U.S. Flag Upside Down A Sign Of Distress

Posted on July 15, 2009 by Jason R. Raines

Flying the U.S. flag upside down is a sign of distress, and should not be done for any other purpose.  USFlag.org lists some Flag Etiquette on its website.

Some time ago, I did a post on this blog about a high school in California that flew a Mexican flag above the U.S. flag.  This is a big no-no and is upsetting enough, however, the U.S. flag was also upside down.  This was done to be intentionally disrespectful during the so-called “day of protest” staged by activists on behalf of immigrants who don’t seem to know how to apply for entry to the U.S. legally.  In the case of the school, a student was responsible and received disciplinary action.

More recently, some other political activists have taken to flying the U.S. flag upside down as a form of protest.  The Huffington Post is reporting that the Reverend Michael Pfleger is flying a flag upside down at his parish in protest of gun violence in his neighborhood.  Father Pfleger was a regular guest speaker at President Obama’s former church in Chicago.

Not to be outdone, activists on the other end of the political spectrum are flying the flag upside down as well.  They view the current status of the nation as being in distress, and deem the upside down flag as appropriate.  (I do not agree with this view on flag use in protests.)  A couple in North Carolina was reportedly assaulted by a police officer for flying a flag upside down, and had an article posted about them on prisonplanet.com.

Activists admittedly get lots of attention for inverting Old Glory, but I personally find the tactic to be offensive.  Some military veterans have even been caught doing it at various protest marches.  While it certainly makes a strong statement, its offensive nature should make it a taboo that protesters should avoid using.

National symbols carry significance that border on religious symbols for many in our country.  We honor the flag with color guards in parades.  On the battlefield, servicemen carry unit colors as an honor.

Most military veterans would never fly a flag upside down unless they are in some type of life and death type of distress.  Like the boy crying wolf, its inappropriate use as a protest symbol takes away from its original meaning.

A friend of mine in Sunnyside recently told me of a neighbor that was flying a flag upside down around the time of July 4th.  I have not personally seen this flag, but would hope that they have rectified this situation.  If you do fly a flag upside down in town, do not be surprised if I come knocking at your door to ask why, and to also politely ask you to fix it.

In many ways I do consider our country to be in distress.  However, flying the flag upside down is not an acceptable way to make that kind of statement.

Filed under: Freedom Issues, President Obama, Traditional Values, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Eight Questions Asked Of Sunnyside City Council: No Answers Given

Posted on July 13, 2009 by Jason R. Raines

At the start of last night’s (Monday) Sunnyside City Council meeting, eight questions were asked of the Council by Don Vlieger, District 3 City Council Candidate.  None of them were answered.  All of the questions Mr. Vlieger asked were regarding circumstances surrounding the Council’s firing of former City Manager Eric Swansen.  For reference, a link for download of the resolutions regarding Mr. Swansen’s suspension and termination is at the end of this post.  It is in PDF format.

Mr. Vlieger had provided his questions to the Mayor prior to the meeting.  The questions had been disseminated to other Council Members as well.  Interim City Manager Jim Bridges was also given a copy of the questions by Mayor Pablo Garcia, who directed him to start crafting a response.  Mr. Bridges then forwarded the questions to the City’s legal team for advice.

Attorneys present at the meeting advised Council not to answer the questions until they had discussed them in Executive Session.  Following the regular meeting, Council went into Executive Session in part to discuss pending litigation.  At the conclusion of the Executive Session, Council took no action and also did not respond to any of Mr. Vlieger’s questions.

Here are the questions that Mr. Vlieger asked with my comments added in bullets afterwards:

“1.  Who drafted resolutions 2009-46 and 2009-47 and when?”

  • These were the resolutions that suspended and fired Mr. Swansen.  To date, no one has taken credit for writing them.  Knowing when the resolutions were written is important as well.  Some are suggesting that the resolutions were not written during the meeting, but were written at a later time and/or date.

“2.  Did all Council Members have a copy of these resolutions on the night of June 2?”

