Last Monday, Western Howard County Delegates Warren Miller and Gail Bates introduced a bill that would direct the Maryland State Highway Administration to “establish a permit program allowing individuals and organizations to display a United States flag on state–owned circular islands at the center of a traffic roundabout.”
Not coincidentally, last month a Western Howard County family, the Winklers, held a “patriotic rally” in Woodbine for the right to display a United States flag on a state-owned circular island at the center of a traffic roundabout.
The Winklers, and their hastily formed nonprofit, “United Patriots of Maryland,” had attracted attention from local (Howard County Times) to national (Fox and Friends) media over a dispute with the State Highway Administration (SHA) concerning the right to fly a flag at a Woodbine traffic circle.
The family had maintained a flag in the circle for more than three years, finally culminating in the installation of a full-on cemented-in flag pole and the trimming of nearby non-flag-supporting fauna. SHA found the sudden and unexpected sprouting of a potentially dangerous hazard troubling, and removed the entire apparatus.
Fox News screamed “State Says American Flag Violates Law,” which, of course, is not really what the state said at all. With all the attention, the Winklers soon had a pro bono lawyer preparing that most American of responses, a lawsuit.
Rhonda Winkler vowed to fight until the flag flew over a nondescript traffic circle, in support of the “military” and “armed forces.”
“I'm proud of what we are doing and what we're standing up for," she told theHoward County Times.
We were presumed to be standing for more than just one roadside flag.
Now, with the introduction of HB 132, our long national nightmare is over. Assuming it passes both chambers of the Maryland General Assembly, soon the Winklers will have the ability to apply for a permit, pay a small fee, and, thanks to the Winkler Rule (my name), fly roundabout flags to their hearts’ content.
The “problem,” such as it is, has been addressed. The birth of bureaucracy, before our very eyes, allows our well-oiled patriotic machine to roll on. The able elected representatives of the offended family are to be commended for seeing a problem—and its attendant media attention—and taking action to quell the well-covered controversy.
But what, exactly, has been accomplished by this sudden sturm und drang? Are veterans better supported by their community, their state? Has justice returned to Woodbine?
Imagine, perhaps, if a quarter of that time, effort and expense had been spent instead on behalf of an established veterans' advocacy organization. (Team RWBis my personal mission, but there are many others.) Likewise, imagine if Chili’s donated half the amount it usually gives away in free meals on Veterans Day to the Wounded Warrior Project (knowing, of course, that the cost won’t be offset by vets' families’ meals or drinks or desserts).
Imagine if instead of planting a flagpole on someone else’s property, the Winklers had built a ramp for a recently returned wounded vet. Imagine if instead of raising some overblown alarm, Fox had spent some time reporting on the need for improved PTSD care.
While Woodbine and the SHA were squaring off, Ron Paul brought a uniformed Army corporal onto stage in Iowa, in violation of both well-established and well-known military regulation and campaigning propriety.
Yesterday, a former Navy SEAL wrote an Op-Ed in the Wall Street Journalcondemning the release of operational details by politicians, stating: “It is infuriating to see political gain put above the safety and security of our brave warriors and our long-term strategic goals. Loose lips sink ships.”
All of this may seem a long way from Woodbine and one flag-flying. Still, all are ultimately self-aggrandizing actions taken in the name of “supporting”—without any real support offered—some nebulous concept of the military or patriotism. Everyone wants their piece of the troops, to add an imprimatur of military support to their own personal message. What they don’t seem to want, however, is to labor for those who truly need their help, to work without notice and without widespread recognition.
So now Maryland traffic circles join car dealerships, Chick-fil-As and Ralph Lauren in their right to fly the American flag. With that task accomplished, I ask that everyone who “fought” for this, everyone who waved a flag or muttered about government incompetence, to take an afternoon and help a vet find a job. Help your elderly neighbors with their chores. Do something beyond the symbolic. For that, your country will be in your debt.
Fox News, though, may not come calling.
Ohai
12:02 pm on Friday, February 3, 2012
OMG, are you serious?
