Unraveling Old Glory's ongoing appeal

by JOEL DANDO
(6.30.04)The American flag has always been a proud symbol of Yankee independence, whether waving in the dawn's early light or plastered across the ass of a draft-dodging hippie. Today's headlines suggest Old Glory is still roiling passions. The Pledge of Alle-giance --or at least a part of it --is being challenged in the courts; the latest versions of the Flag Protection Amendment are making their way through the two houses of Congress.

Doling out the federal dough to protect Vermonters

(6.30.04)Colchester Police Officer Mike Cannon thinks it's unlikely he'll ever have to respond to a terrorist attack. "I don't think Osama bin Laden is sitting under a tree somewhere thinking about how to get at Colchester, Vermont," he says. But that hasn't stopped the 45-year-old veteran cop and Technical Rescue Squad Leader from applying for, and winning, federal anti-terrorism funding for his 17-member rescue unit.

John Douglas' art aims to expose "Homeland Security"

by SUSAN MOUL
(6.30.04)John Douglas describes his profession as "truth activist." The Charlotte multimedia artist creates animations, documentaries and photographs that question the heightened polarity in contemporary American politics and social attitudes. While other peace advocates might take a more distant and critical approach, Douglas does the opposite: using himself -- posed and exposed -- at the subject of his compositions.

A liberty-loving lawyer gets in on the act

by WILLIAM CRAIG
(6.30.04)I was in the lunch line at the June 18 Vermont Media and Democracy Conference in Burlington when I noticed a dapper, bearded gentleman with an eye-catching lapel button that read, "LIES = WAR." Turned out he'd made it himself, and had good advice for buying button-making equipment online.