County Executive Picente on Student Protesting Over Israel and Gaza

Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente says the protests on college campuses around the country have been tough to watch, but so far we've been lucky that there hasn't been anything like that here locally.

"I don't get it, I guess, said Picente. "Growing up I do remember in the 60s and 70s vaguely watching the protests about Vietnam. You look at that one, the draft, and sending our young men into a war that was difficult to win," he said. "I've still only seen one or two of these students that are able to articulate in some reasonable fashion, of why they were there (protesting)," Picente added.

"I've never understood whether it's a government or it's an individual, holding a person accountable for something they have no control over," said Picente. Picente said the protesters are holding Jewish students accountable for something their government has done, solely based on their bloodline. He also looked back to the days during World War II when Japanese Americans were place in internment camps, just because they were of Japanese decent. He called it one of the worst moments and tragedies in U.S. history.

Picente also questioned what parents of Columbia students are saying to their kids - recollecting that his parents would have told him to get back to MVCC.  "There must be some parents out there calling their kids and saying, "What are you doing?"

Picente also answered a question from a listener on the County's policy on raising flags. The question comes from an issue in Utica where Mayor Mike Galime was criticized for no longer allowing any non-state flags from flying over city hall. In particular, Utica used to fly the Pride flag during Pride month - and under the new rules that will no longer be allowed. An Italian or Irish flag would be allowed because they are flags of official states. It was brought up that this policy could cause issues with people who might want to fly the Russian or Chinese flag over city hall, but Galime said that would have to be allowed under the new policy. The change in flag policy was prompted by a lawsuit in Boston, where the city would pick and choose which flags could fly over their city hall. Boston ultimately lost that lawsuit in court.

Picente says, Oneida County's policy avoids all of those issues. They only allow the County, State, and American flags to fly over county property. He said the only exception is the POW-MIA flag, which stays in accordance with federal and state policy.