Controversy has arisen in the town of King, N.C. as Christians and veterans alike recently rallied to keep the Christian flag flying at the town’s Veterans War Memorial. After an War on Terror veteran and Korean War veteran complained to the American Civil Liberties Union and Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, deeming the flag offensive to those of other religions, the ACLU stepped in, arguing the flag “violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment,” and violates the separation of church and state. The city removed the flag until a decision could be made concerning its presence in the memorial.
In response, residents have shown a tremendous amount of support for the cause, raising awareness by displaying flags “on every porch, on every business and in every yard,” as resident and local business owner Mike Marshall said.
Veterans are also planning to wave the flag continuously for the next month in an effort to reinstate and assure its presence at the memorial, and both residents and veterans held a rally on Thursday in support of the flag’s reinstatement.
To the city’s inhabitants and majority of war veterans, the Christian flag is a vital symbol of not only their faith but also their being. King is a self-proclaimed Christian community, and for it to be denied public expression of its beliefs because a handful of people and veterans aren’t fellow believers is staggering.
As citizens of the United States, we are all granted the freedoms of speech, religion and expression in general. Why, then, are these Christians being singled out and chastised for their beliefs? If Christianity is not a “superior religion,” as those of other faiths have said, then neither is any other religion. The presence of the Christian flag is meaningful to the city’s 6,000 or so residents and veterans, and to take it down for the sake of one or two is senseless.
The issue was further discussed at the City Council meeting held in King on Oct. 18, where nearly 500 pro-flag supporters were in attendance. The Council initially voted to take down the flag rather than engage in a lawsuit with the ACLU.
But despite fighting a legal battle funded by taxpayers’ money and a battle many believe the city will likely lose, a large number of residents voiced their willingness to help pay the cost if necessary, which is estimated about $200,000 to $300,000. Additionally, of the more than 40 speakers at the meeting, none favored permanently removing the flag.
The ACLU does present a valid point concerning the separation of church and state. As ACLU legal director Katy Parker claims, the flag’s placement in the Memorial is a violation, “because it was endorsed by the city as part of a public monument… there is a critical difference between private religious speech and government religious-based speech, which the government forbids.”
Though this is a part of the law, if this issue was of vital importance, then it should have been addressed when the memorial was originally built. If the majority of the community agrees to the placement of the Christian flag, then the majority should have its say; it is impossible to please everyone in a community of over 6,000 residents.
Yet the chief argument remains that the Memorial’s representation of Christianity is unfair to those of other religions.
Though representation is lacking for other religions, no actions have been taken to change that fact, except the efforts to tear down and remove the one that is represented — Christianity. It seems impossible to satisfy the demands of those desiring to incorporate different faiths without completely eliminating Christianity.
Currently, the city has two possible solutions: delegate a flag pole at the memorial for the display of any religious emblem or donate or sell the memorial to a veterans organization, which would then make the memorial privately-owned, consequently making the display of the flag technically legal.
In the face of opposition, the efforts and dedication shown by those defending the presence of the Christian flag is both hopeful and inspiring. If this group of people can rally together in defense and unity for what it believes, perhaps the rest of us will inherit its courage and drive.
As King resident James Joyce boldly declared, “We’ve let our religious freedoms and Constitutional rights be stripped away, one by one, and I think it’s time we took a stand.”
Audrey Love is an undeclared freshman. She can be contacted at [email protected].