A little etiquette goes a long way when Old Glory passes

A little etiquette goes a long way when Old Glory passes
EDITOR:
During the recent holiday festivities, I have watched as the surge of patriotism brought on by the tragedy of Sept. 11th continues. It is gratifying to see that the love of our freedom and our country is still foremost in our hearts and minds. I have also watched with interest the debates about those who wish to protest by burning the symbol of our freedom, our nation's flag. The emotional comments from many people have shown such a deep and abiding respect for our Old Glory that it tends to warm the heart.
So can anyone explain, in these days of renewed patriotism, love of country and love of our Grand Old Flag, why very few people at the local parades respect it enough (or are knowledgeable enough) to get up off their chairs and stand when the colors pass by? Or better yet, stop yelling at their children, munching their sandwiches or talking on their cell phones for the 45 seconds it takes for the honor guard to walk that 15 foot span in front of them? And I am talking about perfectly healthy, able-bodied folks who apparently do know or understand what proper flag etiquette is. While we're at it, when the veterans -- many in their 70s and 80s -- are out there in the heat in full uniform walking that one or two mile route, wouldn't it be a nice touch to also show a sign of respect and thanks for the sacrifices they made so the rest of us can spend the day relaxing in freedom? No, it is not required, but wouldn't it be nice?
For future reference, when the flag passes by, all persons who are physically able to should stand. Those in uniform should salute. Civilians or those not in uniform should stand straight and women should place their right hand over their hearts. Men should remove their hats with their right hand and place the hat just below the left shoulder, thus also having their right hands over their hearts.
And while we're on the topic, the same procedure applies when the Star-Spangled Banner is sung. Does anyone but me think it is a shame that when the national anthem is announced, Americans now have to be told to stand up and men told to remove their hats? And for some reason, many people seem to feel that only applies if you have already found your seat. It should be second nature to stop walking, stop talking, or stop whatever you are doing and show some respect when the strains of our anthem begin.
CATHY GUYAN
Youngstown
When neighbors are zoned differently, questions arise
EDITOR:
On June 23, the Hermitage commissioners voted 4-1 not to rezone my property on North Hermitage Road from institutional to commercial. I find it odd that three of the four commissioners who voted against the rezoning approved the rezoning of other properties in the immediate area four years ago. Was this change in their voting fair and impartial?
Some questions were raised about the proximity of my property to the schools. Park Place Plaza, which was rezoned by many of the same commissioners, is located with schools on two sides. Some of these same commissioners also voted for the continuation of this commercial area north to the school drive. On my property, located on the north side of the drive, it would be impossible to construct a building near the school due to natural buffers and city ordinances. The "too close to the school" argument seems weak.
One commissioner wished that an agreement had been reached with the schools concerning additional restrictions for this property. In a May 5 letter to the school board president, I offered to restrict the use of the property as the other commercial property owners in that area had previously done. Atty. McKay (the school solicitor), when asked about this matter, stated that the school board chose to ignore it. Only Commissioner White saw the discrimination in voting to approve certain properties for commercial use and excluding my property located in the same area.
Having grown up on this property, graduated from Hickory High School and lived in Hermitage, I would never sell this property unless it would be a benefit to the community and especially to our children and grandchildren.
LUANN FRANKLIN
Hermitage, Pa.
Slug a peacenik for the USA
EDITOR:
"Have you slapped a pacifist today? If not, get to it." writes Dave Shiflett in The Women's Quarterly. Protesting a war half a world away in some remote jungle is one thing. Having our buildings destroyed in New York City is quite another. Hunters know that if you wound an animal he becomes very dangerous. You must follow a wounding with a kill. We wounded Saddam Hussein and walked away in 1991.
I was a peacenik ever since Vietnam. I swallowed whole the sophistry that war is nothing but a breakdown in diplomacy. Surely reasonable people could just get together and talk it out. But there is a flaw in this view; the flaw lies in the fact that NOBODY is willing to play the loser. So, there is no alternative other than outright war. Think about it. There'd have been no America without war. Only a war could have freed us from ties to Britain. And it took a Civil War to hold the United States together as one country. It took a World War to free the world of those European thugs, Stalin, Hitler, Mussolini and Franco.
So we created the United Nations to keep the peace, but even the U.N. just sat there, paralyzed by its own charter which makes every nation equal to every other, therefore rendering it impotent in this world crisis. No one nation has the single leadership required of an hierarchy, a glaring example of what Madison warned about in eschewing an absolute democracy at our founding. With the U.N., no leader has the deciding vote; it's total equality for all members. Madison was so learned, steeped in the classics, especially Greek, Roman and British history he knew absolute democracy can't work.
At our peril we ignored the dread fact that the barbarians are always at the gates So I repeat: Have you slapped a pacifist today? If not, get to it.
NATALIE HAYES
Brookfield
Your money or your life?
EDITOR:
I am amazed that Pennsylvania passed a law that allows motorcycle riders to ride without helmets. We who are riding in a car with roof and doors around us and airbags are made to wear seatbelts even if we do not want to. This is really crazy!
All the states that have seatbelt laws should have helmet laws if they are worried about saving lives. This makes me think it is just a way of getting money from people if they don't wear seatbelts.
DEANNA M. DUNN
Youngstown