From: zwicky@Csli.Stanford.EDU (Arnold Zwicky)
Subject: Re: stolen pride flags...
Date: 24 Sep 1995 17:38:23 -0700

in article <444jpl$r3c@mozo.cc.purdue.edu>,
michelle carnes  asks me:

 >How much did it cost you in purchasing
 >new flags, equipment for hanging, etc.?

flags #1 and 2 were $25 each, flags #3-5 were $35 each; the
pole and hardware for #5 were $10.  i am a person with more
than a modest amount of money, so this is well within my
means.  the money isn't the issue.  

 >...  I hope you
 >can catch this\these people and not have 
 >to take in your flag at night.  That shouldn't
 >be necessary on your own property!  Michelle

not much chance of catching them.  i do chafe at taking
in the flag every night.  so do our neighbors.  (alas, we
didn't get to tell all of them what we were doing, and
one couple were seriously panicked by the constantly
appearing and disappearing flag, which they interpreted
as a repeatedly stolen and replaced flag.  we were able
to reassure them this afternoon.  they then offered to
help us install an alarm system on the flagpole; they
even had expertise.  but the point is that they were
outraged that j and i should have to take the flag in at
night.  [they are a motos couple with two kids in grade
school.  they are reasonably serious catholics - they
go to mass weekly and put up notices in their front yard
for events at Our Lady of Peace (the r.c. church around
the corner).  they have a little american flag in front
of their house, and they used to have a big american flag
in back of their house, but they took it down after they
overheard ann and me talking about how we had found this
patriotic symbol to have become a sign of exclusion and
hatred.  but the real point here is that they saw that if
someone could tear down our flags someone could tear down
*their* stuff, and they were outraged at the idea.])

yr flagging mammoth, somewhat caught up in parentheses