Is it okay to show your patriotism at the office?...

[Henry Hawk]

 Is it okay to show your patriotism at the office?...

For one Arlington woman, the answer was "no" after she hung an American flag in her office just before the Memorial Day weekend.

Debbie McLucas is one of four hospital supervisors at Kindred Hospital in Mansfield. Last week, she hung a three-by-five foot American flag in the office she shares with the other supervisors.

When McLucas came to work Friday, her boss told her another supervisor had found her flag offensive. "I was just totally speechless. I was like, 'You're kidding me,'" McLucas said.

McLucas' husband and sons are former military men. Her daughter is currently serving in Iraq as a combat medic.

Stifling a cry, McLucas said, "I just wonder if all those young men and women over there are really doing this for nothing."

McLucas said the supervisor who complained has been in the United States for 14 years and is formerly from Africa. McLucas said the supervisor took down Debbie's flag herself.

"The flag and the pole had been placed on the floor," McLucas said. But McLucas also said hospital higher ups had told her some patients' families and visitors had also complained.

"I was told it wouldn't matter if it was only one person," she said. "It would have to come down."

McLucas said hospital bosses told her as far as patriotism was concerned, the flag flying outside the hospital building would have to suffice.

Kindred Hospital Corporate Headquarters are located in Kentucky. They have yet to make a final decision on the matter. They have not returned our phone calls for comment.

The Kindred Hospital Corporation was chosen as Fortune's most admired for 2009. McLucas hopes they'll back her patriotism.

"I find it very frightening because if I can't display my flag, what other freedoms will I lose before all is said and done," McLucas asked.

What do ya thing?...

[Exterminator]

I'm getting the distinct impression that we're not getting the entire story here.  A 3' x 5' foot flag and a pole?  How exactly did she have this 'displayed' in an office environment?

[Henry Hawk]

I'm getting the distinct impression that we're not getting the entire story here.  A 3' x 5' foot flag and a pole?  How exactly did she have this 'displayed' in an office environment?

Well, I'm not sure, but for somebody to find it ....offensive...is a little harsh, especially during Memorial day week.......It sounded to me like she had it on a pole, so it does not sound like it was being intrusive.

[Exterminator]

A 3' x 5' flag is the size you might typically see mounted outside someone's home; I can't think of many office environments where erecting or mounting a the pole necessary for such a flag would be considered appropriate and it has nothing to do with patriotism.  If she wanted to display a garrison flag, should she have been accomodated?

[Gryphon]

well if anyone found it offensive, there's a border in each of four directions, and Id  be happy to send them a GPS unit to help them find one right away.

That said, I agree...I dont think we're getting the whole story here.

[Henry Hawk]

A 3' x 5' flag is the size you might typically see mounted outside someone's home; I can't think of many office environments where erecting or mounting a the pole necessary for such a flag would be considered appropriate and it has nothing to do with patriotism.  If she wanted to display a garrison flag, should she have been accomodated?

I think this is a case where the woman actually IS being patriotic....her husband and sons are former military men. Her daughter is currently serving in Iraq as a combat medic....that DOES have a way of brining out some American pride in you....as long as her flag was within her space, just hanging there.....I got to agree with her...and it sounds like somebody needs to...as you would put it...........get over it.

[Exterminator]

I'm sure she thought she was being patriotic but it isn't atypical for offices to have policies in place limiting what, where and how personal items can be displayed and enforcing those policies doesn't make the person doing so any less patriotic as this story suggests.  It sounds like she's the one who needs to get over it.

[Henry Hawk]

I'm sure she thought she was being patriotic but it isn't atypical for offices to have policies in place limiting what, where and how personal items can be displayed and enforcing those policies doesn't make the person doing so any less patriotic as this story suggests.  It sounds like she's the one who needs to get over it.

It does not sound like she was breaking a policy....it sounded more like some people complaining that it was offensive....if THAT is the case, then it sounds like the person...offended should get over it!!...are you arguing with me, because that is what we do...and just don't WANT to see a civil side to this?....

[Exterminator]

It does not sound like she was breaking a policy....it sounded more like some people complaining that it was offensive...

It sounds like that because the story was intentionally slanted to make it sound that way.  We have no way of knowing what her offices policies are or if she was breaking them but if she wasn't, why did they make her remove the flag?  Think this thorugh...a five foot flag requires a vertical pole over five feet long to keep it off of the ground; most office cubicles have walls less than five feet tall and restrictions against anything extending above that level.

...are you arguing with me, because that is what we do...and just don't WANT to see a civil side to this?....

No, I'm arguing with you because in all likelihood this woman ignored her office's policy and when she got called out for it made it about patriotism instead of her own stupidity.  She sounds a lot like you...looking for something to bitch about.   

[Henry Hawk]

But the story says, it was removed becasue someone found it offensive..............THAT is the story...........you can say all you want that it is slanted that way, but you are simply basing it on ..... NOTHING other than your opinion.....

[Exterminator]

But the story says, it was removed becasue someone found it offensive..............THAT is the story...........you can say all you want that it is slanted that way, but you are simply basing it on ..... NOTHING other than your opinion.....

If you could read, you would also note that the story is clearly written that way.  After all, how interesting would a story be about an employee asked to remove personal property that violated office decorating policy?

Mush ado about nothing but at least you keep the tampon people in business.   

[Gryphon]

Then, late Wednesday morning, Kindred posted on its website a statement about the incident.  It reads, in part:  "The disagreement was over the size of the flag and not what it symbolized. We have invited the employee to put the flag back up."

[Exterminator]

Then, late Wednesday morning, Kindred posted on its website a statement about the incident.  It reads, in part:  "The disagreement was over the size of the flag and not what it symbolized. We have invited the employee to put the flag back up."

Huh...who'd have guessed?

[Henry Hawk]

Then, late Wednesday morning, Kindred posted on its website a statement about the incident.  It reads, in part:  "The disagreement was over the size of the flag and not what it symbolized. We have invited the employee to put the flag back up."

RIGHT!...

[mcgonser]