I
removed a fluttering US flag from the American base at Croughton (USAF)
in about 1995 (as I could then before Injunctions) to protest at the
presence of the US Visiting Forces in this country.
I
did it openly and honestly and told the US personnel that I had done
it and that I had no intention to permanently deprive the owner of
his property etc etc.......
I
wrote to the US Ambassador at the time asking for an appointment with
him (he is the official 'Keeper of the Flag' in this country) so that
I could return his flag but also so that I could discuss with him
our concerns about what the USVFs were doing in the UK and world wide
- especially because of the planned crazy and dangerous American Missile
Defense System (Menwith Hill and Fylingdales being crucial).
Every
year I have written to him (there have been several changes in Ambassadors
over the years!) to say that I have his property in my possession,
I keep the flag safely and I will return it to him in person. I have
been accused of stealing it etc etc but no........what I did in removing
it does not fulfill the criteria of theft.
It
was suggested one year that I return the US flag to the Ministry of
Defence Police Agency - but certainly not - they cannot be trusted
as they are paid for and under the operational control of the US authorities
(Memorandum of Understanding between the US government and the MDP
1989 - I have a copy) - it wasn't theft and the flag does not belong
to them anyway.
I
was involved in a court case at USAF Croughton (we were successful
- Matt Foot represented) recently and was accused of 'stealing' the
flag in a 'bad character' application. I wrote the annual letter recently
asking for an appointment with Ambassador Tuttle to say I was concerned
that I still had not received an appointment etc etc.
I
have just received a letter from Jeffery A Hosken Col.USAF Air Attache
(dated 4 December 2006) which says..............
From
the Embassy of the United States of America
Dear
Ms Percy, Thank you for your letter of 24 November in which you expressed
your concern about the U.S. flag you have been keeping. The Ambassador
has asked me to respond on his behalf.
As
Americans, we keenly value freedom of speech and the right to petition
our government of the redress of grievances - indeed, they are among
the rights enumerated in the very first Amendment to the U.S Constitution.
You
certainly share our veneration of those rights. By your safekeeping
of our flag, you appear to understnd that it is a symbol of those
rights, shared by 300 million Americans and guaranteed by the sacrifices,
past, present, and future, of U.S. serviceman and women around the
globe.
In
the light of the above, we would like you to acept the flag you have
in your possession as a gift from the United States Government. Please
continue to care for it with the respect it so richly deserves.
Sincerely JEFFERY A.HOSKEN, Col,
USAF
Air Attache
He
of course totally misses the point. And there is a further twist to
this........The Campaign for the Accountability of American Bases
(CAAB) of which I am joint Co-ordinator uses the US flag as a symbol
of protest - upside down and with different political statements (I
once climbed the gates of Buckingham Palace when GWB came booked in
for Bed and Breakfast - using the US flag upside down with 'ELIZABETH
WINDSOR AND CO (I am a Quaker and we do not use titles and I couldn't
fit Tony Blair and his government on the flag!) - HE'S NOT WELCOME...........).
We
also took a case to the High Court in 2000 for the right to use the
US flag in protest - the Judgment is on our website under JUDGMENTS.
So that's very kind of the Ambassador to give me a Christmas present
- but Freedom for ..........the people in Guantanamo Bay?......if
they have done terrible things they must go down the legal process
- the illegal war in Iraq, violation of human rights, undermining
of democratically elected governments and abuse and violation of international
laws etc etc - the hyprocracy is deafening........so what do I do
with the genuine US flag now - I have some ideas. But anyway I will
be writing to Robert Tuttle (US Ambassador) to say thank you so much
for the flag and one or two other things......
Best
wishes for the coming festivities and year and hope for peace, justice
and equality in a troubled and unbalanced world.
Lindis Percy, Joint Co-ordinator
CAMPAIGN
FOR THE ACCOUNTABILITY OF AMERICAN BASES - CAAB www.caab.org.uk
