Dec 5, 2007 8:36 am US/Eastern
State Backs Off Ban Of Flags On Overpasses
Methuen (WBZ) ―
The state is once again backing off its plan to remove tributes to troops on highway overpasses.
Chances are you've probably seen banners and flags on highway overpasses across Massachusetts. They are signs of tribute hung there by friends, family and some by perfect strangers, all to remember those brave men and women serving in the U.S. military that have died, or are fighting overseas.
Mass. Highway was worried that those displays would come undone and fall onto the traffic below, possibly causing an accident. So they'd planned to ban any of these types of tributes, and said all must be removed by Friday.
On Tuesday Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick stepped in, telling the state's Director of Veteran's Services and the Highway Commissioner to come up with a new plan.
All of the displays will now remain up until a task force can figure out a way to safely and appropriately recognize troops along highways and other state-owned property.
They expect recommendations by the end of the month, and they will hold off on removing the current displays until then.
The decision to have the signs removed is one that loved ones say is a sign of disrespect.
Tuesday in Methuen, some of those people took matters into their own hands. Rather than waiting for someone from Mass. Highway to take the displays down from an overpass on Route 213, they decided to take down the displays themselves.
Among those people was Andy Jimenez, who son Alex, was kidnapped in an ambush in Iraq this past May. Specialist Jimenez has been missing ever since. After he went missing, flags and banners went up on that overpass and many others like it to remember Alex.
Andy Jimenez says the displays give him hope and he considers them a "Welcome Home" for troops because he still has hope his son will return.
"I feel not alone. Because I see all the people together in my trouble," Jimenez said.
Jim Wareing has organized 11 of these displays across the state, including the one in Methuen. But on Tuesday he was busy helping take one down.
"When they're put up there, they're put up there for the families to show that you know just because they were killed in action, we're not going to forget them. We want to honor them," said Wareing.
After taking down a P.O.W. (prisoner of war) flag from that overpass in Methuen, Jim presented it to Mr. Jimenez as a tribute to Alex.
Mass Highway had produced other, more general signs that read "Welcome Home Troops… Thanks For Your Service." They had offered to put those signs up at highway rest stops as a safer alternative.
This isn't the first time that the state has decided to remove the displays, and then changed their mind.
In October of 2006, Mass Highway announced a similar ban. However, in the face of mounting public criticism they relented and said, "Displays safely on the inside of overpass fencing would not be touched."
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