Well said Pat! Amy --- Pat Whalen <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > I have followed the recent discussion about > displays of patriotism in the workplace, > specifically employees displaying American flags on > their desks, with great interest, and I'd like to > offer some thoughts. > > I am very surprised that some of you seem to > regard this as a matter of controversy. I certainly > agree that items displayed on an employee's desk can > reflect negatively on the institution and that > managers and supervisors have the right to require > them to be removed. If an employee working under my > direction displayed a Confederate flag or a Little > Black Sambo doll, I would be inclined not only to > tell them to remove it but to drive my foot up their > ass, which is not to suggest that I would act on the > impulse. I hardly think, however, that an American > flag can be validly equated with such items. In what > way could displaying an American flag, the symbol of > our nation, reflect negatively on the institution > displaying it? I realize that the flag took on > implications that many Americans were uncomfortable > with as a result of misguided and divisive policies > during the Vietnam era. As of September 11th, > however, I think that's all abruptly and irrevocably > behind us. Suddenly, we're living in a very > different world. People have a profound need to > exorcise feelings of fear, rage, and sorrow by > expressing love of country and solidarity with their > fellow Americans and affirming their faith in the > bedrock values of our society. Let's also bear in > mind and try to be senstive to the fact that people > are in a fragile state emotionally. Countless people > lost loved ones on September 11th or have friends > who did. The loss of a loved one, especially in such > a hideous way, is an intensely painful and private > experience that employees are not necessarily going > to feel comfortable talking to us about. So we could > be managing such people without even knowing it, and > to tell such a person to get rid of that flag on > their desk strikes me as not only petty but > unfeeling. Even people who did not experience losses > are having trouble coming to terms with the enormity > of what's happened. It's been reported that 1 in 3 > Americans are experiencing insomnia, depression, > anxiety and other such problems as a result of the > tragedy. If it will help them to more effectively > cope with the terrible thing that's happened then, > for God's sake, let them have a flag on their desk. > > ========================================================Important > Subscriber Information: > > The Museum-L FAQ file is located at > http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may > obtain detailed information about the listserv > commands by sending a one line e-mail message to > [log in to unmask] . The body of the > message should read "help" (without the quotes). > > If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one > line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] > . The body of the message should read "Signoff > Museum-L" (without the quotes). __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email alerts & NEW webcam video instant messaging with Yahoo! Messenger. http://im.yahoo.com ========================================================= Important Subscriber Information: The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes). If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).