MISSISSIPPI TOWN RALLIES AFTER ATHEIST COMPLAINT RESULTS IN REMOVAL OF CHRISTIAN FLAG

 

 

MISSISSIPPI TOWN RALLIES AFTER ATHEIST COMPLAINT RESULTS IN REMOVAL 

OF CHRISTIAN FLAG 

BY HEATHER CLARK

SEE: http://christiannews.net/2017/02/06/mississippi-town-rallies-after-complaint-results-in-removal-of-christian-flag/; 

republished below in full unedited for informational, educational, and research purposes:

RIENZI, Miss. — Over 100 residents from a small Mississippi town rallied on Saturday after a complaint from a prominent professing atheist organization that took issue with a Christian flag being displayed in a public park resulted in the removal of the banner.

The Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) sent a letter on Jan. 20 to Rienzi Mayor Walter Williams to assert that the flag, which had been flown in Veterans Memorial Park, was unconstitutional. It said that it had been contacted by a local resident—who was not named—to advise them of the flag’s presence.
“We write to ensure that the town remove the Christian flag from its memorial garden in order to avoid unconstitutional religious endorsement,” the letter read. “We appreciate that the town of Reinzi is attempting to memorialize [veterans’] sacrifice. But as numerous government entities have already discovered, honoring those who have served their community and country does not override the need to remain neutral toward religion.”
FFRF urged Williams to utilize a completely secular display instead, and noted that it can be “quite costly” to ignore their request as another city settled with FFRF in 2015 for $500,000.

“There are countless ways to recognize the sacrifice of our veterans and military members without also endorsing one religion over all others in violation of the Constitution,” it said. “By flying a Christian flag over the memorial, Rienzi sends the message that the town values the service of minority religious and nonreligious service members less than their Christian counterparts.”
As a result of the letter, Williams had the flag removed.
“I never dreamed that something like this would have happened in a town this small, but it happened,” he told local television station WREG. “We’re gonna fly that flag again and I’m hoping it’s not going to be long.”

On Saturday, more than 100 residents from the small town of 300 held a rally in support of the flag, some themselves bearing the emblem.
“We’re not gonna let other people, or a foundation, or anybody else up in Wisconsin tell us that we can’t fly our flag!” organizer Kevin Nelms proclaimed to those gathered.
“My whole point behind this [is], you’re gonna take one down, we’re gonna put a hundred back up,” he added to reporters. Supporters ran another Christian flag up the flagpole during the event.
Nelms and his group rode from the VFW on their motorcycles to Veterans Memorial Park, flying the flag as they went.
“As a proud American, but number one as a proud Christian, I came today to stand up for the Lord and stand up for our freedom,” participant Susan Woodruff stated.
Williams says that he has hired an attorney and further discussion about the matter will be held at its next board meeting on Tuesday. He was among those who attended the rally on Saturday.
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 Rienzi, Mississippi Christian Flag Rally (2/4/17) 

 Published on Feb 4, 2017

A crowd of people waving Christian flags descended on the Veterans Memorial in Rienzi on Saturday after the Freedom From Religion Foundation sent a letter to the town. The letter stated, “A religious memorial, like any other religious display endorsed by the government, is unconstitutional.” The town removed the flag for the time being, but Rienzi Mayor Walter Williams hopes the Christian flag can fly again at the site soon.

 SHOULD A MISSISSIPPI TOWN HAVE TO REMOVE A CHRISTIAN FLAG?

SEE: http://www.newswithviews.com/MacAulay/jake191.htm; 

republished below in full unedited for informational, educational, and research purposes:

By Jake MacAulay
February 8, 2017
NewsWithViews.com

The United States Code refers to the Declaration of Independence as the “organic law” of the United States. And the Declaration clearly claims that there is an Almighty Creator God, that our rights come from Him, and that the purpose of civil government is to protect and defend the God-given rights of the people. The Declaration makes reference to the Bible, God’s Word, as the source of earthly, legal authority.

Civil government includes federal, state, and local city governments like the town of Rienzi, Mississippi, where this past weekend more than 1/3 of the town’s population showed up to a rally in defense of a Christian flag flying over their Veterans Memorial Park.

It seems the Freedom from Religion organization wrote a letter that threatened a half-million-dollar lawsuit against the small town of 300 people if the flag wasn't taken down.

Some folks like organizer Kevin Nelms responded like Americans, declaring, “We're not gonna let other people, or a foundation, or anybody else up in Wisconsin tell us that we can't fly our flag! You're gonna take one down; we're gonna put a hundred back up.”

Unfortunately there were city government leaders showing a bit more bewilderment and naiveté. Believing that he had no choice in the matter, Rienzi Mayor Walter Williams pulled the flag down, saying, "I never dreamed that something like this would have happened in a town this small, but it happened.”

I am sure this mayor is shocked that the First Amendment, which states, “Congress shall make no Law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…” would be used as a legal threat by an assailing organization that hates God.

So, the legal question I present to you is whether the city has broken the law by flying a Christian flag, among others, at a Veterans memorial? In other words, does flying a flag equate to Congress making a law, the effect of which is to establish an official United States religion?

Well, the answer seems to clearly be “NO” for at least two very simple reasons:

1. The city of Renzi is NOT “Congress”
2. A flag being hung is not a “law”

In order to find that a flag hung in Mississippi (or anywhere else) is a violation of the Establishment Clause, the first thing you have to conclude is that the city of Renzi is, in legal contemplation, the Congress of the United States.

Crazy, you say?

I agree. But this is exactly the conclusion that some maintain through a “legal fiction” the courts call the “Incorporation Doctrine.”

 George Washington, our First President, Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces that won the war for our independence, and the President of the Congress that gave us our Constitution and the First Amendment, insisted:

“Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, Religion and Morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of Patriotism, who should labour to subvert these great Pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of Men and citizens.”

In other words, George Washington would have called dysfunctional organizations like the Freedom from Religion “un-Patriotic” and therefore “un-American”! So along with the city of Renzi, let’s be Patriots and hang our Christian flags!

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