An ex-soldier took issue with a tattered flag flying above a

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Tory_canuck
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09 Jun 2009, 10:34 am

An ex-soldier took issue with a tattered flag flying above a city high school and was told nothing could be done about it
By MICHAEL PLATT

Last Updated: 9th June 2009
They finally hauled it down yesterday afternoon, the threadbare, tattered shame of Calgary's public school system.

But out of sight doesn't mean out of mind, and the question remains.

Why was the Maple Leaf over Ernest Manning high school allowed to deteriorate into a pitiful scrap, fluttering for two years as an emblem of neglect?

"The flag is down right now -- the flag is going to be replaced tomorrow," said Ted Flitton, spokesman for the Calgary Board of Education.

Thus, decisive action, following an inexplicable stretch of disregard -- a spell of apathy so long that the flag was barely recognizable.

Indeed, Canada's glory was literally hanging by a thread when last seen above southwest Calgary yesterday.

Such is the power wielded by a highly-peeved member of the public; in this case, an ex-soldier named Paul Hughes, who served four years with the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry.

Hughes drives by Ernest Manning high every day, and for the past few months he's become increasingly annoyed by the horrendous flag flying atop the school's main staff.

"I think it's obscene -- it's a slap in the face to everybody, and it's maybe the worst flag I've ever seen," said Hughes.

"You might as well put a dish rag up there."

And so he did what any outraged citizen should -- he called the school, trying to get the eyesore removed.

Instead of action, Hughes got excuses.

"The receptionist told me, we've been trying to get someone to change it for two years, and the principal said, that's right, two years, but we can't do it," he said.

"To me it's ludicrous. How do you look at our national flag for two years, and not do something about it -- those children are our future leaders, and this is the standard we set for them?"

Hughes volunteered to buy the school a flag, and to remove the old one with help of some old army buddies.

When that didn't work, he called the Sun.

And Ernest Manning suddenly found a way to remove the flag.

"The pulley was stuck and it couldn't be raised or lowered, though they tried several times," said Flitton, speaking for the school board after officials at Ernest Manning declined to comment.

Nothing like public scrutiny to grease the wheels of a wedged pulley. And so, a new flag rises, and the sun sets on the controversy.

Not so fast, school board.

While the students of Manning might stare in wonder at their spanking new flag, there'll be no such luck for pupils across the city.

An informal scouting mission conducted by the Sun shows that while Manning's mangled flag was an exceptional example of Maple Leaf abuse, it is by no means the only school with a tattered ensign up its staff.

Just a few blocks away, a junior high flies one frayed by wind, and it's not alone.

At public schools across Calgary, there's clearly no standard for replacing old flags, and many schools display Maple Leafs which are well past their best.

Instead of showing students a proud symbol of Canada, the Calgary Board of Education allows schools to fly flags which are faded and ripped.

It's a disgrace, but there's no rule forcing schools to follow the standard set by Heritage Canada: "When a flag becomes tattered and is no longer in a suitable condition for use, it should be destroyed in a dignified way by burning it privately."

Flitton confirms schools have no incentive to replace ragged standards.

"I don't think the policy covers that -- it'd be the principal's decision," he said.

With budgets barely covering the cost of books, it's no surprise that Canada's symbol gets the shaft.

Principals can hardly be blamed for putting education before the national ensign.

But the school board has a responsibility to the children it educates -- and that should include teaching them to honour their country.

Make a rule about disposing of old flags, supply them to schools as needed, and never again allow a rag like Ernest Manning's to sully this city's skyline.

There's a fourth 'R' which the Calgary Board of Education must embrace, along with the traditional triad of reading, writing and arithmetic.

It's called respect.

http://www.calgarysun.com/news/columnis ... 1-sun.html



legionsdad
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09 Jun 2009, 12:00 pm

This effects anyone who fought with a patch on there shoulder.
Disablied US paratrooper.



Masuna
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09 Jun 2009, 1:22 pm

Paul Hughes is a National HERO ! ! I often see tattered flags and am really disgusted by it ! ! Why the total disrespect? Does anyone care? Well Paul Hughes does ! ! and me too ! !


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mark2410
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09 Jun 2009, 2:35 pm

a flag is just a bit of cloth, who cares?