  • The state of Washington has specific legal code that deals with termination of a City Manager.  It is important to know if procedures were being followed correctly.

“3.  When were both resolutions signed by the Mayor?”

  • Under normal conditions, the resolutions would be signed by the Mayor on the night that they were voted on and passed by the City Council.

“4.  Why did it take a month to serve (as required by RCW’s) Mr. Swansen his copies and is this going to cost the City an extra month’s pay to Mr. Swansen?”

  • RCW or Revised Code of Washington mandates that the City Manager be given a written copy of resolutions notifying him he is being terminated.  This may not have happened in Mr. Swansen’s case.

“5.  Why did Ms. Estrada (Sunnyside’s City Clerk) refuse to provide copies of these resolutions until the City was threatened with a lawsuit?”

  • A citizen has notified BLOGSUNNYSIDE that they filed a public records request to obtain a copy of these resolutions.  They were allegedly denied until the citizen threatened to file a lawsuit to get them.  Since these resolutions were supposed to be passed in a public meeting, and the citizen was asking for a copy of them after the fact, why would the City delay processing a request for a copy of them?  As far as that goes, why would the City not post a copy of every resolution passed on its website?

“6.  Resolution 2009-47 says that Mr. Swansen is suspended immediately, but in the audio of the meeting both the Mayor and Mayor Pro-Tem say it is midnight June 3rd, did both of you have a copy of Resolution 2009-47 in front of you?  Does this void resolution 2009-47?”

  • I was present at the meeting where Mr. Swansen was fired.  I did not hear anything about a suspension being made immediately.  I did hear that it would be effective at midnight following the meeting.

“7.  In the audio of June 2nd, both resolutions 2009-46 and 2009-47 are passed without comment or details and without referring to the resolution numbers.  No copies were made available to the public.  How is the public supposed to know what their Council is doing (even in a public meeting) if we don’t have copies, the details are not discussed, the resolution is not read, the resolution number is not referenced, and you have to threaten to sue the City to get copies of the resolutions passed in a public meeting?”

  • As a personal witness to the events at the meeting in question, I can not recall any resolution numbers being mentioned.  The text of the resolutions were not read at the meeting, to the best of my recollection.  No copies of the resolutions were given to the public, nor were they projected on a screen during the meeting itself.  The City should be able to provide a copy of resolutions already voted on during the weeks and months following a Council meeting.  I am not sure why there was a delay in processing in the Public Records Request for these documents.  At the very least, that does not look good.

“8.  In resolution 2009-46 the termination date of Mr. Swansen is June 2nd, 2009.  This appears to conflict with RCW 35A.13.130.  Should the date have been July 2nd, 2009.  Is this resolution void because of this error?”

  • After consulting with attorneys in Executive Session, the Council should have been able to answer all these questions.

Reference Resolutions 2009-46 and 2009-47:

Response B_RES 2009-46_RES 2009-47 (1)

Filed under: Sunnyside Council, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , , , | 4 Comments »

Sunnyside Council Workshop On Hiring City Manager Tonight

Posted on July 13, 2009 by Jason R. Raines

BLOGSUNNYSIDE has learned the Sunnyside City Council will be holding a workshop at 5:30 PM tonight to discuss hiring a new City Manager and Finance Director.  The workshop is not posted on the City’s website, nor is it mentioned in the agenda for tonight’s regular meeting of the Council.

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Sunnyside Council Inspired By Wrong “Footloose” Characters

Posted on July 12, 2009 by Jason R. Raines

The Sunnyside City Council is again taking up the idea of a moratorium, considering public input on a ban on caberet licenses that would facilitate dancing within the city limits.

Footloose Movie Poster

This reminds me of the 1984 movie “Footloose”, where a small western town banned certain types of music and dancing.  Kevin Bacon’s character leads opposition to the city’s ordinance, and in the end people are having fun and dancing to a best-selling soundtrack album.  Our Council should seek inspiration from those with spirit, and not seek to repress its townspeople.

