Arizona Republic from Phoenix, Arizona • Page 23

The Arizona Republic FRIDAY, JUNE 6, 2003 B3 BUB 'Republic 12 News fund helping military families Paul Maryniak, metro editor, 602.444.NEWS (6397) or paul.maryniakarizonarepublic.com Burning the rubber, shredding the flag A few Republican congressmen from Arizona have courageously stood up for the U.S. flag, backing a ban on desecrating it, even though it might get a lot of their constituents in deep, deep is needed year-around. Officials with the Arizona National Guard's Family Assistance Fund will use Thursday's roughly $85,700 donation to provide direct financial aid to families. "The intent is turn this money around right away," said Major General David Ra-taczak, the adjutant general. The National Guard's fund has been drawing donations statewide, in addition to those generated by Operation Homefront and Montini.

Those separate donations total more than $130,000, spokeswoman Maj. Eileen Bienz said. As of Monday, the fund had paid out more than $68,700 to 76 families. Some were given free grants; others were given loans to be repaid. Rataczak said families have myriad needs, citing examples in which two wives struggled with costly car repairs.

Both were given money for the repair bills, and gift certificates to grocery stores. Reach the reporter at susie.steckner arizonarepublic.com or (602) 444-7962. By Susie Steckner The Arizona Republic Donors gave more than $170,000 for programs benefiting military families through the Operation Home-front fund-raising campaign sponsored by The Arizona Republic and 12 News. Some families of military personnel in Iraq have faced significant financial problems because of the difference between civilian and military pay. Some employers have made up that difference, but others haven't.

The campaign was launched April 13, and on Thursday, organizers distributed checks for more than $85,700 each to the American Red Cross Grand Canyon Chapter and the Arizona National Guard Family Assistance Fund. The National Guard fund got another $66,277 after Republic columnist E.J. Montini challenged readers to make donations and offered up a baseball signed by Pirates players, including Hall of Famers Roberto Clemente and Willie Stargell, for the largest donation. "The success of Operation Homefront is a great testimony to the generosity of Republic readers and 12 News viewers," said Sue Clark-Johnson, chief executive officer and publisher of the newspaper. "Once again, they opened their hearts and their wallets to help Arizonans in need.

These funds will help ease the burden on our local families affected by the war." The roughly $85,700 donation to the Red Cross will support its armed forces emergency services program, which provides case management, emergency messaging, financial assistance counseling and other From February to May, program staff handled about 970 cases of families needing help, or about 80 a week. The agency also provided mental health staff and volunteers to assist local families who had a loved one missing or killed. The donation will "go a long way to covering the cost of the program, but this program never pays for itself," said' Cathy Tisdale, the local Red Cross' CEO. But she said that with military deployed worldwide all the time, the program Richard Ruelas Republic columnist trouble. J.D.

Hayworth, Rick Renzi and Trent Franks voted for the ban, despite the fact it would prove unpopular if enforced, potentially putting scores of citizens behind bars, or leave them facing hefty fines. But like other right-thinking Americans, the three Republicans have looked around this great country only to see the dignity of the once-proud U.S. flag literally hanging by a thread. Usually from an People are slowly ripping the flag to shreds by placing it on top of their sport-utility vehicles. It makes a strong, symbolic statement about how our country has been left in tatters.

Others place stickers or decals on their vehicles, showing a waving, sloppy, incomplete flag with only six stripes and no more than a dozen or so stars. This is an obvious expression of their feeling that the government represents only a minority of the populace, ignoring those in more than half the country. Homeowners have stuck flags outside their homes, but have failed to light them at night, as if to say, "No, as a matter of fact, you can no longer see what so proudly we hailed." Sun-bleached flags are affixed to car windows, while others hang from homes and businesses, saying something about the country's inability to withstand the heat. The most thought-provoking statement I've seen made was a sun-bleached flag sticker that had these words under it: "These colors don't run." The majority of the delegation, Democrats Ed Pastor and Raul Grijalva and Republicans John Shadegg and Jeff Flake voted against the ban. Rep.

Jim Kolbe, a Republican, voted "yes," but his office says that was a mistake. It's no mistake how Renzi, Hayworth and Franks feel. Not only did they vote for the ban, but they also agreed to be among its 213 co-sponsors. "It is out of deep respect for the brave men and women who died for the cause of human freedom that I voted to prohibit the desecration of the American Flag," reads a statement from Franks. "The preservation of the symbol of their noble service is indeed the responsibility of every American." And especially the responsibility of those in Congress.

These three Republicans know that. That's why they've elevated the importance of a symbol above the First Amendment's protection of free expression. Hayworth, Renzi and Franks stood strong in this vote, probably because they know better than anyone that sometimes it is the symbolic gestures that can be the most damaging to the country. Reach Ruelas at richard.ruelasarizonarepublic.com or (602) 444-8473. Chandler killer sentenced to die SUV.

They and other House members responded with a proposal to add a single, powerful line to this country's sacred constitution: "The Congress shall have the power to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States." It doesn't stand much of a chance. The same bill has passed the House five times in the past eight years. It has always stalled in the Senate, although it did come within four votes of passing in 1995 and 2000. But in years past, this was mainly a symbolic vote. Now, Used to be only the occasional handful of hippies would desecrate a flag.

Now, it has spread to the masses. ment, which was splattered with her blood. Morane was Gomez's next-door neighbor. Gomez's sentencing was delayed when Arizona's death penalty law was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court, which found that only juries can impose death sentences.

"I'm so happy and relieved. I feel like it was a very just sentence," said McBee, of St. Petersburg, Fla. "I don't think he can be tortured as much as what he did to my sister." Judge James Keppel of Maricopa County Superior Court also sentenced Gomez to 21 years for kidnapping and 14 years for sexual assault, to be served consecutive to the death sentence. By Jim Walsh The Arizona Republic Minutes after he was sentenced to death, a convicted murderer defiantly proclaimed his innocence and said his sentence is "very improper." Jurors deliberated for 2lA days before sentencing Fabio Gomez, 35, to death for the bludgeoning of a Chandler woman whose body was dumped in a garbage bin at an apartment complex on Dec.

2, 1999. "Is this how they do justice in Arizona?" Gomez said, arguing that Chandler police violated his rights. "How convenient it will be to take a life away. But the verdict was a relief to April McBee, victim Joan Morane's sister. Jay Morane, who was divorced from Joan before her death, was overcome by tears.

Joan, 36, an Arizona State University student, was sexually assaulted, and prosecutors said Gomez, a former minor-league baseball player, used a dumbbell to pound her head with at least 18 blows. A different jury found him guilty in March 2001 of first-degree murder, sexual assault and kidnapping. Gomez was linked to the murder by DNA evidence. Morane's DNA was found on the dumbbell inside his apart those who abhor the destruction of the flag are facing real problems. Used to be only the occasional handful of hippies would desecrate a flag, usually by burning it to make some sort of namby-pamby political statement.

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