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California city snubs president, victims of Pearl Harbor

December 10, 2012

By KAREN VELIE

San Luis Obispo staffers accuse city officials of snubbing the president, the “greatest generation,” and victims of Pearl Harbor after they ordered employees to raise flags lowered in honor of Pearl Harbor patriots to full-staff.

President Barack Obama proclaimed December 7 as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day to honor “the most devastating attacks ever to befall the American people.”

“We mark this anniversary by honoring the patriots who perished more than seven decades ago, extending our thoughts and prayers to the loved ones they left behind and showing our gratitude to a generation of service members who carried our nation through some of the 20th century’s darkest moments,” the proclamation says.

“I encourage all” organizations in America “to fly the flag of the United States at half-staff in honor of those American patriots who died as a result of their service at Pearl Harbor.”

After it was discovered that some San Luis Obispo staffers placed flags at half-staff following Obama’s proclamation, city management ordered the flags raised to the top of the poles, claiming only Mayor Jan Marx and the city council are permitted to order city owned U.S. flags flown at half-staff.

However, U.S. policy says only presidents and state governors can decide when and how long the U.S. flag should be flown at half-staff. These proclamations generally honor the deaths of high-ranking federal officials or servicemen who have lost their lives protecting the United States of America.

Nevertheless, San Luis Obispo city policy allows elected city officials to refuse a presidential proclamation and to order the nation’s flag to be flown at half-staff to honor deceased former city officials.

On Oct. 4, Mayor Jan Marx ordered U.S. flags to be flown at half-staff in honor of former city council member Myron Graham, who passed away at the age of 99 a few hours earlier. On Oct. 5, city staff followed her command and lowered the approximately 10 U.S. flags flow on city properties to half-staff.

Marx said she became aware that several city staffers sent emails complaining of the city’s refusal to honor veterans of the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, the same day Marx and members of the city council rode on a float in the city’s Christmas Parade. Marx told CalCoastNews.com she plans to look into the issue.

However, she refused to answer several questions, such as does the city or the president have the authority to determine when the U.S. flag can be flown at half-staff. Nor did she address why she did not deal with the issue on Friday.

Following the city’s insistence that flags not be flown at half-staff on Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, numerous employees, mostly veterans, voiced their concerns in emails to city management. In one email that was copied to all city employees, a former Marine spoke of his military service and his support for those who have died while serving the United States.

“If I seem upset to you, it’s because I am,” the employee says in the email. “As a veteran, that flag is sacred to me. I wore it on my sleeve when I was getting rocketed and mortared in Afghanistan; I’ve unloaded body bags off a Blackhawk helicopter which were draped in our flag. Pearl Harbor was an epochal event in our nation’s history; my late father was a WWII veteran of the Pacific theater.”

Assistant City Manager Michael Codron responded by claiming only elected city officials have the ability to determine when the U.S. flag is flown at half-staff on city owned properties.

“I do recall last year and I’m sorry the city’s flag policy is not consistent with how you – and I know many others – would have the city recognize important memorials, such as Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day,” Codron said in an email. “The flag policy can be changed by the City Council, and I would encourage you and others who have an interest in this issue – as I would any member of the public that wanted to see our flag policy changed – to get together and either write a letter to the City Council or attend a regular meeting and provide public comment on this matter.”

San Luis Obispo Police Officer Matt Blackstone, a former combat Marine who served in the Persian Gulf, also sent emails to city management. He wrote about mourning his fallen comrades and voiced his disappointment in the city over its refusal to honor patriots of Pearl Harbor.

“Today I am left with a similar sick feeling in my gut, maybe a little less intense, but similar that I work for a city administration and council that has such disregard for the sacrifice of our veterans, Blackstone says in the email.

“The fact that our city would have a policy that we don’t fly flags at half-staff on these historic days is shocking. As I write this I have been told that employees of our city were ordered by their supervisors to raise the flag back to full staff at their work location after having lowered it in remembrance of the day.

“So in closing, I will say this to our Assistant City Manager Michael Codron, calling it your job doesn’t make it right, boss. You are second in command of the city, fix it please.”

