Fieldsboro received national media attention over the issue.
By: Vanessa S. Holt
FIELDSBORO Bright yellow ribbons flutter in bare tree branches, on front doors and on street lamps and telephone poles throughout the village this week, as abundant as the golden forsythia bushes that just started to bloom.
The borough has received national media attention this week over the question of yellow ribbons, a controversy sparked when Hegyi’s Liquor Store owner Diane Johnson placed yellow ribbons she had made on the Fieldsboro welcome sign where Washington and Union streets converge, not far from the shop.
When she was told by a city worker on March 27 that the ribbons had been removed because the sign was municipal property, she contacted local media and within 24 hours the story had spread and the borough was swarming with news vans and radio stations attracted by the tale of a small town that had "banned" yellow ribbons.
Mayor Ed "Buddy" Tyler said the controversy was based on misleading reports, as there is no ban on yellow ribbons in the borough, but the Borough Council had informally voted to remove the ribbons from the sign on March 25 after receiving several complaints.
In the past, when signs were placed on the "Fieldsboro" sign they were removed, said Mayor Tyler.
"Every town is supposed to have a sign so emergency services know where the town begins," he said. "We can’t have the sign covered. But we figure there will be no action, as long as it’s not covering up the words."
Mayor Tyler said one of the complaints was from an anonymous man who had called and asked what the borough would do if someone put ribbons of other colors, or a Confederate flag on the sign.
"He had a point," said Mayor Tyler. "You will start having a slippery slope if you let any individual put anything they want on public property, no matter what the cause," he said. "Certainly, as a governing body, I know we all support the troops."
A New Jersey radio station had decorated the welcome sign with yellow ribbons and flags by Friday afternoon, and this week the ribbons remained on the sign.
Calls were still coming in at the municipal building on Monday from television stations as far away as Canada and from morning news programs. The village of 600 was even mentioned on HBO’s "Real Time With Bill Maher" on Friday night during the opening monologue.
"It would be an understatement to say this has been blown out of proportion," said Mayor Tyler.
Borough Clerk Adrienne Loughnane said the mayor is having the tape of the March 25 meeting transcribed to review the discussion about ribbons and municipal property.
"It’s just a big misunderstanding," she said. "The mayor tried to point out that you can put ribbons anywhere, but not on borough property."
Dave Johnson, co-owner of Hegyi’s Liquor Store, said Tuesday he and his wife were still receiving calls of support from around the country and Ms. Johnson had agreed to interviews on several radio talk shows from as far away as Texas.
"It’s absolutely unbelievable," he said of the attention they and the borough have received in the past few days. "There were five TV stations and seven radio stations here; we were getting phone calls from California, Washington, and Wyoming."
Mr. Johnson said the issue of the ribbons was a case of political correctness out of control.
"She just put the ribbons up to show support," he said.
Ms. Johnson has continued to make yellow ribbons in the back of the store, giving them out to customers and people who stop by.
A petition against the ribbon removal had gathered 130 signatures at the store over the weekend. Hegyi’s is also a drop-off location for Operation Shoebox, a program which collects items for the troops, said Mr. Johnson.
Nonperishable, sealed goods, including food, lotion, powdered beverages, writing paper, stamps and reading materials are among the items that can be dropped off at the store.
He said there will be a candlelight vigil at the Fieldsboro sign tonight at 7 p.m., and a rally is expected to take place at noon on Saturday in the borough, said Ms. Johnson. She said a group of Guardian Angels from New York, several northern New Jersey mayors, and former gubernatorial candidate Bret Schundler are expected to attend.
Mayor Tyler fielded calls throughout Friday and Saturday at the municipal building. Many callers understood the situation after he explained it to them, he said, but others did not.
"All they could see was what was driving them anger," he said. "But many had people overseas, so you can certainly understand that. I wouldn’t demean anyone for taking that position."
Yellow ribbons are flying on Mayor Tyler’s house as well, along with an American flag.
"It’s been flying for the past 35 years," he said.