The issues in Sunnyside do not seem to be inspired by religious zealotry, but have more to do with a general effort to “keep the peace” for those that like it quiet.  As someone who would rather stay at home and read a book than go out to a club or party, I can relate to that.  However, I also would like my friends and neighbors to be able to enjoy activities they find pleasurable as well.

Elvis doing the jailhouse rock!

Using the force of government to stamp out other people’s entertainment choices is an abuse.  This takes freedom away from others.  It is not morally right to put a blanket moratorium across the entire city because you personally don’t enjoy dancing.  Our City Council Members should consider that we have a diverse mix of people in our town, that enjoy a wide variety of activities.

At the same time, however, it is necessary for everyone to respect each other.  Feel free to dance the night away, but if the music is disturbing your neighbor, then you are taking away the freedom of your neighbor to enjoy some quiet time.

Instead of banning dancing in Sunnyside, we should consider how to address the issues that affect people.  The dancing is not what disturbs people.  Loud music playing late into the night is.  The Council should consider crafting a noise ordinance with escalating penalties to send a message that disturbing your neighbors will not be tolerated.

The Council can revise and update requirements for a caberet license and hold property owners responsible for what takes place at a dance hall they rent out.  If people police themselves, it would be better for all concerned.  This does not require a ban on dancing from the City Council.

You have a right to do what you want, as long as it does not infringe on the rights of others.  Banning dancing in the entire city is overkill.  The Council should focus on the real problems.  End the moratorium, but keep working to address the actual issues.

Filed under: Freedom Issues, Sunnyside Council, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , | Leave a Comment »

Obama Will Be A One Term President

Posted on July 9, 2009 by Jason R. Raines

Prediction: Obama will be a one term President.

According to Rasmussen Reports Obama’s approval rating is down to 51% (his lowest yet) and continuing to fall.  New jobless numbers are not helping him.

His gaff prone VP Joe Biden recently said that they “misjudged” the employment situation in the economy.  Really?  You mean the government stimulus and takeover of private industry is not having the outcome you thought it would?

On the other hand, some purist kool-aid drinkers are still in denial and saying we should allow more time for all the economic wizardry to work.  Right!  We should just have government continue to take over private industry (healthcare) and tax our very act of breathing (carbon tax), destroy our standard of living, and expect things will get better?

For freedom loving Americans, the prospect of Federal home inspectors coming into our houses without a warrant to check the energy efficiency of our windows is just a bit too much!  4th amendment anyone?

Another bill that will take away freedom of Americans if passed is HR 45.  It would require EVERY individual to have a FEDERAL firearms license in order to buy or sell a firearm!  This bill and others like it are attempts at gun control.  How many people with guns have a FEDERAL firearms license?  Not very many.  2nd amendment anyone?   What part of “shall not be infringed” do Obama and Congress not understand?

U.S. News and World Report is now reporting that Obama’s aids are saying that a second stimulus “might eventually be needed”.  Let’s see, the first stimulus was passed with Nancy Pelosi saying we would lose 500 million jobs if it did not become law!

We now have unemployment nearing double digits.  Some say we could add 5-10% to the unemployment figure if we don’t count newly created government jobs, and also the number of people looking for jobs that have accepted part-time employment.  That means the true unemployment figure could be as high as 15-20%.  What’s more disconcerting, is that the jobless numbers continue to increase!

Our recession will be more like the “Great Depression” the more the government tries to manipulate markets.  However, just like Mikhail Gorbachev, Obama and Congress seem hell-bent on maintaining this suicidal course.  Gorbachev was the last President of the Soviet Union.  He knew his country’s economy was bad.  However, he felt that if they just implemented the right kind of government reforms and programs they could fix it.  He was wrong.  His country collapsed, totally.

We know from history that government run centrally planned economies don’t work.  We also know, from our own history, that a free market capitalism can bring prosperity to our people.

I predict the expansion of government and accompanying efforts to take away American freedoms will drive Obama out of office at the end of his first term.  Time will tell…

Filed under: Economy, Freedom Issues, President Obama, Traditional Values, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

You Have Been Spotted!!

