State employee chose the wrong way to protest
The state bureaucrat who refused to lower the flag in memory of Jesse Helms was way out of line.
Enforced retirement might have been too harsh a response, but disciplinary action was required.
I'm sure some are hailing L.F. Eason III as a man of principle. After all, he gave up his job as head of the state standards lab after a 29-year-old career with the N.C. Department of Agriculture rather than honor a man whose views he abhorred.
I can't give him that much credit. After all, he not only defied a directive from the governor -- he ordered his subordinates to defy it as well.
"Regardless of any executive proclamation, I do not want the flags at the North Carolina Standards Laboratory flown at half staff to honor Jesse Helms any time this week," Eason wrote in an email to his staff, The N&O reported.
What Eason wants doesn't set state policy. No one elected him governor.
Furthermore, while he apparently felt entitled on account of his personal beliefs to disobey an executive order, he clearly expected his subordinates to obey his order -- no matter what their personal beliefs might be.
What if some of those staff members thought it was proper to lower the flag for Helms? Eason probably didn't want to hear it. Only his opinion mattered.
I'm truly sorry he lost his job, but he should have complied with the governor's directive. If he'd chosen to turn his back on the flag, or stand under the flagpole and make disparaging remarks about Helms, that would have been fine. But he chose the wrong way to protest.
Comments (10)
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Enforced retirement might have been too harsh a response, but disciplinary action was required* Doug
The Government employee protester is lucky! If he was in the Army, he would have been shot before his court martial trial.
Posted on July 9, 2008 12:00 PM
Is it appropriate for Pharmacists to refuse to dispense medicines, specifically the "morning after pill, if it is contrary to their moral beliefs?
Posted on July 9, 2008 4:29 PM
Does this pharmacist own the drugstore? If so, let him set his own policies. If not, he's bound to follow the policies the owners set or else find other employment. By no means should he order subordinates to abide by his principles.
Posted on July 9, 2008 4:58 PM
"Enforced retirement might have been too harsh a response, but disciplinary action was required."
Not where I work.
If you ignore a "directive" from the boss, you would be out on your A** and lose all your benefits.
Which is what should have happened here.
Posted on July 9, 2008 5:19 PM
"at least we know where he stood" - i applaud the actions of Mr. Eason-this man of principle.
Jesse Helms continues to divide us even in death...
Jesse's message of division/separation has never been more obvious...
Posted on July 9, 2008 6:55 PM
Thanks for comments.
North Carolinians have been divided about Jesse Helms for more than 40 years. His legacy is a fair subject for debate and criticism. But common decency and good manners should dictate a timeout, at least for a couple of days, on the occasion of his death. How hard is it to respect the tradition of lowering the flag for someone who has been elected to high office by his fellow citizens?
Posted on July 9, 2008 9:34 PM
racerrk87,
"Jesse Helms continues to divide us even in death.""
Wrong. Jesse Helms had nothing to do with this. Mr. Eason decided to make his stand, and made his employees support his stand, and he paid with his job. This is not Jesse Helm's fault, no matter how you try for it be. People decide on their own whether they want to be divided.
Posted on July 10, 2008 1:08 PM
I agree, mostly. Leaders can take actions they know, or should know, will anger a lot of people and they bear responsibility for that. Helms wasn't afraid to do so, for better or worse.
That said, he is dead and can't be blamed for Eason's behavior.
Posted on July 10, 2008 1:17 PM
Helm's negative and divisive influence is still being felt, obviously, and denying he had "nothing to do with this" is ludicrous.... Mr. Eason wasn't afraid to bear his responsibility, either. Helms legacy should not be sugar coated.
With the likes of Rush Limbaugh, Helms, etc. many people can by led (i.e. Hitler, Jim Jones) to be divided and that it is acceptable or even Biblical, etc.
Posted on July 11, 2008 12:08 AM
Mentioning Hitler in a discussion about Jesse Helms is inappropriate, whatever your intending meaning is. Let's keep it real.
Posted on July 11, 2008 3:35 PM