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Altered image an insult

It has been said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but when it comes to Joe Rosenthal’s iconic photo of Marines and a sailor raising Old Glory over Iwo Jima, imitation just stokes anger and resentment.

Why go there?

The British Airlines Stewards and Stewardesses Association, a labor union for flight attendants currently contesting British Airways’ plan to cut jobs, makes no compelling case for hijacking a cherished symbol of U.S. history. Its “United We Stand” poster campaign, spotlighted recently by the British media, takes some absurd liberties with Rosenthal’s photo in an attempt to make the point that these workers won’t go down without a fight.

So instead of battle-weary grunts raising the Stars and Stripes atop Mount Suribachi, you see four starched airline employees hoisting a bright purple flag at the edge of a commercial runway.

Frankly, it’s ridiculous.

A flood of criticism has come from both the U.S. and the United Kingdom, where embarrassed veterans have called on the union to kill its tacky poster campaign and apologize to those it has offended.

the union has done neither, and the airline that employs these flight attendants refuses to get involved.

As they say in England — or at least on PBS programming — what rubbish.

Granted, these flight attendants and their union reps may be so historically out of touch as to not comprehend how they have violated the memory of the Marines and sailors who fought and died on Iwo Jima 65 years ago. But to continue to usurp the very symbol of their sacrifices even after being informed of the insult is glaringly insensitive.

And sticking with an ad campaign that is fueling contempt for the workers’ group as it strives to build support for its cause is like going into combat wearing a bright red coat — just plain dumb.