TRI In The News
City Disregards Own History in Confederate Flag Decision
From One News Now
Original article available here
Lexington, Virginia, faces a federal lawsuit over banning the Confederate flag, which has been flown in the city before.
The group Sons of Confederate Veterans has flown the Confederate flag from city flag standards before -- but after objections, Lexington passed an ordinance limiting use to national, state and city flags. John Whitehead of The Rutherford Institute says that violates the Constitution -- and disregards Virginia history as well.
“Virginia was a crucial state because Stonewall Jackson was born here, Robert E. Lee, and they both were interred in the town of Lexington where they wanted to fly the flag,” says Whitehead. “So, it's clear this is history, heritage, but political correctness as I see it -- as it sweeps across the country -- it's trying to do away with free speech. It's unpopular speech, there's no doubt about that.”
Whitehead explains the importance of the Constitution when it comes to this issue.
“James Madison who wrote the First Amendment said [it is] there to protect the minority against the majority; and what he was saying [was] the minority of people that no one agrees with -- and a lot of people don't agree with the Confederate flag. But that does not mean it is not protected free speech,” he says.
Whitehead points to a 1993 federal court injunction that protects the organization's right to fly the flag in Lexington.
