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by Bob Fitrakis
March 14, 2003
It started like any other routine day at the Reflexions on Front hair salon on December 17, 2002. The proprietor, Randy Hubbard, prepped his salon for his early customers. The phone rang -- it was one of his regulars wanting to schedule an appointment. While on the phone, Hubbard heard a loud knock on the door. He wondered why a young man with close-cropped hair, who looked like an FBI agent, was at his door. Hubbard's salon is located on the ground floor of Columbus' FBI office building at 500 S. Front St.
Still on the phone, Hubbard opened the door and was blasted with the following question: "Why is your flag upside down?" Hubbard paused and thought about telling him that he placed it upside down following the November re-election of Governor Bob Taft, whom he opposes, as a sign of the state's distress. Instead, he simply replied, "None of your business." Hubbard says the man, he later learned was a military liaison to the FBI, shouted back, "You're a jackass!"
Hubbard admits he swore back and told the military man, "The day you start paying the rent you can hang the flag any way you want."
Not willing to accept that type of behavior from a government worker, Hubbard called Kurt Collins of the Columbus FBI Bureau on December 19. "I told Kurt that one of your boys stepped in my office and called me a jackass,'" Hubbard recalls. Kurt's response was, "Why was your flag upside down?"
"Kurt, I was raised by a goddamn Marine sergeant. I don't need the FBI's version of patriotism shoved down my throat," Hubbard claims he replied. Collins said that he would look into the matter and identified the offending man as "Nate" with a long last name, attached to the military division with the FBI, according to Hubbard.
Hubbard asked that he receive an apology. "Collins told me, 'That ain't gonna happen, since military men can't stand to see the flag desecrated,'" Hubbard says.
Feeling satisfied, Hubbard waited for his apology that he was sure was coming. Instead, the next call on the matter was from his landlord, Matt Miller, informing Hubbard that the upside down flag in his window was a breach of his lease and a violation of his contract. Miller told Hubbard that he had received a lot of complaints about the flag and something had to be done.
Hubbard believes that his lease will not be renewed and he'll have to look for a new place to do business, even though he's been in the same location for ten years. "I'm just not going to take this, I'm not going to accept their version of patriotism. I'm not going to give up my freedoms," Hubbard explains. The building may not be big enough to house both Reflexions and the FBI in post-9/11 America.
Matt Miller, confirmed that there had been "several" complaints concerning Hubbard's flag. Miller said that Hubbard's lease prohibits any signage, advertisement or banners in his front window. "It's a dead issue," he said.
Still on the phone, Hubbard opened the door and was blasted with the following question: "Why is your flag upside down?" Hubbard paused and thought about telling him that he placed it upside down following the November re-election of Governor Bob Taft, whom he opposes, as a sign of the state's distress. Instead, he simply replied, "None of your business." Hubbard says the man, he later learned was a military liaison to the FBI, shouted back, "You're a jackass!"
Hubbard admits he swore back and told the military man, "The day you start paying the rent you can hang the flag any way you want."
Not willing to accept that type of behavior from a government worker, Hubbard called Kurt Collins of the Columbus FBI Bureau on December 19. "I told Kurt that one of your boys stepped in my office and called me a jackass,'" Hubbard recalls. Kurt's response was, "Why was your flag upside down?"
"Kurt, I was raised by a goddamn Marine sergeant. I don't need the FBI's version of patriotism shoved down my throat," Hubbard claims he replied. Collins said that he would look into the matter and identified the offending man as "Nate" with a long last name, attached to the military division with the FBI, according to Hubbard.
Hubbard asked that he receive an apology. "Collins told me, 'That ain't gonna happen, since military men can't stand to see the flag desecrated,'" Hubbard says.
Feeling satisfied, Hubbard waited for his apology that he was sure was coming. Instead, the next call on the matter was from his landlord, Matt Miller, informing Hubbard that the upside down flag in his window was a breach of his lease and a violation of his contract. Miller told Hubbard that he had received a lot of complaints about the flag and something had to be done.
Hubbard believes that his lease will not be renewed and he'll have to look for a new place to do business, even though he's been in the same location for ten years. "I'm just not going to take this, I'm not going to accept their version of patriotism. I'm not going to give up my freedoms," Hubbard explains. The building may not be big enough to house both Reflexions and the FBI in post-9/11 America.
Matt Miller, confirmed that there had been "several" complaints concerning Hubbard's flag. Miller said that Hubbard's lease prohibits any signage, advertisement or banners in his front window. "It's a dead issue," he said.