UPDATE: Jan Marx responded with the following statement after this article was posted:

The city flag policy was enacted long before I was on city council. I learned about the request to lower the flag on Pearl Harbor Day only after city staff had said no to it. I want to make sure our flag policy conforms to federal law and have asked our city attorney to review the matter.

 


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I hope that KAREN has fowarded a copy to the today show , if i remember they did a story of SLO being the friendliest city in the nation, they need to let everyone know that the city is also the least patriotic

what would opra do


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I disagree, as witnessed by the number of comments objecting the the Mayor’s actions.

This city is very patriotic. Unfortunately there are those who remain clueless, and always will be.

Believe me, the Mayor’s behavior will NOT go unnoticed. She DOES NOT represent, or characterize this fine community.


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Before this thread dies I have to say this. After a couple days reading this, I see a few that want to bring up what FDR knew or later in the war or even present day politics.


Let’s REDIRECT back to REALITY. Last Friday December 7, was the 71st anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. That day 2,390 service men and 49 civilians where killed by surprise. WE DID NOT attack anyone prior to this day. I’m not talking about the oil and all the other events, I’M TALKING ABOUT ATTACK!! It was a horrible day in our country. The lowering of the flag was to be symballic of this day and THIS DAY ONLY!!!! Nothing else. No side agenda’s.


We as American’s have our differences and I can understand on bigger things but why this? What are those who speak out here afraid of? It is a day that should be honored. No politics. It is about RESPECT for the dead and those that survived it. If you have a problem with such a minor thing, then in my opinion you may want to check your moral compass and get it recalibrated.


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I don’t think anyone here is objecting to honoring of the dead who served for their country. I most certainly am not.


However, I refuse to honor “false flags,” because that’s what Pearl Harbor was, in essence. I also refuse to honor presidents who perpetrate them. FDR did, and so did LBJ, WJC, GWB, and BHO.


You cannot realistically separate the event from earlier events which gave rise to it. The men and women who died there that day were betrayed and sacrificed by their own president for matters of political expediency.


And it worked.


FDR deliberately had vital information withheld from the commanders at Pearl in order to make sure that we took a hit bad enough to galvanize public and Congressional opinion and psychology for his war.


At that point, a public which had been strongly opposed to entering the war in Europe was now loaded for bear. FDR’s decision for war swept all before it in a tidal wave of “patriotism.” Any intrepid soul who still expressed doubts, spoke against going to war, or questioned FDR’s true motives was shouted down, harassed, intimidated, and shunned as “unpatriotic,” or worse.

Sound familiar? Remember how things were right after 9/11?


Still, there were NINE Pearl Harbor investigations. Why so many if things had been so “clearcut” as FDR would have had us believe?


But well before this false flag, FDR had deliberately provoked the Japanese toward war, denying vitally needed imports (notably oil), and rejecting all overtures from the Japanese for peaceful conciliation. In fact, FDR had been considering war with Japan from the earliest days of his presidency. After all, he probably reasoned, why should the U.S. sell willingly to Japan when Japan clearly had designs on China, if not the whole of East Asia?


By this time, as was the case in WWI, England was desperate for help against Germany and appealed to FDR for help. FDR was also desperate, but for another reason. His “New Deal” economic interventionism was floundering, as was inevitable. It was prolonging the Great Depression with no end in sight, threatening to take his presidency down in flames. He needed an artificial stimulus, a magic trick to pull his fat out of the fire, distract the people from their troubles, give them a visible enemy to fight and defeat, to pump up the economy with the temporary artificial high of borrowing and arms production, and “end” the Great Depression, all at the same time.


What better method of accomplishing this magical feat than to have a war? The Japanese (and the Germans) supplied the means, already having conveniently started their own murderous attempts at conquest. Who could argue with putting down such ruthless killers after Pearl?


Without the wars overseas, FDR’s presidency would indeed have gone down in flames and he would have been forever vilified as the worst president in the history of the U.S.


