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Floyd Bennett Field: Let All Flags Fly
New York, NY - CartLegger - Sunday, June 24th, 2007 : goo
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Community Gardens are an oasis in the fabric of the city. They dot formerly vacant lots and open spaces across the city.
The biggest community garden is at Floyd Bennett Field at far edge of Brooklyn, on Jamaica Bay. It is their that 500 community gardens nuzzle up just off of the old tarmac.
Their verdant acreage of these little plots is a patchwork tribute to individual expression.
But some voices may go to far in the eyes of the authorities.
Joe Bonserio is proud of his flag and its statement on the current state of America. The former Vietnam vet, who has been tending his plot for 9 years, raised the ire of national parks police with this Corporate States of America Flag. After flying for three years, it was taken down without his knowledge. He was given a $75 ticket for “demonstrating without a permit”.
After an article in the NY Daily News, www.nydailynews.com/boroughs/brooklyn/2007/05/17/2007-05-17_park_cops_fine_vet_take_down_protest_fla-1_print.html
, Joe got his flag back and the summons thrown out.
Its is flying again now, but the local guys at the US Parks Police have not given up their grudge against Joe. “This guy has something personal against me”, he said of Officer Norman of the US parks police, who started this whole thing back on May 4th when ripped down the flag.
The Parks Police are now trying to get an ordinance passed that would effectively bar flying flags over Gardens. But Joe is attuned to the fact that his is not the only flag flying at Floyd Bennett.
“They are trying to divide us” he says of this latest tactic by the US Parks Police, “to make me the bad guy because I am taking this stand”.
Joe’s flag still flies, and his garden still grows. And that won’t change anytime soon.
If you’d like one for yourself, go to: //secure.adbusters.org/orders/flag/
This article has been viewed 2113 times in the last 33 months
jack: 25th Jun 2007 - 00:41 GMT
its all about freedom of expression, since there are no stars on the flag it is not a real american flag, many nam vets are still upset with the way america changed its views on the war and left the men of the armed forces branded as druggies, drunks, rapists and killers of children and women. the few bad instances were blown out of proportion by the media's quest for sensational news and the young men in the draft system wanted to just have fun and so the war became a political football with young college grads in three piece suits running the war from behind their safe desks and lbj listening to them, and increasing the men in nam and at the same time restricting the advances of the gi's and no bombing of hanoi, and why, because they were our allies in the wwii and we really should not have been there, but the damage was out of control, the soldiers lost heart, jane (hanoi) fonda the traitor and others were using the war as a stepping stone for political purposes, as usual, and the hell with the young men and women serving our country. when i came home from overseas i was embarrassed to be seen in uniform.
Trudy: 28th Jun 2007 - 01:30 GMT
There are not enough criminals for the National Park Police to catch - so they have to justify their jobs. Taking Joes Flag must have made their quota of tickets to be issued. The way of a bureaucracy (our government) is people at work - getting a paycheck - and having to justify why they have a job. Tax dollars at work!
Good Luck Joe - Hope you continue being a PIA!
Carol: 28th Jun 2007 - 18:56 GMT
Joe has the right to express his feelings. Citizens have the right to disagree. Free speech does not include only what we WANT to hear and see. Removing that "flag" only made Joe's opinion find more ears and eyes. I personally would like to thank the National Park Police for helping Joe reach more people with his message! Good luck Joe. Keep fighting the fight for all of us.
sageo: 17th Dec 2007 - 23:53 GMT
great article ,thank god for people like joe..the parks dept should be embarresed with themselves.. thank god for the new york daily news report..goe joe go!!god bless my republic called america!!!
Peter: 21st Apr 2008 - 17:15 GMT
somehow, i missed this post the first time around... nice. i wonder how the gardens are looking this spring, and if joe is still flying his flag?
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