TomP
5:16 pm on Saturday, February 4, 2012
This has to be the most unbelievable diatribe of reactionary uninformed nonsense I have read in a long time! Obviously, the author knows nothing of the residents of Woodbine or more specifically of the Winkler family. If he or she had taken the time to become at least partially informed about the residents of this outpost of Howard County and its residents it might have become apparent that those of us that have had the privilege to live in this marvelous corner of the world take our patriotic symbols very seriously and are concerned when the expression of that feeling is trampled by some bureaucrat.
TomP
5:16 pm on Saturday, February 4, 2012
The issue of the flag being displayed in OUR circle (the writer should recognize that the piece of land in question is maintained by the state of Maryland for the citizens of the state, not for the express use of the bureaucracy) stems from the grotesguely and illegal manner in which a previously displayed flag was removed. The response of the community had nothing whatsoever to do with Fox News or any other media coverage. Those of us that live in the Woodbine/Lisbon area will frequently react rather strongly to those that disrespect our national symbols!
TomP
5:17 pm on Saturday, February 4, 2012
The author of this senseless diatribe also seems to simply assume that those who protest about this disrespect to our flag are not actively engaged in any number of other supportive activities of our veterans. I find that personally insulting! I wonder if the author of this nonsense ever wore the uniform of the nation or does he or she simply wish to cower behind the umbrella provided by the constitution that some of us volunteered to support with military service so that the rights were secured for such individuals? I would suggest that the Winklers and most of the rest of the supporters of this effort have and continue to support our troops in many ways that the original author can not even imagine.
Flying the flag of the nation is a privilege secured for all by those that have served the nation. To suggest that insisting on the right to do so on a state owned parcel of land is somehow "self-aggrandizing" is incredibly insulting to those that have worked for this effort. Self-aggrandization accrues far more to the author of this piece of crap than to the Winklers and those that are behind this effort to establish the presence of a patriotic symbol.
Stephanie Stull
9:46 pm on Saturday, February 4, 2012
What absolute dribble. Perhaps if the author of this mindless diatribe had made any attempt to ascertain the facts and history of this story, he may have understood the reason behind the actions taken. I have known the Winkler and Patrick families for almost 40 years. They are some of the most selfless, giving, supportive, hardworking families that I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. How dare you suggest that the actions were ultimately self-aggrandizing actions taken in the name of “supporting”—without anyreal support offered—some nebulous concept of the military or patriotism."
Did you take any time to speak with the Winkler family? Did you take any time to find out what their support of the community and the military has been? Did you happen to understand that this "[protest" happened on the weekend that the nephew of the Winklers was coming home from serving our country? And happened to be about 3 weeks before the Lisbon Fire Department showed their respect to another member of the military coming home, in a hearse, being driving down Route 70 to his final resting place. The members took time out of their day of fighting fires and running EMS calls to fly the flag and salute the hearse. No, they weren't offering donations to veterans AT THAT MOMENT but I wonder what the author of this drivel was doing when the hearse went down 70. Was he at Chik Fil-A having a sandwich? Because that's ok if he was. But he missed his moment to say thank you.
Stephanie Stull
10:20 pm on Saturday, February 4, 2012
And by the way, yes, it was totally worth it.
debb
11:13 am on Sunday, February 5, 2012
I have never responded to a newspaper article until now. It's truly offensive that you write an article about our community and it's hard working residents questioning our integrity. You asked that we who have "fought" for the right to fly the flag to do something beyond symbolic? We support our community by doing fundraisers and service to our local churches and fire company, doing projects with our local youth through 4-H, Scouts, and sports programs, visiting /helping neighbors and family, supporting other causes/ non profits that are dear to us. We also do things to support our military by sending care packages, cards to those who are deployed, visits to Walter Reed Hospital and yes we fight to have the right to proudly display and fly the American Flag.We don't mutter we respond with help.Our community is very proud of Rhonda Patrick Winkler. I will mutter this to you, "Our country needs more Rhonda's ".
TomP
11:59 am on Sunday, February 5, 2012
I wonder of Mr. Mayotte has ver been to Lisbon or Wodbine, or does he simply run around Elkridge at 5:30 in the morning. Great way to meet your neighbors and get to know them! Come on out west TJ and we'll show you what Howard county is really all about.