Your Opinions

As a resident of Madison County, NY, I would like to express my opinion about the “thin blue line” flag. It has been in the news a lot lately. It is becoming a source of conflict and polarization. We don’t need any more of either! Individuals on the Board of Supervisors and individuals in Madison County need to work very hard to address the underlying issues, come together in respectful dialogue, and move in a direction that brings people together around our common interest.

Let’s start with some things I think we agree on:

1. We all want to feel safe in our community.

2. We all want to actually BE safe in our community.

3. We all want to trust and respect our institutions, especially those responsible for helping keep us safe.

4. Individually, we want to contribute to creating a safe community by being trustworthy and responsible citizens, be it driving a car safely to being respectful and honest in participating in more complex situations. I looked up the history of the flag. It is varied and interesting.

The original intention was very good. And the current intention by many, to support and honor the work, service, challenges and risks taken by the police in our nation, continues to be very good.

Unfortunately, symbols change over time with the culture.

The “thin blue line” flag now represents more and different things than it did originally. While it still represents positive support for police for many people, for many other people it now also brings to mind violence against citizens they have pledged to serve and protect; actual crimes committed by police, now in full view of the public with body cameras.

Most police, I believe, have the best professional intentions and are committed to ‘serve and protect’. They are deserving of open and strong recognition and support.

But given recent history, I believe it is time for a different, less conflicted symbol, that ALL in the community can gather around.

Rather than feed a divide, I invite the Board of Supervisors to take the lead in creating a new symbol, if a symbol is felt to be needed. More importantly, the Board of Supervisors needs to take the lead on bringing together people representing the many varied points of view around the issue: the immediate issue of the flag AND the greater issue of people coming together, working together, each in their roles, to make our Beloved Community a safe place to live and thrive. Betsy Nash Cazenovia

I am writing to express my opposition to the thin blue line flag being flown at any Madison county office building, meeting or at the Sheriff’s office. The Hamilton Area Anti-racism Coalition has clearly expressed all the reasons why flying this flag is problematic. Another issue related to the support of this flag is that it demonstrates racial bias on the part of those who support it and I am concerned that this bias impedes the Sheriff’s ability to root out any domestic white supremacist terrorist individuals or groups in the area or even within the Sheriff’s ranks.

To be clear, taking down the thin blue line flag is not about disliking the Sheriff and it is not about disparaging law enforcement, rather taking down the flag is about public servants upholding the ideals of democracy and respecting and supporting those within our community who find the the racist connotation of the flag offensive and hurtful. We live in a democracy, not a military state, so the only flag that should be associated with public office including law enforcement is the US flag, not a specific flag supporting law enforcement.

If the county felt the need to declare support for law enforcement, which is a separate issue from the removal of the thin blue line flag, a resolution of support could read as: RESOLUTION NO. MADISON COUNTY SUPPORTS LAW ENFORCEMENT

WHEREAS, the Madison County Board of Supervisors has always supported our law enforcement community; and

WHEREAS, the Madison County Sheriff’s Office has been proudly supportive of our local law enforcement officers in Madison County; and

WHEREAS, the Criminal Justice, Public Safety and Emergency Communications and Government Operations Committees support local law enforcement;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Madison County continues to support local law enforcement officers in Madison County;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Supervisors stands by the statement issued by Chairman John M. Becker regarding this subject issued Tuesday, January 19, 2021.

To my knowledge, there was no resolution to brandish the thin blue line flag in the first place, so it can be removed as easily as it was put up. Julie Carlson, CNM, LM, MSW

Town of Lebanon

Editor’s note: The Madison County Board of Supervisors will hold a meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 9 at 2 p.m. via Zoom with a resolution on the agenda to continue to fly the ‘Thin Blue Line’ flag. If you wish to view the live stream of the Board Meeting, please visit: https://www.youtube.com/madisoncountyny If you wish to submit a public comment, please do so by emailing: publiccomment@madisoncounty.ny.gov If you wish to participate in this meeting via Zoom, you will need to contact the Madison County Board of Supervisors Office by calling (315) 3662201 or by emailing Emily at emily. burns@madisoncounty.ny.gov