Whitehall, Pa. Vets upset with Mayor Ed Hozza for taking down the POW/MIA flag (What are your thoughts on this issue?)

2015-05-12T20:56:23-04:00

Whitehall, PA vets are angry at Mayor Ed Hozza
Jonn Lilyea | May 12, 2015
For some stupid reason, Mayor Ed Hozza decided that Whitehall Township, Pennsylvania needed a Syrian flag raising on public property. To accomplish that, he took the POW/MIA flag down from the pole and raised the Syrian national flag in it’s place. The article at WFMZ doesn’t explain why that was particularly important at the time, but they are rather graphic about the anger that resulted at a township commissioners meeting last night when veterans confronted the mayor;
Some called for Hozza to resign.
One man claimed he violated federal laws.
Another compared him to “Hanoi Jane,” a name given to actress Jane Fonda, who will never be forgiven by many vets for what they consider her traitorous visit to North Vietnam during the Vietnam War.

Township resident Kevin Seyfried declared the only time the POW/MIA flag is allowed to come down “is when all 88,000 POWs and MIAs return home.” He also maintained no other flag is allowed to fly on the same pole as the American flag. And he said the U.S. State Department considers Syria a terrorist-supporting country — yet its flag was placed underneath the American flag at the April 18 program.

Seyfried asked township commissioners to take formal action so the POW flag “never comes down again.” He also wanted “a public apology from all who were involved on April 18 to POWs, MIAs, their families, the veterans, the people of this township and the men and women serving our country today.” Seyfried was loudly cheered and applauded.

The article goes on for five more pages. But it looks to me like veterans in Whitehall have a handle on this. Some of them, it is pointed out in the article, wore motorcycle club vests – so, oh, so scary veterans were there.

I’m just curious as to why the mayor decided to raise the Syrian flag in Pennsylvania.
Township resident Nidal Yacoub also apologized, saying there was no intention to insult anyone by having the flag raising. “If what we did caused any insult to anybody, we do apologize,” said Yacoub. “We respect the troops, we respect the veterans. “We come from Syria, but we’re American. We live here now. We don’t like to insult anybody. Accept our apology if that caused any harm to anyone of you.”

Yeah, well, just coming from somewhere doesn’t justify raising a flag from that place on US government property. And why the mayor would think it wouldn’t piss off people is beyond me. He should be removed from office just because of his poor judgement.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 12 at 2015 8:55 PM

2015-05-12T20:55:16-04:00

BS. And naturally we will have liberals defend this.. probably it was fox news...lol

Response by SSG (ret) William Martin made May 12 at 2015 8:58 PM

2015-05-12T20:58:51-04:00

Ed Hozza sounds like a little b***h. Someone is going to take down that rag and burn it.

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made May 12 at 2015 9:07 PM

2015-05-12T21:07:33-04:00

Beyond words that are allowed on RP.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made May 12 at 2015 10:21 PM

2015-05-12T22:21:37-04:00

I can't conceive of a reason why anyone would think this was a good idea.
Beyond comprehension to do so with no explanation.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 12 at 2015 10:28 PM

2015-05-12T22:28:20-04:00

Future Darwin Award winner?

Response by LTC Stephen C. made May 12 at 2015 11:52 PM

2015-05-12T23:52:34-04:00

Poor judgment, SGT Private RallyPoint Member, very poor judgment.

Response by PO1 John Miller made May 13 at 2015 6:29 AM

2015-05-13T06:29:49-04:00

So did they take the fracking thing down???