Company ordered not to fly U.S. flag
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/ar...TICLE_ID=55355 ^ | April 23, 2007

A construction company building a new casino on the Southern Ute Indian Tribe's reservation in southwestern Colorado has been ordered by the tribe not to fly the U.S. flag.

According to a report in the Durango Herald, the decision was made several weeks ago, but not publicized until recently.

Tribal member Sage Remington, who was knowledgeable of the tribal council decision, said it included the recognition of the tribe as a sovereign nation, and its ability to choose whether it wants a flag to be flown.

"It is a sovereign nation," Remington told the Herald. "There really is no precedent for flying an American flag unless it's requested by the tribal constituency."

The flag had been on the Arviso-Okland crane, which is being used to build the tribe's new mega-casino on the reservation. Many times companies operating such cranes will fly the U.S. flag from a crane's upper structure.

The crane was erected early in 2007, and the U.S. flag flew there as late as February, Remington said. But he said tribal members apparently expressed discontent about the flag both to the tribal council and the construction company.

"I think they heard from other people that this was not the right thing to do," Remington said.

Facing such concerns, the Okland Construction Co. made a formal request to the council to fly the U.S. flag – along with one from the tribe, but council minutes obtained by the Herald said the company would not be allowed to fly any flag.

"Chairman [Clement] Frost replied no to any flag being hung from the crane," the documents show.

Okland Project Manager Kent Monson declined to comment to the Herald, except to say the U.S. flag would not appear on the crane.

"That's really a tribal issue," he said.

However, at the Veterans Park, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and at some individual houses, Old Glory still flies, the Herald reported.

Remington also noted that the flag was "undignified" atop the crane and it wasn't being taken down at night. He also noted it had been blown away several times, in Colorado's famous winds.

"Why are we obligated to fly a flag on top of the crane?" Remington asked the newspaper. "There's an abundance of flag flying in and around the reservation.

"I don't feel that the American flag has to be flown on top of every crane," he said.