Bickering over flags doesn’t honor veterans

A tradition among veterans and their families has fallen victim to the coronavirus in Montgomery County.

County officials last week announced that distribution of more than 59,000 flags that organizations typically place on veterans’ graves for Memorial Day would be postponed this year until July 4.

The flags, which are purchased by the county Office of Veterans Affairs, will not be given out this month to the 59 organizations that place the flags at 212 locations, including the graves of veterans. The organizations include Boy Scout troops, Veterans of Foreign War posts, church organizations and various civic clubs.

“Bringing these large numbers of groups together creates the very situation that we have been working so hard as a community to avoid,” said county Commissioners Chairwoman Dr. Valerie Arkoosh in making the announcement last week. She said the flags would be made available for the Fourth of July.

It didn’t take long for representatives of local VFW posts to express disappointment with the county’s decision and to try to get the flags released in time for Memorial Day.

U.S. Army veteran Walt Hartnett, commander of VFW Post 1074 in Conshohocken, called the action “a slap in the face to the veteran community.”

“The Fourth of July has nothing to do with remembering those who have passed on,” Hartnett said. “Memorial Day is the day we remember. We’re never going to not let the veterans be remembered. Memorial Day is the culmination of ‘we’re not going to forget you.’ We’d never celebrate Sept. 11 on Sept. 13.”

County Commissioner Joseph C. Gale expressed his opposition to the decision. “I think it’s a shame and disrespectful,” Gale said. “I want the public to be aware that it was not my choice.”

Gale suggested the county is “legally obligated” to “supply flags” for people to place them at area cemeteries. “I have confidence in our citizens that they know [to] take that responsibility upon themselves to safely honor our veterans in cemeteries in such a way and it’s a shame that a totalitarian-style overreaching … government would prevent them to do so,” Gale said.

In neighboring Berks County, veterans’ groups were equally concerned about not having flags for Memorial Day because flag maker FlagZone LLC near Gilbertsville is prohibited by state coronavirus rules from selling flags in their warehouse.

According to a statement from Casey Smith, communications director at the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development, “flagmaking operations are ... non-life-sustaining.”

On the surface, it seems that flags could be distributed and put on veterans’ graves in a manner that adheres to proper social distancing and safety measures. But we’ve seen the tendency of people to forget the social distancing rules. We can’t imagine such a large quantity of flags being placed on graves by scouts, veterans and others without jeopardizing the progress Montgomery County has made in slowing the spread of COVID-19.

The unexpected and insidious nature of the virus’ spread hit home for the commissioners this week when Commissioner Ken Lawrence was shown to be positive after being tested at a Pottstown site on Saturday. Lawrence said he has no symptoms and he has no idea where he came in contact with the virus.

The frustration of veterans’ groups to honor the fallen on Memorial Day is more than tradition — it is a sacred mission to “never forget.” Leaving flags in boxes in the basement feels like forgetting and is frustrating.

But the greater good here is in the utmost care to protect the region from further spread of this disease. And, it is equally frustrating to see these safeguards insulted.

We are 10 weeks in, and the fight against coronavirus continues to demand of us a steadfast and consistent response.

Honoring fallen veterans is a reminder of the sacrifices they made for lasting good. Making some minor sacrifices of our own honors them as well as a decoration on their graves. Let us work together so that we are able and secure by the Fourth of July when we can truly celebrate independence.