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For the last 9 years there has been an e-mail of one version or another floating around the World Wide Web about a supposed edict about Flag lapel pins. The most common version is as follows:

"ABC News Bans Flag Lapel Pins


Yesterday, the brass at ABC News issued orders forbidding reporters to wear lapel pin American flags or other patriotic insignia. Their reasoning was that ABC should remain neutral about "causes".

Since when is support for preventing our death &; destruction some sort of a “cause”? Since when is patriotism to be discouraged. I urge you to boycott ABC and its sponsors and affiliates. And those that advertise with them.

We’re slowly losing everything our country stands for, and everything our men and women fought and died to preserve."

It should be noted that this statement was made within a few days of the attacks on 9-11-2001.

Before I go any further with this discussion, I want to make some things very clear. I am not a right-wing conservative, nor am I a left-wing liberal (Notice I did not capitalize these labels, I really don't think they deserve it). I am an American who loves his Country and has sworn to honor, respect and defend the Flag and the Country and Constitution it represents. This excludes those simple minded, power hungry, money grubbing, egotistical politicians who have led this Wonderful Country in the wrong direction many times.


Going back to the e-mail: This e-mail is only partly true. It is true that ABC made a "suggestion" that they not do this. And they gave some feeble excuses as the reasons behind it. (You can find these by using Google).

Long before 9-11-2001, it was and is still the same policy of MOST of the major networks. To single out ABC is unfair. Any and All of the news organizations (or any other organization) who do such things, should be exposed and revealed to the American public.

We all know that the networks make their money from their advertisers who sponsor their programs and the more viewers they have, the more money they can charge the advertisers. So, to increase the numbers of viewers they cover and feature all types of fringe elements, perversions, and crack-pots who don't deserve to be recognized. But, they improve ratings - Showing love, respect, honor and loyalty for their country doesn't.

In case the networks have forgotten, Tim Russert wore a red, white and blue pin on the air, and his news show was the most popular news show and faraway outdistanced the others.

I believe that such a policy by the news companies, is a slap in the face to every American family whose father, mother, husband, wife, son and daughter donned a uniform and/or  died for this Great Country. They should make a very public apology for it.

I do not wear any pin of any kind. Nor do I wear any kind of jewelry. In the front of my house, you will find the American Flag flying in all of its glory, as it has wherever I have lived for over 40 years, and God help the individual or group who tries to make me take it down, If it comes down, it will be after I have departed from this world

I do not think that you have to wear any type of pin, or fly the American Flag to show your patriotism. Many Americans do it in other ways, every day of the year. What I do insist on, that every American who chooses to do so, should not, and can not be prevented from expressing their loyalty and love for their Country in these ways.

Should I really care about the welfare of the news networks ?