Joined by the rest of the Babylon Town Board, Lt. Colonel and Councilwoman Jackie Gordon and NYC Firefighter and Councilman Tom Donnelly announced plans to send a US Flag to UC Irvine, following a resolution by the student legislature to ban the display of the American Flag in the student government’s public space. An official American Flag will be mailed as a sign of support for the UC Irvine Student Council President, Reza Zomorrodian, who has vowed to veto the ban.
Enlisted in the United States Army Reserves since 1984, Lieutenant Colonel Jackie Gordon has been deployed overseas in service of her country four times, included to Iraq in 2003 and Afghanistan in 2012.
“In my time serving the country that I love, the American flag has represented the true sacrifices made every day by the uniformed men and women who defend our freedoms,” said Councilwoman Gordon. “It should be hung proudly in every house and corner of our country without hesitation.”
Councilman Donnelly is a decorated 25-year member of the New York City Fire Department, who served as a member of the Search and Rescue Task Force with deployments to the World Trade Center attacks in 2001 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
“While working side by side with my brothers and sisters in uniform to search through the World Trade Center wreckage on September 11th, 2001, the American Flag represented our resolve, our camaraderie, and our strength as a nation in one of our darkest hours,” said Councilman Donnelly. “We strongly support the efforts of the UC Irvine Student Council President to revoke this ban, which dishonors the men and women who lost their lives that terrible day.”
Joining Councilwoman Gordon and Councilman Donnelly in support are Supervisor Rich Schaffer, Deputy Supervisor Tony Martinez, Councilman Lindsay Henry, Town Clerk Carol Quirk, and Receiver of Taxes Corinne Disomma.