Delaware Disrespects the Flag
August 29th, 2007 by Dan GaffneyTodd McCabe owns his own school bus, and is contracted to drive students in the Indian River School District. Wednesday he took his bus to the inspection lane of DMV. His bus was deemed safe and in good working order with one exception; he could not pass his DMV inspection because he had an American flag sticker on the back of his bus. He had to get razor blades and scrape off the 5†x 8†sticker before he could pass at the DMV. This is a revolting moment for freedom and liberty in the United States.  The DMV explained that Ron Love of the Department of Education dictated that stickers including the American flag should not be allowed on the bus. Ron Love explains that “administrative code†limits lettering or symbols on busses, although no specific rule prohibits flags, no rule allows it, so it is not allowed. Follow? Mr. Love of the DOE admits that flags, and “support our troops†ribbons have been allowed “temporarily†since 9/11, but that time is up. Sadly Todd McCabe has had his rights trampled on, and sadder still is the trampling of America by the Delaware bureaucrats. I urge Delawareans and all Americans to call Governor Ruth Ann Minner and ask if she supports her Department of Education and DMV removing American Flags from our school children’s busses!   Call Ruth Ann and ask her to stop the trashing of our flag, 1-800-292-9570.
August 29th, 2007 at 9:32 am
This is an issue with an easy remedy, just change the code. I heard one caller mention that having a flag decal should be mandated and I tend to agree, there’s nothing wrong with a little pride in this great nation.
Excerpt from Delaware’s Administrative Code, Section 2.21.3 sets limits, i.e., “shall” be limited to …
2.21 Identification
2.21.1 Body shall bear words “SCHOOL BUS” in black letters at least 8 inches high on both front and rear of body or on signs attached thereto. Lettering shall be placed as high as possible without impairment of its visibility. Letters shall conform to “Series B” of Standard Alphabets for highway signs. “SCHOOL BUS” lettering shall have a reflective background, or as an option, may be illuminated by backlighting. All lettering on NSBY surfaces shall be black, and lettering on black surfaces shall be NSBY or white.
2.21.2 Bus identification number shall be displayed on the sides, on the rear, and on the front.
2.21.3 Other lettering, numbering, or symbols which may be displayed on the exterior of the bus, shall be limited to:
2.21.3.1 District or company name or owner of the bus may be displayed.
2.21.3.2 Bus identification number on the top of the bus, in addition to
required numbering on sides, rear, and front.
2.21.3.3 The location of the battery(ies) identified by the word “BATTERY†or “BATTERIES†on the battery compartment door in 2″ lettering.
2.21.3.4 Lettering to identify the fuel type at the fuel filler location (2†letters maximum).
2.21.3.5 Symbols or letters near the service door displaying information for identification by the students of the bus or route served. Such symbols or lettering, if used, shall not exceed 36 square inches in size.
2.21.3.6 Symbols identifying the bus as equipped for or transporting students with special needs
August 29th, 2007 at 9:55 am
I phoned Gov. Minners office on this flag sticker Issue… This Is a DISGRACE.. I think all school buses should be REQUIRED to have a American flag displayed on them… let’s simply let common sense prevail and stop this abuse of authority.
August 29th, 2007 at 1:34 pm
Should a bus be required to have a US flag on it? Of course not. Should it be permissible to have one? Of course it should be.
The problem with most bureaucrats is that independent thought or the possibility of exercising common sense is a concept fraught with danger.
After you spend years doing little, something like this become perfectly logical to the average bureaucrat. The reasoning power of the brain has been surrendered to the bizarre and the common man is now viewed as a curiosity for a lack of understanding.
These bureaucrats are more injurious to our way of life than, dare I say, Undocumented Foreign Nationals.
August 29th, 2007 at 1:52 pm
According to the Governors office as of 3 PM today, they have had only ten calls about this issue. The Governor has no response.
August 30th, 2007 at 7:50 am
It all depends on what you think our flag stands for. Does it stand for the way we should and have behaved in the past, or the way we have been behaving lately? Unfortunately, it now stands for the latter, which is why we know well, down deep, that we need to change away from the politics of fear, demonization and polarization to a politics of caring. Then the flag will be proudly displayed by many, many more.
August 30th, 2007 at 2:31 pm
I find it appalling that because of the display of the United States Flag he was not able to pass inspection.
When are we going to stop “losing” our unity? Is this NOT THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA? And is that not our flag?