So, you see, history is not the nice, neat little encapsulated exercise that many would like it to be. Much of it is dirty, messy, full of mysteries, skullduggery, lies and half truths, propaganda, and false flags. As well, it is the story of the lives of so many men and women whose lives were thrown away for reasons of political expediency.


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Thanks for the history lesson I didn’t need. I am a history buff so everything you said was already known.


That said again I see even more from what you said as a good reason to honor them. You said that they were sacrificed, so if that is the case, it was no doing of their own. How else can we all recognize them in a expediant way on Dec. 7th? Again I don’t see (and save me the blah blah blah) of why using the flag for the day is a big deal. Give me another way to honor them. I’m open to ideas.


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If you are a history buff and you understand what Gimlet said to be true, then why not honor them by trying to make sure people REMEMBER what really happened and DON’T let it happen again? That’s the whole point we’re making here….trying to keep the focus on the very important details rather than let than let the government actually use their sacrifice as a distraction from the truth.


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Well said, mkaney. That is excellent and much appreciated.


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It is customary to use symbols to honor patriotic events. Most people know about December 7th and don’t need a history lesson about it. Most people also don’t need self-serving hypocrites trying to make up excuses for the likes of SLO City administration who decided to turn what should have been a simple honorary observance of those who died at Pearl Harbor on December 7 into a pi$$ing contest between politicians.


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Honoring the dead is a very fine thing; how many times must it be said? If that involves flying the flag at half mast, fine.


I have no idea why Marx did this. I know nothing about this person. That’s not my point.


It’s a lot more important that people know the truth of what happened that day than whether a flag gets hung at half mast or not.


If the needless sacrifice of 2400 Americans is a “patriotic event,” you can have it! False flags don’t deserve blind obedience or respect.


It should be, rather, a day of mourning for the dead who were betrayed by an arrogant, insidious, opportunistic liar of a president who would have done anything to save his political skin and satisfy his thirst for power.


What passes for the study of history in this country stinks to high heaven. Isn’t Pearl Harbor Remembrance day a sort of history lesson in miniature, as well as a time to honor the dead? HOW did they die? WHY did they die? Aren’t those important questions also?


Most of what we have been told about Pearl Harbor is a pack of lies. For people to stand at salute and blindly honor the dead without thinking about FDR’s betrayal of the same is preposterous!


There is a history in all men’s lives,

Figuring the nature of the times deceased,

The which observed, a man may prophesy,

With a near aim, of the main chance of things

As yet not come to life, which in their seeds

And weak beginnings lie intreasurèd.


Henry IV, Part 2


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As upsetting as this is to many here, and the frustration with the complete failure of a mayor in Jan Marx, it is abundantly clear that nothing will come of this, nothing will change. Marx was re-elected. I know many here who are FAR LEFT and do not like the woman at all. Obviously people in the center or any level of the RIGHT will not like her at all, either. She was still re-elected.


Think about that.


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And citizens of SLO you don’t deserve any better than this. You stand as a shining example of the dumbing of America. You continue to re-elect the same people and then stand in silence as you are shamed in front of the nation. You are truly pathetic.


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And who would you have preferred? The 9-11 truther “worst landlord in the city” Steve Barasch? Or the old guy who runs in every election? Heck, you don’t even live here, so what’s your beef about?


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They could just elect Bob,!


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Marx…..any relation to “Carl”. It would be interesting to see if that bloodline follows a specific path.

“The city flag policy”, really…that is the best you could come up with? How about RESPECT ….no matter who’s hands were on the ropes raising and lowering the flag…anyone that gives their life for the good of the country deserves RESPECT in rememberence…it is just that simple. No Politics!!!!!


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Thank you to the City Staffer’s who tried to do the right thing, follow the President of the United States mandate to lower the flags to half mask. It is not your fault that you have leadership such as Marx, Lictig and Coldron to misguide you. You have taken hits on this site, big time, but maybe it is your leadership and guidelines that are misleading you. Also, to all the City employees that wrote management and challenged this decision. Thank You, Again, for your continued patronism. God Bless America and thank you to every Veteran in every branch of the service that has served this wonderful Country!


