetery's normal cleanup schedule calls for flags to be removed one week after Father's Day, which is past Flag Day, Goldfarb said. Flag Day this year was June 14. Father's Day was June 20.
"Flags, flag holders and other decorations not in compliance with cemetery regulations -- which are designed to maintain the beauty and dignity of our cemeteries -- are removed," he said in the statement. "These policies are more welcoming of the display than are many other local cemeteries, including the national cemetery in Saratoga."
Harry J. Ferguson Sr., a World War II veteran, and his wife, Julia, were at the cemetery Friday afternoon. They, too, were upset to find the flags removed from the graves of several relatives, including those of her brother Frederick Angley; his uncle, Raymond Wright; her nephew, Richard Gross; and their brother-in-law Martin Williams.
Ferguson had a new set of flags to place on the graves. "We were up here last week. It was all full of flags," he said. "We thought that was great. Why take them now? They should be here."

There is nothing that takes my breath away so much as walking into an old cemetery the predates our country's greatest war, the Revolution, and see row after row of flags. Many of these old cemeteries span across every one of our battles in generations. My heart skips to think of the honor and sacrifice that lies in those hallowed graves.

Mr. Goldfarb is just one of several new generation managers. A family who lost their 17 year old daughter to cancer arrived the day after her funeral to find that all of the flowers and military medals and personal momentos were all tossed in the trash. The medals were left there by a brother who recently returned home from Iraq and a boy who loved her through high school who also served with her brother. They message was that they were willing to serve for her and would give everything if it would have saved her.
The family was rightfully outraged and so was the community. All of the personal items were returned, albeit soiled.

The OP/Ed seems oddly silent this week. I think I need to write a letter. Would anyone care to help with some input?

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Albanyneeds to park the anti US military bias of the Vatican outside the gates of St. Mary's Cemetery.That's my input.

Arrow>>>>>>>>