(certainly no one outside north america)



legionsdad
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09 Jun 2009, 2:55 pm

Yet you enjoy freedom. That's funny to me.



silentbob15
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09 Jun 2009, 3:38 pm

Makes me so proud living in Calgary, bloody city hall is more concerned with raising taxes or
giving themselves raises then honoring our country and flag, Paul Hughes is defiantly a hero.



legionsdad
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09 Jun 2009, 3:45 pm

legionsdad wrote:
Yet you enjoy freedom. That's funny to me.


mark2410, sorry. Didn't mean that how it came out. Am a disablied vet, that's having a bad day.



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09 Jun 2009, 5:48 pm

All Canadian schools fly the national flag, do they? 8O

British ones don't fly the union flag.



Tory_canuck
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10 Jun 2009, 4:11 am

EnglishLulu wrote:
All Canadian schools fly the national flag, do they? 8O

British ones don't fly the union flag.


I have yet to see one that doesn't. Every City Hall, school, and such, fly the Canadian Flag.


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Tory_canuck
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10 Jun 2009, 4:21 am

Image


This is the flag flying in my avator, and it is also the flag I have on my bedroom wall.It is the Red Ensign...Canada's old flag before the maple leaf.


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10 Jun 2009, 4:23 am

mark2410 wrote:
a flag is just a bit of cloth, who cares?

(certainly no one outside north america)


Yes those were my thoughts. I will never understand why flags (or patriotism in general) are so popular. Why are people proud of the fact they have been born in a particular geographical location?



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10 Jun 2009, 6:58 am

I not a fan of nationalism to be honest, but if you are going to have a flag it make sense to look after it.

Being a diplomat’s son, I'm used to how they used to raise and take down the flag every day. Especially the Ghurkha guards in Angola. They would take it down and fold it in one motion.



Masuna
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10 Jun 2009, 8:50 am

Saspie wrote:
mark2410 wrote:
a flag is just a bit of cloth, who cares?

(certainly no one outside north america)


Yes those were my thoughts. I will never understand why flags (or patriotism in general) are so popular. Why are people proud of the fact they have been born in a particular geographical location?
Well, How about you check out the other countrys of the world ! ! If your not proud of what your people have accomplished, Why not try farming in Zimbabwe?


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10 Jun 2009, 9:06 am

Masuna wrote:
Saspie wrote:
mark2410 wrote:
a flag is just a bit of cloth, who cares?

(certainly no one outside north america)


Yes those were my thoughts. I will never understand why flags (or patriotism in general) are so popular. Why are people proud of the fact they have been born in a particular geographical location?
Well, How about you check out the other countrys of the world ! ! If your not proud of what your people have accomplished, Why not try farming in Zimbabwe?


Well I would not like to live in Zimbabwe but there are other countries than Australia I prefer. Such as in Western Europe. I think you have missed my point though. I am relatively happy with living in the country I was born in but why would I be proud of the fact I was born there? I had no control over the place of my birth so I find it odd that people get a sense of pride about it. Also I do not tend to be proud of other people's achievements as those are their achievements and not my own so why would I be proud of them? Also when you say "your people" what do you mean? I do not think the other people in my country are "my people" but rather people who happen to live in close geographical proximity to me. That does not mean I should priorities their needs over say, farmers in Zimbabwe.



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10 Jun 2009, 6:49 pm

I really take issue with this nationalism or nothing attitude. Nationalism isn't the and end all. People value different things, people might feel closer to their local town than their country as a whole. You don't have to show such as strong affinity to a particular land to be a citizen. Zimbabwe is actually an example of nationalism being used to exploit the people.

Also while there were struggles, nationalism also tends to involve a lot of false/exaggerated history and or legend.

You might feel you forefathers fought for something, but don’t forget there was also a fair amount of ill gotten gains, which gave you country a leg up and set the bar for standard of life, be it indirectly or not. You may try to divorce yourself from it but it happened.

I’m not saying be apologist, I would be against this. It is not your fault you weren’t there. However be rational. Countries go through different development paths. It is real easy to say X country should just follow our ideals over night then it will be hunky dory.

Also from a solders point of view, nowadays it quite common for them to say they don't do it for the flag or the queen, etc. They just like the challenge.