Adding insult to injury: Biden reversal on flag placement draws rebuke from Sununu

Rochester Voice President Martha T. Soto Galicia and Rochester Police Community Engagement Officer Kyle Danie give a thumbs up on Friday as The Voice delivered coffee and doughnuts to the station. Right, 'updated' order says flags remain at full staff.

Late on Friday, a time when controversial government decrees are often dropped hoping for light news coverage, the president of the United States sent out an executive order directing governors to fly the American flag at full staff, in effect, dishonoring Peace Officers Memorial Day when flags traditionally fly at half-staff.

To be clear, President Biden sent out a decree earlier in the week directing the flags be lowered to half-staff today. How bizarre, how bizarre.

Governor Sununu, to his credit, acted swiftly late last night, reversing the order for New Hampshire while ripping Biden for his late-night cringe-worthy high jinks.

"Late tonight Joe Biden quietly tried to reverse his Peace Officers Memorial Day Proclamation, hoping no one would notice they are no longer calling for flags to fly at Half Staff across the USA honoring our men and women in blue," the governor tweeted. "This is outrageous and precedent breaking."

After scanning the news wire, we found no national stories following this disgrace. Watch your network news shows this morning and evening. We bet you'll find precious little coverage.

To add insult to injury, the numbers of law enforcement line-of-duty deaths almost doubled in 2020 to 264 from the 135 killed in 2019.

I want everyone to know that growing up in Cuba my father was a police officer, and I was thrilled and honored on Friday when The Rochester Voice delivered a couple of Dunkin' boxes of Joe and doughnuts to Rochester Police to thank them for all they do.

We also have a special through today where police - and anyone who supports them - is welcome to sign up for a year of The Rochester Voice for just $10. Just click on the Support your Police ad anywhere on our site.

It's sad that the great feeling we had saluting the work police do every day on Friday has been tainted by an order that was likely delivered whilst the octogenarian slept.

If I can find one today I will be installing a blue light on my porch to honor police officers for the rest of this month. I urge all Rochester Voice readers to do the same.

Martha T. Soto Galicia is the president of The Rochester Voice.