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So, who was “Carl?” Maybe your intellect means somebody who spelled his name otherwise, but you can’t quite get it right? Your cheap shot turned around and hit you in the face.


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Based upon the post and the links about Steve Marx, so a draft dogger’s wife will have the City Attorney review City Policies to make sure that they are consistent with Federal Laws, hmm – snow job! Interesting, so we will have the same City Attorney who has a flagrant disregard for the rights of the economically disadvantage (i.e. homeless people) in our community and a flagrant lack of respect for a local Judge’s decision take direction from a Mayor who provides direction to staff to violate people’s rights (i.e. the homeless again). Why is anyone surprised by the conduct of Michelle Codron? By all accounts he sets meeting appointments, gets coffee, plans band rehearsals for his band while at the city with his fellow staffers and wonders around the City socializing rather than doing real work?

What surprises me is that these individuals (Litchig, Codron and Marx) owe this country so much. If our fathers hadn’t stopped the momentum of Nazi Germany they wouldn’t be here! So to be frank Michael, you owe this entire community, scratch that, the entire country an apology. The veterans of this country from WWI to present know what public service is about, they know and understand the concept of “Don’t ask what your country can do for you, but what you can do for our country” and you Mr. Codron have no concept of public service. City Management at San Luis Obispo makes up to 50% more than their colleagues in other communities in San Luis Obispo. Top level managers spend their days arriving from 8:00 am to 9:00 am, while lower level staff arrive as early as 6:00 am. Top level manager’s take long leisurely lunches, take up to two hour bike rides during the day, go to the gym during the day, then leave early every Friday to go to semi-pro bicycle races, to go back to Malibu, to go to lavish City paid retreats and on and on, on our dime! The point is that the top level people at the City are all about me, me, me and have forgotten that they serve at the leisure and privilege of the public they work for. These are highly paid positions and to express a callous disregard to the veterans of WWII and specifically Pearl Harbor is an outrage – just fire it!


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” …. – just fire it!” IT? Please explain.


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The willingness of America’s veterans to sacrifice for our country has earned them our lasting gratitude.

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.

Try expressing some gratitude Mayor Marx, it’s the least you can do.

Try not to dodge this one, as the ONLY reason you’re there is because of those unlike you, who WERE WILLING to give their lives for YOUR freedom. Don’t abuse it.


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Read about Steven and Mayor Marx…

http://www.columbia1968.com/stevenmarx/ – United States


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I day late and a dollar short for the citizens of San Luis Obispo. If anyone knows their kids, this explains everything. Their daughter gave up her son over drugs. Great role models and upstanding citizens and we all this type of scumbag to teach at Poly. Explains everything!


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“SLOBIRD says: and we all this type of scumbag to teach at Poly. Explains everything!”


And you are criticizing educators?


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Not all of them, but there are many that need criticizing. The engineering instructors back in the day that used their students in SLO to design and build their homes (for class assignments), the Allen Settle’s that spend more time at City Hall then in the classroom and then lied about his place of residence so he could sit on the Council, the City Manager, Finance Director, Planning Director, etc. who all taught at Cal Poly while supposedly working for the City. Or the draft dodger, pot smoking, racial who chose to do it his way while his classmates, friends, and relatives were putting their life on the line for his freedom. Do you need more?


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Bird, please fly away and migrate to someplace down south. They need your keen intellect down there.


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Nope, staying right here and annoying the hell out of you. That should be easy, Bird Brain!


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Interesting read……….


Personally, I don’t have a problem with their hippie college years or the decade that followed. What I do have a problem with is Jan’s failure to grow out of her “self centered ideologies”, some of which are clearly transparent as indicted through her latest faux pas. She is more like a flag burner than a flag waiver. Marx should not be serving in the capacity that she currently holds. Jan Marx, it’s time to resign, you’re an embarrassment to the city of SLO.


