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Lowering the Flag

By Barry Romo

Military Families Speak Out, VVAW, and others dramatically demanded that the governor of Illinois lower the state flag whenever a serviceperson is killed in action. We raised and lowered a flag 54 times in front of the State of Illinois Building. We also placed a flower on a flag-draped coffin, read the names of the dead, and sounded a bell for each fatality. The governor said he would lower the flag only for Illinois National Guard. We responded, "You lowered the flag for tsunami victims, mudslide victims in California, and the pope." Honor our dead; don't hide them.

Paul Vogel of MFSO speaks in Chicago at Veterans Day, 2004