European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 02, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                An unidentified tourist examines to shirts at a stand near the Vietnam veterans a Emoru in Washington. \ v memorial sales free speech or Flea Market by Lawrence t. Knutson the associated press Here is a yellow Flag on a Sun soaked Patch of grass near a Walkway leading to the Vietnam veterans memorial in Washington that displays a coiled Rattlesnake and the words Don t tread on  designed during the american revolution it is planted near a Cluster of Blue Canvas and plastic tents from which vendors sell to shirts buttons Arm patches bumper stickers rubbings of names on the Wall and other mementos to the thousands of people who visit the memorial. The Rattlesnake Flag May Well symbolize the two sides in a Small but High int Erdity verbal firefight Over what is permissible at America s monuments and memorials. And the National Park service which has permitted the private sales on grounds of free speech since shortly after the memorial was opened in 1982, May be about to enter the fray. To Jan Scruggs the leading figure in building the Black Granite Wall engraved with the names of the More than 58,000 americans killed in Vietnam the vendors who sell to shirts buttons and Arm patches there Are running an unsightly Flea Market on sacred ground. The Money changers have to be chased from the Temple said Scruggs who is president of the Vietnam veterans memorial association. They claim they have the right to be there because they Are demonstrators. Monday August 2, 1993 but there is no reason in the world a demonstrator has to rely on retail sales. Some of those vendors Are there strictly for profit. The Vietnam Wall has become the Goose that lays the Golden eggs. It s Kmart on the mall. It s everything the memorial is not supposed to  but Ted Sampley who won four Bronze stars in Vietnam strongly disagrees. He runs one of five operations that sell on the walk near the memorial. Sampley manufactures the to shirts and other merchandise he Sells there. He insists that As Long As those products a Young woman weeps after finding her father s name on the Wall. Bear political slogans supporting activities to locate americans who May have been left behind when the United states pulled out of Vietnam they Are fully protected by the Constitution s guarantees of free expression. We Are the dissidents Down there. We Are the activists and we have every right in the world to be there Fly the Flag and put out Pur literature Sampley said. I Don t see Jan Scruggs As a Jesus Christ who has been ordained to protect his Temple. You ddn t blow up the Constitution to solve a  Sampley contends he holds the High ground in a grudge fight. We Are not liked they do not want us he said. It s a personal thing Between Jan Scruggs and Ted  All of the vendors have obtained Public gathering permits which authorize demonstrations vigils marches and special events on Federal land in the District of Columbia. But Park service spokesman Earl Kittleman says the sales operations have caused congestion and liberties have been taken with the Public gathering permits which ban commercial activities. Kittleman said the Park service has tried to balance Public Access to the memorial with Freedom of speech but its attitude May be changing. A task Force is studying the Case and one option is to permit Only newspapers pamphlets and leaflets to be distributed or sold he said. If that happens you might eliminate some of the sales you have there now Kittleman said. Short subject some states still get no respect by Aviva a Brandt the associated press West Virginia Hillbillies and first cousins who marry each other. New Jersey did you hear the latest Johnny Carson once quipped. A tidal wave hit the new Jersey coast causing $7,52 in  Arkansas people without shoes. George Bush also called it the biggest failure of the United states although it must be admitted it was meant As a swipe at Bill Clinton. It s enough to make you wonder where All the jokes Are about uncultured Connecticut residents or Hick Rhode islanders. But the Rodney Dang Fields of the Road Atlas can take heart help in the form of these Touchy times May be on the Way. It s a lot More difficult to use stereotypes in general says Tim Kelleher a staff writer for 7770 Arsenio Hall show and a former stand up comic. We re living in such politically Correct times i think if it does t Hurt anyone directly it s of. If you re saying people in Appalachia marry their cousins if you go to Appalachia you got a problem. But if you go somewhere else and say you were just in Appalachia it s ok.". Still Kelleher acknowledged people Are so Touchy. You have to be so innocuous. You make a joke and you get five phone Calls the next Day from people who were  regional stereotypes in America Date Back to British jokes about Yankees then portrayed As uncouth country bumpkins said Ken Thigpen a Penn state University professor of Folk history and american studies. There Are often conflicting stereotypes he said. One Texas stereotype is of a braggart at the same time there s the Western Texas stereotype of the Man of few  stereotypes often develop As a rivalry Between neighbouring states he said while others Are More regionally based. But he could t say Why some states continue to be the butt of jokes while others Aren t. For example it recently was discovered that a Kentucky software maker that uses graphics to symbolize each of the 50 states offered an Igloo for Alaska a Cable car for California a horse for Kentucky and an outhouse for West Virginia. Sometimes the jokes Don t work. Bush whose presidential Campaign included attacks on Arkansas the lowest of the Lowis retired while the ozarks Clinton is living in the White House. Ron Russell executive vice president of the Arkansas chamber of Commerce said he did t let Bush s zingers bother him. After All he noted Backwoods Arkansas is Home to powerhouse corporations such As Stephens inc. The largest brokerage firm off Wall Street in the country Wal Mart stores and Tyson foods. That s politics. You Don t take politics personally Russell said of Bush s remarks. The fact of the matter is people in Arkansas have a lot of Pride As they do in West Virginia. But we realize who we Are. I think you can spend too much time worrying about your  the stars and stripes 17