Honest to goodness I don’t even know what a Christian flag is. I really don’t. But a town had what they call a “Christian flag” flying over a memorial to fallen soldiers. Well, the town received ONE complaint about the separation of church and state in which the complainer threatened to sue.
So what did the town do? They removed the flag, of course. These kinds of bullying tactics happen all across the country all the time. And they’ll continue as long as they work.
The town’s elected officials said they simply couldn’t afford a lawsuit. But, as one resident, in the news piece said, “Even if you know you’re gonna’ lose a fight, make a stand. It’s the fight that counts. It’s standing up for something.”
While I understand not wanting to spend heaps of money on lawyers, we should remember that some fights are too costly not to have.
September 20, 2010 at 8:22 pm
Separation of Church and State isn't in the Constitution. So how does it hold any water??
September 20, 2010 at 9:25 pm
I wonder why the council didn't look into free legal help from the "Thomas More Society" or other pro bono organ?
Gerry
September 20, 2010 at 9:39 pm
And here is a Constitutional question: why should anyone have to PAY for justice?
— Mack
September 20, 2010 at 9:42 pm
If they can't be trusted in a two-bit skirmish like this how will they ever be trusted when the bloody battle really comes. And it will.
September 20, 2010 at 10:26 pm
@Coffee Catholic
What do you interpret the first amendment to mean?
September 20, 2010 at 10:44 pm
Please check out this link to clear up "church and state" confusion:
http://www.free2pray.info/1separationchurchstate.html
September 20, 2010 at 10:47 pm
The words 'separation of church and state' come from a private letter from Thomas Jefferson to a group of Baptists. The First Amendment states, 'the Congress shall enact no law respecting establishment of religion nor abridging the free exercise thereof.' (I may not have the wording exactly right.) How is putting up a flag establishing a religion? I don't see how putting up a generic "Christian" flag (is there anywhere we can see the flag?) is 'establishment' of a religion. It merely reflects the faith of many of the people buried there.
September 20, 2010 at 10:47 pm
Freedom of religion. So if the families of the soldiers want a Christian flag, then they should get it.
September 20, 2010 at 11:22 pm
If a member of my family had his name on that memorial I would demand that the City Council remove it for de facto establishment of the atheist religion, under pain of a threatened lawsuit. Leftists and cowards (same thing) expressly DO NOT like the taste of their own medicine.
September 20, 2010 at 11:49 pm
I think you are being obtuse here. You know what a flag's function is and and you know the symbol of Christianity.
Unless you are saying that you don't believe that there should be a separation of church and state …
September 21, 2010 at 12:30 am
If you don't understand that by simply flying a Christian flag – whatever that is; a cross on a flag, maybe? – that a government, at any level, is NOT establishing a religion then perhaps you are the one being obtuse here. What don't you people get that makes you think like this? A government would "establish" a religion by first legislating it and then enforcing it either by some kind of fine, imprisonment or physical violence. You know, like they do with taxes now.
September 21, 2010 at 1:07 am
I'm surprised at how well the news story was done
September 21, 2010 at 3:13 am
I think I found the 'Christian flag', though the one in the video didn't look like it had any white on it: http://www.flagstuff.com/images/products/religious-flags/outdoor/christian-full.jpg
September 21, 2010 at 5:00 am
Wikipedia says it's used by some Protestants.
September 21, 2010 at 6:10 am
Wikipedia speaks correctly. A church I formerly attended uses it on Sundays, if I recall correctly. Or at least they used to.
September 21, 2010 at 2:19 pm
The City does not have law enforcement? Nor a City attorney? Who handles the city's day-to-day legal matters, like prosecuting traffic tickets? They could afford it; they just don't want to – it's not important enough for them.