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November 19, 2009

Indiana man flies flag upside down, says country in distress

Brandi Watters, CNHI News Service

ALEXANDRIA, Ind. — Rick Wood says he’s a proud American, and that’s why he’s flying the American flag outside his home upside down.

About two months ago, Wood decide to flip the flag, displaying what’s traditionally seen as a military distress signal.

His point? Wood believes the country is in distress.

Wood said the country is experiencing infighting between legislators, Wall Street theft, pharmaceutical company price-gouging and corporations controlling America.

Wood said he now considers himself an Independent, disappointed by the actions of American politicians. “I’ve lost faith in our two-party system.”

Wood’s neighbor, Floyd Hickerson, says Wood’s display of the flag is offensive. “It’s defacing the flag. The flag wasn’t made to fly upside down.”

Hickerson, a veteran, said he’s personally insulted by Wood’s form of protest, and believes that it’s unnecessary. “There’s other ways to go about it.”

Wood says he’s not the only person flying the flag upside down in Alexandria, a town east of Indianapolis.

He’s certainly not the only person doing it in America.

A North Carolina couple was arrested two years ago after flying the flag upside down with signs of protest pinned to it.

In December, an Illinois small businesswoman who flew her flag upside down in protest of the Wall Street bailouts drew media attention and criticism from neighbors.

Also in December, a Wisconsin man reported receiving death threats after flying an upside-down flag in protest of the Iraq War and what he called the loss of civil liberties in America.

Hickerson admits that he, too, is disenchanted by the government, but disagrees with his neighbor’s methods. “I’m disappointed in some ways but not that unhappy about it. I don’t like the way some of the things are going but it takes a while to change it. The world wasn’t made in one day.”

Hickerson said he’s consulted other veterans living in the rural area and insists that they are offended by the display.

Wood disagrees.

“I have called folks that I know who are veterans in discussion and they understand the reasoning. It is not a disgrace to the flag to do such.”

Mike Johnson served in the infantry in the Vietnam War and said he’s not offended by Wood’s display of the flag but doesn’t think it’s a good idea.

“For someone to do that in their yard, I don’t know, to me it’s kind of uncouth.”



Brandi Watters writes for The Herald Bulletin in Anderson, Ind. She can be reached at brandi.watters@heraldbulletin.com,

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