Cartoon clarification

The editorial cartoon that appeared in May 22 has been interpreted in

several ways. The cartoon comes out as the city is preparing to lower the

flag to half staff for the fourth time in five weeks -- and for the fifth

time this year -- and the artist's feeling that the city's standards for

lowering the flag are being lowered to the point that if the watering

down continued, there would be no end to what the flag might be lowered

for -- including the death of the mayor's dog. The flag has been lowered

for several reasons, none of which were being singled out. This year, the

flag has been lowered for a former councilman who died, the Armenian

Genocide, Police Memorial Day, the death of a city employee and will be

lowered Monday for Memorial Day. Last year, the flag was lowered only for

the Armenian Genocide and Memorial Day.