President Cline's Letter to Officers of the United War Veterans Council Regarding Flag Incident
December 13, 2002
Dear Officers of the United War Veterans Council:
I am writing on behalf of Veterans For Peace and Vietnam Veterans Against The War. Together these organizations are proud to have a membership made up of veterans who have served our country in war and peace since World War II. Many saw combat. A significant number of them have suffered the wounds of war, have endured service-connected illnesses or are permanently disabled. Several have been awarded medals for their bravery and other exceptional service to the nation.
These two organizations marched as a united contingent in this year's New York City Veteran's Day Parade, as they have done many times in the past.
We appreciate the work that the United War Veterans Council has done in organizing the parade over the years and helping to insure that America's veterans continue to be remembered and honored.
However, at this year's parade an incident took place that we must vigorously protest. One of our members, Mr. Igor Bobrowsky, who served as a Marine in Vietnam and is a Purple Heart recipient, was about to step off with us on November 11th carrying an inverted American flag.
The display of the flag in this manner is proper, respectful and legal. It is an internationally recognized symbol of distress. Section 4 of the Flag Code (Public Law 94-344) states that the flag may be displayed upside down "as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property".
Mr. Bobrowsky believes a signal of distress is entirely appropriate in view of the present perilous international and domestic situation. President Bush himself, as well as numerous Senators and members of the House of Representatives have repeatedly noted the dangers posed by the existing threat of war. Just this week, former President Jimmy Carter emphasized the hazards we face as a nation and as a world community in the speech he gave upon accepting the Nobel Peace Prize.
Despite all of this, Parade Marshall Vincent McGowan approached Mr. Bobrowsky and said that the display of an inverted American flag was a political statement that would be viewed as unpatriotic by people who had come to watch the parade. He then ordered Mr. Bobrowsky to put away the flag or to leave the line of march.
Additionally Mr. McGowan threatened that if Mr. Bobrowsky did not comply with his edict, he would remove the entire contingent of Vietnam Veterans Against the War and Veterans For Peace from the parade.
In order to avoid a disruptive confrontation at that time Mr. Bobrowsky agreed not to display the upside down flag when we marched.
However, with a more appropriate time now at hand, we are lodging this formal protest of Mr. McGowan's action. His order that Mr. Bobrowsky not march with an American flag displayed upside down was out of order, illegal and a violation of his First Amendment right to freedom of speech.
It must be noted that scattered throughout the entire line of march of the Parade were numerous displays of the flag that were entirely improper. Among them were flag blankets under horse saddles, flag bandannas being worn over people's heads, flag shirts, blouses etc.
All this went unchallenged by Mr. McGowan. Yet, he felt it proper to confront, chastise and threaten to exclude a wounded combat veteran, who has more than earned the right to speak, for a lawful display of our country's flag.
This is totally unacceptable. We will not allow this kind of blatant denial of a veterans Constitutional rights, the very rights we swore to defend, to take place again.
We send this letter with the hope that this matter can be resolved without the necessity for further action on our part. To this end, we await your rely.
For VVAW and VFP,
David Cline
cc: Senators Charles Schumer, Hillary Rodham Clinton; Representatives Charles Rangel, Elliot Engel, Gary Ackerman, Joseph Crowley, Nita Lowey, Carolyn Maloney, Jerrold Nadler, Major Owens, Jose Serrano, Nydia Velazquez, Edolphus Towns, Anthony Weiner; Stephen Somerstein, Attorney at Law