Firefight Over the Red, White and Blue

Firefighter suspended for refusing to peel American flag sticker from locker

By VINCE LATTANZIO

Updated 5:27 PM EST, Mon, Oct 19, 2009

Print Email Share TWITTER FACEBOOK

NBCPhiladelphia.com

Chester, Pa., firefighter James Krapf wants to know what's wrong with Old Glory. The 11-year veteran was suspended without pay Thursday after he refused to peel a sticker of the American flag from his locker.

"It's pride…it's a matter of pride," Krapf said.

A new department rule mandates that all stickers and statements -- union, cartoon and political -- be stripped from lockers after several offensive and racist images showed up in the firehouse. But Krapf figured the red, white and blue was safe.

It seems he was wrong.

Krapf: "It's a Matter of Pride"

WATCH

Krapf: "It's a Matter of Pride"

LOOK

Just Your Average Joe-bama

LOOK

Michelle Obama Style Guide

"The chief came out and said 'You have to remove your stickers,' I said 'No disrespect chief, but I'm not taking the flag off,'" Krapf recounted. He says the officer then asked him to leave.

Fire Commissioner James Johnson, who served in the Marine Corps, vows the symbolism of the decal is not the issue.

"We wear the American flag on our uniform…it's flying outside that station," he said. "It is not about the American flag or patriotism."

But Krapf refuses to give up and he's not alone. The firefighters union plans to negotiate with the department on the issue.

"We applaud Jim Krapf because these colors don't run," said union prez Stacy Landrum.

Krapf, who was turned away from the station again Friday, plans to stand his ground. "It's the American flag, we should be able to fly it wherever we want…I don’t believe it's offensive to anyone," he said.

The issue and Krapf's fate is scheduled to be discussed at a meeting on Monday.

UPDATE: Union and fire officials reinstate firefighter and allow sticker to stay put.

Read this story and more right on your iPhone. Download the NBCPhiladelphia app NOW!

First Published: Oct 16, 2009 7:21 PM EST

Print Email Share TWITTER FACEBOOK

0 Comments

{"totSize":182,"payload_type":"json","status":"1","results":[{"anonName":null,"pathToMedia":"396494_64647657","adminTags":null,"views":3912,"createdBy":9211613,"createdByPathToPhoto":"116995/icons/defaultMember_116995_portrait.jpg?t=1248875781749","assocMediaId":null,"mediaName":"Firefight Over the Red, White and Blue","parentThreadId":null,"mediaId":2473560,"tags":null,"anonSiteUrl":null,"assocMediaType":null,"createdAt":"17 Oct 2009 00:35:08 GMT","anonEmail":null,"isVisible":true,"approved":true,"numComments":5,"reviewed":true,"createdByUsername":"Sillybilly","pathToPreview":"","mediaType":"EXTERNALMEDIA","commentId":"1082908","subject":"","averageRating":0,"body":"There is move under way to turn us all into like minded robots who think the same. No expression, no free speech unless you fall into certain minority groups. "Question Authority" The Revolution is coming!"},{"anonName":null,"pathToMedia":"396494_64647657","adminTags":null,"views":3912,"createdBy":7918844,"createdByPathToPhoto":"116995/icons/defaultMember_116995_portrait.jpg","assocMediaId":null,"mediaName":"Firefight Over the Red, White and Blue","parentThreadId":null,"mediaId":2473560,"tags":null,"anonSiteUrl":null,"assocMediaType":null,"createdAt":"17 Oct 2009 02:18:46 GMT","anonEmail":null,"isVisible":true,"approved":true,"numComments":5,"reviewed":true,"createdByUsername":"anonymous_user","pathToPreview":"","mediaType":"EXTERNALMEDIA","commentId":"1083334","subject":"","averageRating":0,"body":"rules are rules. obviously you morons have no respect for rules. no stickers of any kind are allowed on the lockers are you all retarded?"},{"anonName":null,"pathToMedia":"396494_64647657","adminTags":null,"views":3912,"createdBy":7918844,"createdByPathToPhoto":"116995/icons/defaultMember_116995_portrait.jpg","assocMediaId":null,"mediaName":"Firefight Over the Red, White and Blue","parentThreadId":null,"mediaId":2473560,"tags":null,"anonSiteUrl":null,"assocMediaType":null,"createdAt":"17 Oct 2009 02:21:40 GMT","anonEmail":null,"isVisible":true,"approved":true,"numComments":5,"reviewed":true,"createdByUsername":"anonymous_user","pathToPreview":"","mediaType":"EXTERNALMEDIA","commentId":"1083351","subject":"","averageRating":0,"body":"typical american way. if you dont like a rule just moan and complain like a baby and claim patriotism till you get your way"},{"anonName":null,"pathToMedia":"396494_64647657","adminTags":null,"views":3912,"createdBy":10039357,"createdByPathToPhoto":"116995/icons/defaultMember_116995_portrait.jpg","assocMediaId":null,"mediaName":"Firefight Over the Red, White and Blue","parentThreadId":null,"mediaId":2473560,"tags":null,"anonSiteUrl":null,"assocMediaType":null,"createdAt":"17 Oct 2009 02:24:41 GMT","anonEmail":null,"isVisible":true,"approved":true,"numComments":5,"reviewed":true,"createdByUsername":"right_center","pathToPreview":"","mediaType":"EXTERNALMEDIA","commentId":"1083360","subject":"","averageRating":0,"body":"People can no longer make rational decisions --not at our schools ( see the boy scout who was suspended from school over a pudding spoon/knife/tool) or wioth or municpal services. We are treating every stiruation like they do in kindergarten with group punishments. If there were racially offensive stickers or lewd stickers then take it up with the individuals who put them on their lockers. Incidentally, I wonder if those people were suspended? This guy is posting a sticker of the flag--if that offends anybody then they are free to leave the country. Its the flippin' flag!!!! Au contraire Mr Fire Marshall, this IS about the flag and what it represents (freedom) which is under attack by a sanitizing PC movement. This is a world gone mad. This fire marshall is endangering the lives of the citizens by removing a perfectly capable firefighter ( read hero) out of his rotation--its nuts. When did he become a bureaucratic hack? And as the pendulum swings further left, freedom is running for cover..... On the lighter side he needs a bigger flag sticker-those lockers look like crap! "},{"anonName":null,"pathToMedia":"396494_64647657","adminTags":null,"views":3912,"createdBy":10039357,"createdByPathToPhoto":"116995/icons/defaultMember_116995_portrait.jpg","assocMediaId":null,"mediaName":"Firefight Over the Red, White and Blue","parentThreadId":null,"mediaId":2473560,"tags":null,"anonSiteUrl":null,"assocMediaType":null,"createdAt":"17 Oct 2009 02:40:27 GMT","anonEmail":null,"isVisible":true,"approved":true,"numComments":5,"reviewed":true,"createdByUsername":"right_center","pathToPreview":"","mediaType":"EXTERNALMEDIA","commentId":"1083413","subject":"","averageRating":0,"body":"Hey anonymous -you say rules are rules--and it looks like we are going to see plenty more of them. It IS the American way to break rules -when they are ridiculous...Rosa Park broke a rule as did many other civil rights heroes. Ever hear of the Boston tea Party? ( not to be confused with the radio station tea parties of 2009). You say the other posters have no respect for rules -I say the fire chief broke a more important rule- to always use common sense........."}],"error":"","totPages":37}