FLAGBEARERS: (Left to right) Mike Krake, Don Gabriele, Rotary President Bryan Higgins and Jim Jickess hold one of the Rotary’s American flags from the Fly the Flag program in June.
John Cutlip – Assistant Editor
STRUTHERS – “These colors don’t run.”
One has probably seen this or similar pro-American slogans on bumpers or Facebook walls, but a longtime Struthers organization is making their point with actions, not words.
Struthers Rotary President Bryan Higgins said the club is leaving up the 320 flags that were placed around town as part of their “Fly the Flag” program instead of taking them down as scheduled on Sept. 11.
The reason: Anti-American protests in the Middle East. News outlets have reported widespread flag burning as one of the primary demonstrations.
In his own “small way,” Higgins wanted to show support for the country he loves during these trying times, he said.
And the country has taken it on the chin recently.
On Sept. 11, the 11th anniversary of the tragic attacks on the World Trade Center, U.S. Ambassador John Christopher Stevens was killed along with three others when a mob of protestors attacked the U.S. consulate in Libya.
The protesters allegedly were outraged over a film that defamed the prophet Muhammed, a key figure in Islam.
Higgins said he came to his decision after watching violent protesters burning American flags around the world on television Thursday, Sept. 13.
“The can burn our flag,” he wrote in an e-mail to fellow Rotarians, “but we will put up another, and another and another.”
He added that the flags will be up for an undetermined extended period – possibly until Veterans Day in November. This will be in spite of the added wear and tear from leaving them in the weather.
“We will end up replacing more than expected,” he wrote in the e-mail, “but I feel like we have an obligation to stand up and lead in this instance.”
Boy Scouts from Struthers Troop 101 are responsible for putting the flags up and taking them down around town.
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