Mayor Refuses To Lower Flags For Fallen Firefighter

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Edwardsville Mayor Refuses To Lower Flags For Fallen Firefighter


Wyandotte County firefighters were honoring their fallen brother on Wednesday night, but it's also sparking controversy.

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To honor their fallen brother, firefighters all across Wyandotte County have been flying flags at half-staff but one city's mayor is refusing to participate saying that it breaks the law.

The long line outside of St. Anthony's Church in KCK shows how well-liked Tluscik was. The 48-year-old was a proud firefighter and his fellow firefighters have been honoring him since he died last week by lowering flags to half staff. But in Edwardsville, flags aren't lowered because the mayor says it's against the law.

"I understand and I sympathize with the firefighters in wanting to show their appreciation and respect for a fallen firefighter although we won't break any codes of our nation to do that," Edwardsville mayor Heinz Rodgers said.

Edwardsville firefighters didn't want to go on camera, but they are angry they were told they wouldn't be allowed to lower the flag. The mayor said he's following the US flag code, which says only the President or the Governor can order a flag to be lowered to half staff.

"No one else in our country has that authority and since my oath of office is to uphold the laws of the state and country that is what our city will do," Rodgers said.

However, our research indicates the flag code is a voluntary guideline to insure proper respect for the flag. There's no penalty for breaking these rules and the courts have ruled that violations of the flag code are protected free speech.

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