The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
RESOLUTION TABLED
Officials delay vote related to ‘Thin Blue Line’ flag
The fate of the “Thin Blue Line” flag flying at the Madison County Sheriff’s Office was in the balance during a recent board of supervisors meeting.
Several residents have spoken out against the flag being flown and have requested it be taken down. Others have shown support. A responding statement from Chairman John Becker seemed to all but cement the flag on the pole for some time to come.
The resolution brought up at the Feb. 5 board meeting would authorize the flag to continue to be flown at the sheriff’s office “in support of law enforcement.” The circumstances that allowed the flag to be flown in the first place are not known.
The resolution also states that the Criminal Justice, Public Safety, and Emergency Communications and Government Operations Committees support continuing to fly said flag at the law enforcement and public safety buildings.
Additionally, the resolution states that the board of supervisors stands by Becker’s previous statement, one released in response to the Hamilton Area Anti-racism Coalition’s (HAARC) written request that the flag be taken down.
The topic has been a controversial one in Madison County, with many residents passionately arguing their support for or against the flag for various reasons. Some of those in favor say that law enforce
“Taking down this flag at the county complex does not in any way signal that the board does not fully support our county law enforcement professionals. Your continued commitment is evident in your support for funding, training, and equipping the men and women who put their lives at risk daily for our collective safety.” — Resident Martha Moore
ment are to be respected, and the flag only represents that respect, nothing else; taking it down would be a snub against the men and women in blue who sacrifice their lives for the public’s safety.
Some of those against the flag flying say that the meaning of it has changed. The flag has become tainted with hate, racism, and ignorance, some say. Often, the flag is flown on the opposing side of the Black Lives Matter movement, some have argued, and recently, the flag was a prominent symbol among terrorists who stormed the U.S. Capital on Jan. 6.
A few residents submitted their opinions for publication in the Oneida Dispatch as a Letter to the Editor.
Additionally, as of Wednesday afternoon, 213 people participated in a poll hosted by the Dispatch on the subject. According to that poll, 45.4% said the flag should be taken down, 51.7% said it should remain flying as is, and 2% said it should continue flying if it’s displayed in a different way. Only 1% said they didn’t have an opinion.
A few residents were prepared to argue their case at Tuesday’s board meeting, but the resolution was tabled, pushing it until a later date, likely next month, to be voted/debated on.
A few members of the public instead shared their thoughts during the public comment period.
Resident Martha Moore first identified the results of an online community petition whose signees support taking the flag down. Moore created the petition back in January. She also shared the results of the Dispatch’s poll available a few days ago.
“This data represents the fact that a large percentage of your constituents believe that flying the thin blue line flag on county property is inappropriate,” she said. “Taking down this flag at the county complex does not in any way signal that the board does not fully support our county law enforcement professionals. Your continued commitment is evident in your support for funding, training, and equipping the men and women who put their lives at risk daily for our collective safety.”
“Respect for the police has never been the issue,” said John Bailey, member of HAARC. He respects Madison County law enforcement, he said, and even respects other officials’ stance that the flag is a symbol of good. What he doesn’t respect is the unwillingness on behalf of Becker and others to have an open conversation about the topic, he said.
There are multiple, legitimate points of view when it comes to this flag, he said, and for some, the meaning of the flag is more than about opinion; it’s about their feeling of safety in their own community.
“If we cannot and will not respect both sides, how can we work together to make our community a better and safe place for all its residents? How we change this divide is up to all of us,” he remarked.
Oneida resident, John Nichols, voiced his concerns in relation to the U.S. Flag Code, which he said the blue line flag violates. This is particularly an issue because it’s flown at a public, government building, he said.
“As members of the government, you need to set an example for others that you’re not only going to defend the constitution, but you’re going to support it. Not only does it mean supporting the blue lives, but it means supporting people who might be offended, and it also means supporting the code as written,” Nichols said.
Bryant Clark, a Methodist minister in Hamilton, suggested that respect and support for law enforcement is not what’s at stake in this debate. “This is part of a bigger conversation that really, truthfully, has very little to do with this idea of blue lives mattering,” he remarked.
A new resident of Cazenovia, John O’neil, noted the gender, age, and “likely” economic diversity of the board, but “not necessarily racial diversity.”
This was something perhaps important to note as the controversy of the flag is largely race-based. This resident also suggested that the county’s response to HAARC’S request about the flag was disrespectful. “I don’t think that’s what we want to do. I think we want to stay open to the diversity of opinions in the county,” he said.
Board Member Matt Roberts, of Oneida, shared a statement he had put together after much research and review of the letters and emails he received from the public along with discussions he’s had with around a dozen Oneida constituents, he said. He added that he tried to put logic, rather than emotion, into his statement, which was ultimately in favor of the thin blue line flag.
He said that opinion on the flag has been made to appear as fact, but the objective meaning of the flag should be the focus. “It’s really representative of law enforcement personnel, who on a daily basis are dedicated to preserving life and property even at the expense of giving their own life or lives of their brothers and sisters in blue by putting themselves in harm’s way,” he said.
There are other flags, similar to the blue line flag, that represent other public servant organizations, like firefighters and EMS, he noted.
A minority of the population who push radical right/ left ideals and promote violence should not have sway over something objective, like the blue line flag, he said. Common sense should prevail, he added.
During a Committee of the Whole meeting held just before the Board of Supervisors meeting, Board Members William Zupan, of Cazenovia, Eve Ann Shwartz, of Hamilton, and James Goldstein, of Lebanon, voiced varying levels of opposition to the county’s actions thus far regarding the flag. Particularly, the process leading the county to this point is something they felt could have been handled more appropriately.
Board Member Rocco Diveronica, of Lenox, said there was a lot of turmoil stirred because of this flag, which he believes people have a right to fly privately, but on county property, he’s not so sure.
State Sen. Rachel May (D53) caught wind of the issue going on within her district and forwarded a letter to the Madison County Board of Supervisors, HAARC, and Madison County Democratic Committee.
May wrote, “My position is that the history of this flag is too complicated and confrontational for it to be an appropriate symbol for a government office. An official flagpole is no place for political statements, in part because they may undermine public trust in public authority and law enforcement, and also because they could open the door to legal challenge from any organization that might demand that the County fly their flag.
“If the desire truly is to show support for law enforcement in a positive and neutral way, it would be wholly appropriate to fly a flag with a specific symbol of the Madison County Sheriff’s Office.”
After referring to the recent attack on the U.S. Capitol, May remarked, “Had Chairman Becker said in his letter that Madison County needs to fly the flag to support law enforcement in the aftermath of this heinous attack, his argument might be stronger.
“Instead, people and organizations around the country that ostensibly support law enforcement have been pretty much silent about the deadly mob attack, and about the clear double-standard that allowed this violent mob – that had killed a police officer - to disperse without even taking their names, when far more peaceful BLM protesters are routinely rounded up and arrested.”
She invited officials to reach out to her to open up a discussion.
Becker commented in response to May’s letter saying, “Madison County did not receive this letter directly, even though it was addressed to us, we received it from a reporter. We appreciate the Senator’s opinion and her offer to mediate the situation, however, we do not think that is necessary.
“As a State Senator, she has bigger issues such as the pandemic, an upcoming budget, and an investigation into what happened at our nursing homes to focus her time and efforts. We can handle it here on a local level. The Board of Supervisors as they bring this resolution to a vote will take into consideration the opinions of all of our constituents and those of our law enforcement officers.”