A 36" x 60" flag in a shared office space was the problem, not whether commemoration or patriotism was in question. Both sides seemed to have erred.

Immigrants aren't what they used to be.

Exactly right. Flying a flag on its own does not make you a good patriot, just like saying "I love you" doesn't on its own make you a good spouse. It's always good to respect other people's wishes if you're sharing space with them. I'm sure if I erected a 30 ft American flag in my front yard, I'd hear from the homeowner's association. Doesn't matter if it's the flag or a dirty diaper, not everyone may want to look at it.

Unless she wants to replace the US flag with her native country's flag, there's absolutely nothing wrong with not wanting any flag in your office.

or long hair . . . as in "lettin' your freak flag fly" . . .

It seems like the hospital case came out as in "The one that wins is the one that screwed up the least."

Someone took the flag down without talking about their discomfort about it, then they placed the flag and pole on the ground. That's so wrong on so many levels...I won't list them...

Now, was the flag/pole arrangement set up like a 3'x5' display or was it a 3'x5' flag hanging from either a vertical pole or a horizontal pole?

Regardless the way the flag was displayed, it shouldn't have been touched except by the owner of said flag...and I seriously doubt anyone was being driven to the point of physical illness or the flag was blocking an entrance/exit...

The hospital should have gotten the offended parties together and worked out a solution before it went off-site and into the press.

Now, if you want to deal with offensive, I've got Packer items in my office (not shared), a Christmas Card from the White House and a really big piece of "art" from a car club I belong to. I probably take the edge off the Packer stuff with the pair of M&M dispensers I have in the office too...ALWAYS fully stocked with plain and peanut...if they don't like the Packer crap, they don't need to come into my office and partake of the M&Ms.

But, conversly, I have to put up with them wearing their Vikings, Bears, SL Cardinals and related clothing when they come into my office...

Now, politics? We wear our hearts on our sleeves, but we choose NOT to discuss it at work...and when the other party wins/loses? The next day is a respectful nod of the head and that's it.

I agree with you on the nonsensical-ness at being offended by a country's flag. It's like being offended by textured walls or thin carpets.

However, that is a pretty giant flag for indoors. Kind of like blaring music from your desk instead of keeping the volume down or wearing headphones.

A lot of times there is a verry offensive personality that comes with specific behaviors.

The rampant nationalist has a lot in common with the rampant nascar fan, religous zelot,
and the dogmatic schismatic driven personality.

I am better than you are, and I will prove it by putting this oversized ( insert noun here ) in your face.

And yes, I purposly made that sound very Freudian....

The list of nouns that can be interposed in the sentence usually starts with something like :

American Flag
or
Football team banner
or
Religous symbol

We all have to deal with these people, somtimes on a daily basis.

Personally, I try to keep any interactions with this personality type at a very superficial level.
Smile, wave, say hello, and continue on my way.

And if you cant think of anyone who acts like that,
Then you just might be that person..

....

I don't believe what I read here.

Now, I think, you're getting real irrational. Although we don't know the personality details behind the scene, one thing is for sure, The Stars and Stripes is not just another banner. Period.

I might be offened by the persons intention to put up the flag, but never by the flag itself.

Which concludes in the fact, that no matter how much I might be irritated by the perosn itself, I would never touch the flag in order to take it down. Never.

I disagree. A 3x5 is not a giant flag size. Neither indoors nor outdoors.

Not wanting a flag in your office and taking it down self handedly are 2 major variations of a different kind.

I think you got that right. Most of them just come to milk the cows. True devotion is hard to find these days.

He is not exactly right and neither are you.

He doesn't. It's that simple.