Long Beach flags at half staff for soldiers

"BY WILLIAM MURPHY
william.murphy@newsday.com

May 17, 2007, 9:16 PM EDT

Saying he was frustrated with the public's fascination with low-grade celebrities in a time of war, the city manager of Long Beach ordered Thursday that city flags be flown at half-staff to honor soldiers who died in Iraq.

City Manager Edwin Eaton said he consulted informally with the five-member City Council before issuing the order, which will remain in effect until further notice. 'Obviously, not forever,' Eaton said.

'While our society and media outlets appear to be consumed by the antics and activities of dysfunctional personalities and the 'glitterati,' we tend to forget that each day Americans are anonymously dying in Iraq,' Eaton said in a memo to city department heads.

'I think it only fair that they be remembered and honored. To achieve that end, we hereby direct that American flags throughout the city be flown at half-mast,' the memo read."
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