In Benton, the county seat of Marshall County, a Confederate flag has recently been raised over a replica of a Civil War cannon on the courthouse lawn. The flag raising was sponsored by a local commissioner and approved by the county judge-executive. But now, opposition is growing to the display of the Stars and Bars flag.
Commissioner Justin Lamb, a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, said he wanted to add the flag to the display to honor the “lives and service” of Marshall Countians who served in the Confederate military. According to him, county Judge-Executive Kevin Neal agreed to the flag raising and placement.
Even though the SCV insists that their motivation in displaying Confederate flags and other memorabilia is “heritage, not hate,” a number of other individuals and groups are calling out the newly-added flag as a symbol of racism and a reminder of the stain of slavery.
The Kentucky NAACP speaks out
The Kentucky chapter of the NAACP sent a letter to Judge Neal, written by the president of the chapter, Marcus Ray. The letter begins by stating “The NAACP, Kentucky State Conference opposes the placement of the Confederate flag or any symbol of hate on any government property or public place.” It goes on to say:
The Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV) say that the second American Revolution was fought for liberty and freedom and their Constitutional rights. However, the SCV left out that those rights they wanted to preserve did not apply to the American Slave. So, while we support the right for a private person to exercise their First Amendment right to freedom of speech or expression on private property, that same freedom of speech or expression does not or should not extend to property that is owned by all the people.
The letter outlines the fact that the flying of Confederate flags did not become widespread until after World War II, when the civil rights movement began to make progress. As Ray says, “the resurgence and use of the flag was to remind the Descendants of American Slaves that things were not going to change.”
The letter closes with three pointed questions:
So, when I hear that the flag is about preserving our heritage and not race. I ask the following questions.
1. How do you separate the heritage from the horror and brutality of slavery?
2. Once it is separated what best symbolizes the heritage?
3. Once it has been identified and symbolized what is the best place to display it?
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A former county commissioner also speaks out
Misti Drew, a former county commissioner in Marshall County, emailed a letter to the fiscal court members with her thoughts on the issue.
I, like many other citizens in our community, do not oppose the flag or the proud symbol of heritage it represents to many of our local community members. However, as elected officials, you cannot simply ignore the fact that to many others, the flag has become a symbol of hatred, racism and exclusion.
She states that she hopes the issue can be brought to a vote during a fiscal court meeting. And after noting that the flag “symbolizes a rich history of pride” for some, “we cannot ignore that for many of our own local residents, the same flag has a very different meaning.”
Petition started
Blake Wilson started a petition on Change.org about two weeks ago to have the flag removed, and the petition already has over 300 signatures. The petition states:
We need to be united as Kentuckians. Installing a Confederate flag doesn’t honor anything or anyone; it merely tears at unhealed wounds caused by the legacy of racism and White Supremacy. Such things belong, if anywhere, at museums and certainly not in front of courthouses, which are supposed to be sanctuaries of Justice. The best way to honor Kentuckians who fought and died, for any cause at any time, is to unite Kentuckians of all backgrounds as members of our Commonwealth: our common wealth. We will get through this. We will get through this together. We will only get through this together.
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