Posted on July 6, 2009 by Jason R. Raines

I got this in my e-mail and just had to share it here :)

You have been spotted!!

Filed under: President Obama, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , | 4 Comments »

New Transformers Movie Is Both Good And Disappointing

Posted on July 6, 2009 by Jason R. Raines

Yes, that’s right!  The new Transformers movie is both good and disappointing!  It is a great example of big budget blockbuster movies that typically get released during the summer months.  It has lots of action, great special effects, and as an added plus: generally decent acting.

I have been a fan of Transformers since the 1980’s when I would watch the cartoon series on TV.  I even had a few of the toys produced.  Since then, there have been spin-off series produced, which never quite matched the popularity of the original.

Now, we are treated to the live action Transformers movie franchise.  This sequel, subtitled “Revenge of the Fallen” is heavy on the action.  The movie keeps a quick pace all the way through until the end.  It has humor interjected, and not just from the human characters.  Wise-cracking robots also provide comic relief.

On the flip side, I am also disappointed in the new Transformers movie.

***SPOILER ALERT***

The movie was enjoyable for me to watch, but not something I would want to take my small children to see.  The off-color sexual jokes, and even the drug humor, are not what I want my four year old to see.

Yes, that’s right: drug humor!  In one scene, the mother is eating brownies made with marijuana, seemingly oblivious to what she is consuming.

There are some sexual references made in the new movie as well.  The main character, Sam, is starting college, so the movie makers seemed to take free license with interjecting lots of crude “Animal House” type of material.  There is even a “make out” scene with a beautiful woman, which turns out to be a killer robot.  This seems an awful lot like Terminator, and not Transformers, but o.k.

In another scene, a pair of robots called “The Twins” form an ice cream truck, with the bumper sticker saying “Suck My Popsicle” on the side.  It’s funny, but not age appropriate, in my opinion.

Why am I making a fuss over the content of the movie?  Because Transformers has been oriented towards children from its inception.  There is a new line of toys in local stores, based on the new PG-13 movie.

As much as I like the movie on a personal level, (and yes, even the South Park style humor), I am disappointed as a parent, that it was not made in a more family friendly manner.

I suspect many movie theater operators are also wishing it had been made more family friendly as well.  They make more on concession sales when both parents and children go to the shows.

Having said all that, it is a good movie overall.  Older children and adults will like it.  As for me, I would recommend keeping the little ones at home.

Filed under: Traditional Values, movies | Tagged: , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776

Posted on July 4, 2009 by Jason R. Raines

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,

This is how the Declaration of Independence starts.  This is the pivotal event that marks the reason for celebration today.  The signers of this document pledged more than just their signatures to this document.  By signing it, they pledged their entire lives and property to their beliefs.

By their willingness to give everything they had for their values, a new nation was born.

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

The crafting of this document was not like circulating a petition, or signing on for a voter initiative in modern society.  The signers of the Declaration were openly and defiantly challenging the government of their day, and declaring that their rights were not granted from their government, but derived from Natural Law.  Our rights are God-given.

Does revolutionary blood course through your veins?  Do you believe, as I do, that men (and women) have rights by virtue of their Creator, and that these rights exist whether written down in documents like the Declaration, or the Bill of Rights, or not?

As we sit back with our beverage of choice, enjoying barbecue, or a fireworks show, please join me in thanking our fore-fathers for giving us our separate and equal station among all the peoples of the world.

God Bless America!

Reference:

The National Archives: The Declaration of Independence

 

Filed under: Constitutional Issues, Freedom Issues, Traditional Values, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , | 2 Comments »

FEMA Tells Monroe, WA Mobile Home Residents To Move

Posted on July 1, 2009 by Jason R. Raines

Just a couple of quick notes here:

  • If you choose to live in a flood plain, that is a bad decision on your part.  Why do you expect the U.S. taxpayer to pay for your bad decisions?
  • We have spider-web like planning commissions, boundary-review boards, boards of adjustment, zoning ordinances, permitting procedures, and other bureaucratic hoops to jump through to before ever building any type of home at city, county, and state levels of government.  How do homes ever get built in a flood plain to begin with?
  • Why do local governments expect a Federal agency to come to their aid, after allowing homes to be built in a flood plain?

