New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo earned himself a fresh wave of criticism ahead of Memorial Day after issuing a directive to lower flags to half-staff on Sunday to honor fallen front-line pandemic workers.
While the governor directed flags to be flown at half-staff on Monday to honor fallen military members, he also ordered them lowered and state monuments lit up to honor “essential workers” who died during the pandemic.
“Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today directed flags on State government buildings to be flown at half-staff and state landmarks to be lit red, white and blue on Sunday, May 30 to honor the essential workers who lost their lives due to COVID-19,” the official directive read.
“Flags will remain at half-staff until noon and landmarks will remain lit on Monday, May 31 for Memorial Day in honor of the service members who lost their lives fighting to defend our country.”
So Cuomo’s order was guaranteed to be wildly offensive, and as you can imagine, the order had some people, like Gold Star wife Michelle Garcia, understandably upset.
Garcia, whose husband Justin died in Iraq in 2006 when she was six months pregnant with their son, wrote the governor a letter admonishing him to reconsider the move.
“Essential workers”, like grocery store shelf stockers, cashiers, truck drivers, cooks, dishwashers?
Those essential workers?
About time someone thanked these people who’s jobs changed overnight, with no recognition or rarely a thank you.