KING
A group formed to return the Christian flag to the King Veteran’s Memorial may file a complaint against the city to protest a policy that would allow additional flags to be displayed at the site.
The complaint would be filed with the N.C. Office of Administrative Hearings only if a majority of people attending a public meeting at 6 p.m. Nov. 22 about the proposal objected to it, said Stephen James of King, an organizer of King Veteran’s Memorial Preservation Foundation. The group was started Monday night by about 25 people.
“But we will have that option (filing the complaint) ready if we need it,” he said.
The N.C. Office of Administrative Hearings can handle allegations of discrimination, including those that involve religion.
Many of the foundation’s members are concerned that the city may allow religious flags such as the Muslim Crescent and Star flag, the satanic flag and Wiccan flag, all of which are recognized by the U.S. military, to be flown at the memorial, James said.
“There is room for expansion for this memorial,” James said. “No one has asked for another flag to be put up there. But someone asked for our flag to be taken down.”
The public meeting will be held at the King Elementary School. During the meeting, city attorneys will answer questions about the policy.
The council voted 4-0 on Nov. 1 to approve a policy that would eventually let a Christian flag fly again at a Veteran’s Memorial at the city’s Central Park as a part of a display of religious flags recognized by the U.S. military.
The majority of the about 60 people who attended the council’s meeting opposed the plan. Many said the council should have immediately returned the flag to the memorial.
City officials are working with their attorney and lawyers with the Alliance Defense Fund to hammer out the policy’s details, including which flags and symbols can be displayed at the memorial.
“We are going to see what the city’s attorneys say,” James said, adding that his group believes the council acted erroneously and failed to use proper procedures when it approved the limited-public-display policy.
City Attorney Walter Pitt Jr. declined yesterday to comment on James’ remarks.
The dispute began this summer when a veteran, who lives in King, complained about the Christian flag at the memorial. In mid-August, the council and city attorney received letters from the American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina and Americans United for the Separation of Church and State.
Both groups urged the council to remove the flag, saying that the flag was a violation of the First Amendment.
On Sept. 15, the council voted 3-1 to take down the flag, on Pitt’s advice. The flag had flown next to the U.S. flag, the North Carolina state flag, the city’s flag, and several military flags.
More than 5,000 people rallied in King on Oct. 23, urging the city council to return the Christian flag to the memorial.
jhinton@wsjournal.com
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