Ex-Marine Fired From Time Warner Cable For Lowering Flag On Memorial Day

College students run under nearly 3,000 American flags lining the lawn of Pepperdine University in memory of those killed in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks 12 years ago, at the corner of Pacific Coast Highway ... College students run under nearly 3,000 American flags lining the lawn of Pepperdine University in memory of those killed in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks 12 years ago, at the corner of Pacific Coast Highway and Malibu Canyon Road in Malibu, Calif., Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2013. Those who died in the attacks who were not from the United States are memorialized with a flag from their home country. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) MORE LESS

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — A former Marine says he was fired from his contract job with Time Warner Cable in Charlotte after he lowered the American flag to half-staff on Memorial Day.

The Charlotte Observer reports (http://bit.ly/1X3eT3v) Allen Thornwell was thinking about his best friend, a former Marine who he says killed himself two years ago after he returned stateside.

The 29-year-old Thornwell was fired Tuesday. The placement service that arranged the job for Thornwell said Time Warner told them they were disturbed by what was termed his “passion for the flag and (his) political affiliation.”

Thornwell said he remains in shock over his firing. A Time Warner Cable spokesman confirmed Friday that the former Marine “was no longer under contract” with the company but declined further comment.

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Information from: The Charlotte Observer, http://www.charlotteobserver.com

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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  1. Technically, he was in error, as the flag is at half-mast from dawn to noon, and full-mast from noon to sunset on Memorial Day. He half-staffed it unilaterally at 2:30 pm, then publicly dissed Time Warner on Facebook when it was put back to full staff. But if that was the offense he was fired for, it is pretty lame.

  2. I’m thinking there must be more to the story, like some pattern of behavior to merit termination, because this one incident doesn’t hold water.

  3. Whaaaaaa? Is that what’s known as going by the book in the corporate world? Shame on Time/Warner. A little compassion and understanding goes a long way with your employees, unless you were just looking for an excuse to get rid of the man…I can’t see how this is a fireable offense.

  4. That decision was a wee bit above his pay grade, in the United States, the President can issue an executive order for the flag of the United States to be flown at half-staff upon the death of principal figures of the United States government and others, as a mark of respect to their memory.

    ta wiki

  5. disturbed by what was termed his "passion for the flag

    Time-Warner is absolute garbage, a joke of a cable company that can’t even manage customer billing.

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