What, we have to have a flag of all Nations on the rear of School busses now to be politically correct?
This is an outrage!! All public vehicles should display the flag of our United States… until they change our constitution, and name us otherwise, then displaying our flag should always be an honor, and not treated as a disgrace!
August 30th, 2007 at 6:47 pm
Only my opinion but it was wrong…particularly since there is nothing governing the display of a flag on the school bus and it was the gentleman’s own bus. Yet I wouldn’t like or want to see it become mandatory, public vehicles or not. Not a popular opinion but a flag is a flag. If it means something to anyone than just our colours on yardage, great…and I certainly DO respect those beliefs in anyone but those beliefs are not something that should be mandated anymore than a religious belief should. Never have I desecrated a flag or a belief but nor do I hold it as sacrosanct. Quite a number of years ago…and often before and since…there was a public outcry because some company either made or wanted to make articles of clothing with a flag motif (like underwear, swimwear etc.). Funny thing…when we go to another country (or even here) we are not averse, have no problem, wearing the same things displaying another country’s colours. Wonder why that is? No need to tell me…I think I know. By all means fight for the right to display the flag if you want to…not so that all school buses, state vehicles, public utility or corporation fleets have to.
August 31st, 2007 at 5:56 am
To Perry ,
The Flag was being diplayed proudly and that is what bothers some people who have a problem with this country. When did it become chic to hate America? Being able to speak our mind is one of our , if not our greatest freedoms. But that freedom does not only apply to the freedom to criticize this great country but also the freedom to say how proud of it you are.
Nancy as for your vailed accusations of racism when going to other countries. There is a difference between wearing something with the colors of a flag, I have many items with the colors , red ,white ,and blue yet they don’t resemble a U.S. flag. How would you feel if I sold a line of underwear with a picture of your grandmother on them?
August 31st, 2007 at 9:27 am
I don’t think this is a hard rule of the DMV to not allow decals on school buses. I believe it is more down to the individual inspector who may not be well-informed.
A year ago I had a problem with a DMV inspector who refused to pass my motorcycle on two issues. One: he couldn’t see the side reflectors under the saddlebags. “We have to be able to see them,” he said. I pulled the bags off and said, “You can see them, now!” He agreed but said there was still another problem. “The brake light flashes, and that’s illegal.” I told him that it doesn’t flash, it modulates and is a legal safety device approved by state lawmakers. Still he refused to pass the motorcycle so I dismounted and told him that I wasn’t going to move it until I saw his supervisor. He called the supervisor over and told him it was not legal. I then told the supervisor they need to check with state lawmakers because it has been legal for several years. The supervisor waved his hand and said, “Just let it go.”
So the bike passed, but it was not a case of “just let it go.” It should have been: “It’s legal. Pass it!”
Sometimes you have to stand up for your rights. It’s a pity the bus driver/owner didn’t demand to see the supervisor and ask to see the written rule that made the flag illegal. They may be state workers but they are not always right, and sometimes you have to force them into a corner, provided you know your rights.
August 31st, 2007 at 3:46 pm
I think that you missed the first reply, or you glanced over it without any attention. It’s not a rule at the DMV, it’s a regulation that is written into the State’s Administrative Code, part of which governs education, and in turn school buses.
Section 2.21.3 sets limits where is says “shall†be limited to …
If you scroll back up you can read what is specifically allowed, anything else isn’t. The code can be changed though.
September 1st, 2007 at 4:07 pm
Frank, your point is well taken, which is one reason that I have been proud to display our nation’s symbol, our flag.
But my point is that our recent behavior has tarnished our reputation, badly. We need to fix that.
With Rumsfeld, Rove and Gonzalez now out, this is a step in the right direction. We yet need to make more major changes to get ourselves back to a tradition of honoring peace, human rights, the sanctity of life, and the rule of law.
September 1st, 2007 at 6:06 pm
Frank, it wasn’t “veiled racism” at all, on my part. It was commentary on blatant culturalism and not even pertaining to just wearing the colours of a flag but items made in precise flag design. However, to answer your question on how I would feel…I DID tell you how I felt since my native country happens to be one whose “flag” many people wear…there, here and other places. Doesn’t bother me…I’m proud of the flag, seeing it indicates they or someone they know probably had been there, enjoyed it, recognises it’s the “flag” and it makes me happy — not solemn — to see it, however it is displayed. No, we don’t have the protocols for our flag as they do here and that’s fine by me.