Anonymous
Montecito Fire Chief Chip Hickman shares a few words during a January 9th flag dedication ceremony at the Santa Barbara Courthouse (Courtesy Photo)
Source: Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Foundation
A flag dedication ceremony was held at the Santa Barbara Courthouse the morning of January 9th, 2019, the one-year anniversary of the Montecito Debris Flow. Elected officials and first responders joined the Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Foundation (PCVF) and representatives from Montecito Bank & Trust as an American flag made of fire hose from Santa Barbara and Montecito Fire Departments was put on public display.
The fire hose flag was created by retired Santa Barbara City firefighter John Carrillo to honor the first responders who risked their lives to aid those who were impacted by the Thomas Fire and Montecito Debris Flow. Carrillo agreed to create a limited number of fire hose flags available for purchase, with all proceeds benefitting PCVF and their support of local veterans. Montecito Bank & Trust purchased one of the flags and agreed to keep it on display at the Santa Barbara Courthouse for one month before it is moved to its permanent home at the bank’s Coast Village Road branch, which was heavily impacted by the events from last January.
PCVF co-founder Hazel Blankenship, Santa Barbara Mayor Cathy Murillo, Supervisor Das Williams, Montecito Fire Chief Chip Hickman, Santa Barbara Superior Court Judges Michael Carrozzo and Brian Hill, and Montecito Bank & Trust Chairman & CEO Janet Garufis and President and COO George Leis all shared thoughts about the tragedy’s impact on the community and the heroism of first responders.
To learn more about the fire hose flags, visit www.pcvf.org.
Bebe, you are right. This stuff is among the least of my complaints. But they are not about child like idolatry such as this as much as the manipulation of the public by appeals to emotion, usually “documented” by lies. Distractions which keep us from obtaining the results we should expect from government. Romans had circuses, we have parades and candlelight vigils and this sort of thing. And, btw, I am offended that huge parts of my money (public) goes to corporate war businesses and another big part goes to the money people on Wall Street who manage to manipulate politicians to get control and profit from government funds. Oh well.
Ridiculous stuff. If it cost one penny of public money it was worse. Such sentimentality and veneration of the ‘flag’ and ‘first responders’ and ritualism is the anti-thesis of what people in a democracy and republic should find motivating.
1) Don’t “should” on other people.
2) I’m not down voting you, because I want others to see how ridiculous you sound.
3) If you’re so offended by this, try doing a little homework on where your public money actually goes. This will become the least of your complaints.