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Thank you for the link, it was educational, to say the least. Listening to the Dave Congalton Show today (12/10/12), a caller stated that the reason that Steve and Jan Marx went to Canada was so Steve could avoid the draft; in reading the link, Steve acknowledges that his position at a university was how he avoided the draft. While reading Steve’s comments does show his liberal philosophy, he doesn’t sound really anti-American at all; I did see a remark or two about the effects of Ronald Reagan’s policies and how the rich were getting richer and the poor were getting poorer; can anyone really argue that that hasn’t happened?

To the point of this article though; Mayor Marx has overstepped her duties here, she has made a grave mistake in ordering the flags to raised to normal height. She should apologize immediately and pledge that from now on, the city of San Luis Obispo will follow national protocol for when our flags should be flown at half staff.


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NEWSFLASH: the rich get richer and poor get poorer under all governments and all presidents.


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Been that way since the beginning of time. But I am sure Obama, playing the Supreme Being, thinks he can change that too! Maybe he could start by donating his $11 million payoff to the givernment for redistribution. Oh yea, maybe he could also ask his buddy, you know the one who keeps saying he isn’t paying enough, Mr. Buffet, to pay the $1 billion he owes the giverment in back taxes. Then, Pelosi, Feinstein, Harman, etc could also give to the redistribution pot. Step up here Congress and Senate, we want it back…


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“Mayor Marx has overstepped her duties here, she has made a grave mistake in ordering the flags to raised to normal height.” Where does it say she ordered anything? Even the complainers blame “staff,” and the mayor’s not “staff.” If they meant the mayor, they’d have said so. Codron ordered the flags raised, not the mayor. Fact free rants are all the rage these days.


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Please furnish a link to a report showing that Codron is the person responsible for ordering the flags raised up to normal height; you have furnished an assertion, but without any backing evidence, your assertion is “fact free”. My comment was based on what I have seen reported so far; if you do present facts to back up your assertion, I am ready to put credence into those reported facts, until that time though, you are simply making a statement without backing it up.


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Maybe if Lichtig was in town doing her job that we pay her for we would not be talking about this article…


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If we stop and reflect on the recent history of our local leaders throughout the county, it becomes quite clear that they have lost their moral compasses in their haste to promote their own personal agendas.

Effective leadership is not about making speeches or being liked; leadership is defined by results not attributes.

Real leadership is leaders recognizing that they serve the people that they lead. We desperately need to elect, appoint, and approve that will do just that…SERVE THE PEOPLE.


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Pelican1 says:”reflect on the recent history of our local leaders throughout the county”


And you call what city in our county home?


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It is hard to lose something one never had.


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Mayor Marx is so concerned with doing the thing right that she ends up never getting around to doing the right thing.


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I am posting as the son of an American airman who was stationed at Hickam Field immediately before and after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Thankfully my father survived but many of his unit did not.


Did anyone happen to read the Tribune article entitled “Pearl Harbor survivors meet in Pismo Beach” which was published the same day (Dec 7, 2012) that this SLO controversy erupted?


Here is an excerpt from the article:


On a perfectly clear day in Pismo Beach, with the sunlight glinting off the Pacific Ocean, a small group of veterans gathered to remember another morning 71 years ago that started bright and peaceful, before the quiet was suddenly shattered.


The annual gathering of Pearl Harbor survivors and their families was smaller this year. Only about a dozen people met at Steamers of Pismo for a lunch hosted by the F. McLintocks family, which started honoring the survivors with the annual event in 1981.


In past years, more than 100 survivors and family members had attended the lunch, but now F. McLintocks has a mailing list of just 24 survivors in San Luis Obispo and northern Santa Barbara counties.


“It’s important that we work with the young people and not let them forget the places like Pearl Harbor,” said Arroyo Grande resident Charles Howell, 79.


http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2012/12/07/2320407/pearl-harbor-survivors-meet-in.html#storylink=cpy


I hope the Tribune will also weigh in on this controversy and issue an opinion on the appropriateness of the SLO administrators who set this travesty in motion.


PS: Thank you McLintocks, for your thoughtfulness and patriotism. You are a class act.


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