Flags at half mast today at the World

[SwirlyGirly]

thumbs up!

I'm amazed at what people can turn into an argument on here.

Let's clear a few things up, shall we?

1. All of those "laws" about who may or may not "order" a flag to be lowered are referring to government offices/municipal buildings. Disney is PRIVATE PROPERTY. I own my house. If I wanted, I could take an American flag, roll it in mud, let my dogs chew on it and shred it for festive 4th of July confetti...and not be breaking the law. That's what freedom is.

side note - I don't have a flag, dogs or even mud (it's been sunny this week). I'm simply making a point that flag laws do not apply at ALL to the private sector.

2. Steve Jobs was an incredible innovator, a major Disney shareholder and stood behind Pixar when it was hemorrhaging money. Why shouldn't they honor his passing?

3. Steve Jobs was micro-managing, nit-picker who admitted that he wasn't a good father. The things that made him a brilliant capitalist also made him incredibly off-putting personally. So what? Rumor has it that Thomas Jefferson was a jerk too. Should we kick him off the nickel because he irritated people? Come now, let's not be petty.

4. I saw somebody burn a flag once in Washington DC on Memorial Day. Made me cry. But I stand behind the right to do so, even while I abhor the sentiment. There is simply no argument about flying a flag at half staff because of the passing of an important cultural figure.

 

[jayandstacey]

We shouldn't allow companies to move over seas in order to pay $1 a day labor. Manufacturing jobs used to be (and can be again) good middle-class jobs. But not as long as we think it's ok for companies to "Job" the american workers because we want a fair wage. Eventually all the inventing will also be done over seas to avoid pesky lawsuits over intellectual property and copyrights. Maybe then you will get it. No one is begging for the losest end jobs, people are begging for the return of American industrial might.

So "we shouldn't allow" I presume means we pass a law...so more government control and oversight. I can't see that doing anything but moving companies completely overseas - their HQ, their leadership, their staffs...all those high paying jobs, just to avoid the law. Then what - we don't allow imports? Eventually we lose not just the inventing, but all the riches that go with it.

I don't want to return to a state of industrial might when the money is with techology, services and the like.

And you know that large technology companies don't own most of the plants, right? They contract the work out - and if someone built a plant here that could compete, the business would stay here if only to reduce shipping charges. But those companies are where their resources cost are lowest, primarily labor, and that's often in China.

So you want to legislate the market because the market isn't keeping the lower-paying jobs here?

 

[Dominus]

So "we shouldn't allow" I presume means we pass a law...so more government control and oversight. I can't see that doing anything but moving companies completely overseas - their HQ, their leadership, their staffs...all those high paying jobs, just to avoid the law. Then what - we don't allow imports? Eventually we lose not just the inventing, but all the riches that go with it.

I don't want to return to a state of industrial might when the money is with techology, services and the like.

And you know that large technology companies don't own most of the plants, right? They contract the work out - and if someone built a plant here that could compete, the business would stay here if only to reduce shipping charges. But those companies are where their resources cost are lowest, primarily labor, and that's often in China.



So you want to legislate the market because the market isn't keeping the lower-paying jobs here?

You control the market the way it's been controlled since it's inception, with taxes and tariffs. Perhaps you sign labor treaties with countries you trade with. You establish a minimum wage amongst the nations involved in the trade agreement. Then companies can choose their own course. Why should we give breaks to companies that move shop? They still depend on the American market to move their goods. It's not like they want to move to China to sell to the Chinese. It's obvious that they're screwing the country over, I'm not sure why more people don't care.

 

[Dominus]

People also seem to forget that these "lower paying jobs" were good paying jobs when they left. The companies didn't leave the USA to save a marginal amount of money on labor. They left because they could save HUGE amounts of money on labor. Thus proving my point.

 

[nytimez]

Holy cow -- did this thread fly off the rails or what?

 

[scion5220]

Holy cow -- did this thread fly off the rails or what?

Time for a reboot.

/too soon?

 

[cajunbaby1]

OMG the things that get people riled up on the boards Next thing you know people will be placing the blame on Bush and end up making it all the Tea Partys fault for lowering the flags.

Yes the man was an innovator and it's sad that he passed. Lets not turn into something ugly ok?

 

[suemom2kay]

Holy cow -- did this thread fly off the rails or what?

Wow!!! Look what happens when you leave a thread unattended for a couple of days!

 

[Dominus]

OMG the things that get people riled up on the boards Next thing you know people will be placing the blame on Bush and end up making it all the Tea Partys fault for lowering the flags.

Yes the man was an innovator and it's sad that he passed. Lets not turn into something ugly ok?

You do realize that by insinuating that the left is always the one's to scapegoat bush and the tea party that you have in fact done so first. I guess that's just preemptive posting right?

 

[cajunbaby1]

Whatever. Was not blaming anything on the left. Just being sarcastic. Can't we all get along?

 

[jayandstacey]

You do realize that by insinuating that the left is always the one's to scapegoat bush and the tea party that you have in fact done so first. I guess that's just preemptive posting right?

Hey! I'll agree with you on that!

How about we all gather around those lowered flags, bow our heads (either in memoriam or ruefully) and then randomly sling some mud at each other - it'll be just like this thread, only in real life!

Then after about 3 minutes, we'll realize we're just getting dirty and there's a park entrance a few feet away...

 

[Planogirl]

Plus these posts will get this thread close since there is a ban on political chat. Which is too bad sometimes!

I'm game to go to that park entrance, not so much for the mud.

 

[carlton the bear]

I can not believe people are fighting over someone that died. That's pretty low......

If you didn't like him then don't buy his products.

What is so hard to believe? Certain posters go ballistic and like to preach when it comes to mugs, pool hopping, taking towel animals, etc., so why do you think it would be anydifferent over whether the flag should or shouldn't be lowered as a result of a VIP death?

 

[TLinden16]

I think it's time to close this thread since it's turned political, and political threads are against DIS guidelines.