Ag spokesman: No ultimatum on flag

This was an act of conscience by a brave man. I salute him. It is not your country right or wrong, and should not be. As for the writer who says that you are saluting the rank, not the man; maybe he never deserved the rank. It was Helms who was disloyal to our country, by his actions. If anyone knows how to contact Eason directly, I would like to do so, to offer support. Maybe the fellow who has known him for longer than 29 years could supply an email?

I am total agreement with you. I don't believe this is the end of the issue. Eason deserves better.

I agree with Mr. Eason. Helm was who he was. The flag is an indicator of honor and loyalty. Who was the governor and the commissioner trying to impress the "good ol boys club." Helm was loyal to himself and to all who represented hatred. Isn't it amazing and yet sorrowful he died on the day of independence. The old order of this country must die to past prejudice. Helm represented many things. But one thing is certain he did not represent the people. Eason resigned or was he forced because his counterparts resented what he stood for. The fact that all men were created equal is not a true statement in the real world. There will always be prejudice in this world because some people will refuse to love because of the color of the skin. I pray Eason will move on to better things in his life. I feel Eason deserves better. It was difficlt to listen to the venom spurted from Helm's mouth. How was the flag at half mast honoring Helm? Was it for the hatred for how he disregarded others or the fact he tried to keep other people in bondage to that slavery mentality?

I can't see what motivation someone would have to say that they were forced to retire when they did in fact retire prematurely, versus the incentive for CYA from a higher official who put the pressure on and now says he didn't. I don't believe that Eason was not forced to resign. The higher officials could at least be honest about it.

This man is so petty and shallow that it is hard to imagine that the state will not be better off without him. How many other decisions has he made in his career that have been based purely on emotion? The taxpayers deserve better.

I suppose it depends on how you view it. I don't think of Helms as having had a long history of loyal public service. Like it or not, minorities are part of the public. As for the King holiday, part of the problem with that is that so many people seem to look at it as you do, a "minority" holiday. Dr. King did FAR more than Helms for this country, not just for minorities. And, no, it doesn't replace any holiday any more than, say, Valentine's day. I am more disappointed that the governor chose to put him in such a situation. Not everyone deserves every honor and I don't think there would have been a terrible outcry if the flags had not been lowered for Helms

It matters little at this point who is telling the truth. The fact of the matter is a public employee directly violated an order of the chief executive of our state in order to inject his own political views into state work. Any state employee who does such should not be offered early retirement, they should be FIRED.

I have taken it upon myself to spread this story as far and wide as possible. Even though I am now a North Carolinian, I am not now nor ever have been a racist. I resent the news spreading nationwide that North Caroling is a racist state. Expect me to put the web address of this story in as many sites as possible. Color me any shade you want, but not scarlet!!

Eason is a bonehead. I can understand not wanting to pour accolades on an individual with whom you have great disagreement. However, in the military, you are told to salute the rank, not the man. That is how I feel about flying flags at half staff. Like him or not, Jesse Helms did have a long history of loyal public service. One state employee retired rather than lower the flag at his facility to half staff. Good riddance. He is ticked over Helms' opposition to the MLK holiday. I detest that holiday for several reasons, not the least of which is that it replaces other official holidays such as Veterans' Day or Presidents' Day in government as well as private company calendars. I believe it to be an appeasement of a minority at the expense of the majority. From my blog.

I have known L. F. Eason for longer than the twenty-nine years that he worked for the NC Department of Agriculture. If he said that they offered him no other choice than to either take early retirement or lower the flags to half mast, then they offered him no other choice.

The Department of Agriculture is not telling the truth. L. F. Eason is not a liar.