About 100 people live in a mobile home park on the Snohomish River in Monroe.  The Federal Emergency Management Agency is telling them they need to move.  The mobile homes are in an area that floods EVERY year.

Developers should exercise some responsibility and not build in flood prone areas.  The local government has a responsibility to exercise some common sense before allowing said developers to build in flood prone areas.

Why in the world is the United States Government involved in what is clearly a LOCAL issue???

Folks, we don’t need Uncle Sam to take care of us.  Given FEMA’s track record on emergency response, why would anyone want their assistance?

We can make decisions for ourselves.  If we make bad decisions, we should not expect someone else’s tax dollars to pay for our mistakes.  We need to take responsibility for our own personal decisions, as well as our own local government decisions.

The federal government offers flood insurance to people who choose to live in flood plains, as well as those that live in beachfront homes.  Those people should live with the consequences of their decisions, and not expect a government bailout.  There is a reason why the private flood insurance companies would not write policies in these areas.  The government takeover of flood insurance is not justified as a response.  Also, as these Monroe residents are finding out, a helping hand is also a controlling hand.

The founding fathers did not want this type of centralized government control over the everyday lives of individual Americans.  Where you choose to live is your personal choice.  At most, local government, if necessary, can regulate development within its jurisdictions.

We can and should make decisions on development at a local level.  We don’t need FEMA, HUD, FAA, EPA, Department of the Interior, Department of Agriculture, Transportation, Commerce, Department of Education, or Homeland Security approval for development decisions.

Reference:

The Seattle Times: FEMA: Monroe mobile homes in flood plain must go

Filed under: Constitutional Issues, Freedom Issues, Traditional Values, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Carbon Is Natural And Necessary

Posted on June 30, 2009 by Jason R. Raines

Carbon is both natural and necessary for our survival.  We are carbon based life forms.  Plants breathe carbon dioxide and depend on it for their survival.  There is a carbon cycle necessary for life on our planet to continue.

The new cap and trade carbon tax scheme recently passed by the U.S. House of Representatives is an insidious tax plan, and a huge government power grab.  The statists, primarily Democrats with a handful of Republicans, want to insert more government control over your lives.

Do you use electricity in your home?  You will pay more for it.  Do you use gasoline or diesel in your vehicles or farm equipment?  You will pay more for it.  Do you buy food and other products at a retail store?  You will pay more for the lights to be on at the store, and more for the freight to get products there.

Has your home been inspected and rated by government environmental regulators?  Under the new cap and trade plan, you will not be able to sell your home unless your drafty windows and doors have received a seal of approval from a political appointee.

I believe in the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  After securing the fundamental right to exist, the next thing I want is for government to simply leave me alone.  I don’t want your inspectors telling me what I need to do in order to sell my home.  Let me work out a deal with a prospective buyer.  If there are any deficiencies, I am sure the buyer will ask for a discounted price.  That is how negotiations are done, deals are made, and contracts written.  Between the buyer and the seller.  It does not require a political appointee to insert himself in the middle.

The proposed cap and trade system of government carbon credits will benefit the politcally well connected.  Wall Street will make money on transaction fees from the “trading”.  Companies that are given credits (in a political process, not a market process) will do well.  Those that can buy enough credits to continue doing business may survive.  The rest will cease to exist.  Despite this, the politicians that passed this are saying it will actually create jobs!

The author, Thomas Woods, recently said that cap and trade will create jobs in the same sense that burning down every other house in the neighborhood will: claiming that the reconstruction will spur growth in the economy while ignoring the cost.

Hopefully the Senate will kill this bad bill.  Cap and trade has not produced the promised results when it was implemented in Spain, and it won’t here either.

Watch the new Heritage Foundation video about Cap and Trade:

Filed under: Constitutional Issues, Economy, Freedom Issues, President Obama, Republican Party, US Senate, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments »

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