Flag furor goes on (Wheaton College, Ma)

The Sun Chronicle Newspaper ^ | 3/30/03 | RICK THURMOND AND SUSAN LAHOUD

[RC30]

Flag furor goes on

BY RICK THURMOND AND SUSAN LAHOUD / SUN CHRONICLE STAFF

NORTON -- Despite growing criticism from veterans groups and town officials, Wheaton College will not order students to remove a U.S. flag hung upside down on a campus house as an anti-war statement.

Two Norton selectmen weighed in on the controversy during the board's regular meeting on Thursday.

`` That's not an opinion, that's a disgrace,'' selectman James Brown said. `` I'm extremely disappointed with the administration about not taking action.''

Selectmen Chairman Bob Kimball said town hall requested the flag be taken down, but college officials declined.

College spokesman Michael Graca acknowledged the controversy sparked by the flag hung on a college residence at 44 Howard St. -- and visible to motorists on Route 140, a major thoroughfare -- but said students have the right to express their views.

`` We understand and respect the concern about what these Wheaton students chose to do to express their disagreement with the U.S. position in Iraq,'' Graca said on Friday. `` We also hope people understand freedom of speech is one of the central values of our country. It's the law of the land.''

`` College is about exchanging ideas, learning to make a statement and respect many different viewpoints,'' he said.

The flag has been an emotional lightning rod since it was hung on the residence last weekend, when students began returning from spring break.

A group of town residents confronted students at the house on Sunday, demanding that the flag be righted or taken down.

The issue also arose at a Wheaton rally on Wednesday, during a day of campus forums on the Iraq war.

Wheaton student Geoff Bickford, who lives at the Howard Street house, told the gathering the flag was not meant as an affront to U.S. troops in the field, but as a symbol opposing government policy in Iraq.

Angry war veterans also spoke at the rally, calling the display `` a slap in the face of veterans.''

The controversy has only picked up momentum.

Norton Selectman Butch Rich said Friday a march through town in support of U.S. troop in Iraq will be held on April 17.

`` We have many, many young men from Norton who are over there and we have to show them and, most especially their families, that we support them,'' Rich said. `` We have to let them know that everyone in Norton supports them. The only ones who don't are those students at Wheaton.''

Graca, the college spokesman, said many Wheaton faculty and students at Wednesday's events expressed support for U.S. troops, but also opposition to the war.

`` The two points of view aren't necessarily inconsistent,'' he said. `` I wouldn't be surprised if Wheaton faculty and students take part in that march.''

Rich said the April 17 march will start at 3 p.m. at Yelle Elementary School on West Main Street and end at the Common in the center of town.

It will include selectmen and representatives of local veterans groups.

Boy and Girl Scouts also are invited to march in their uniforms, Rich said.

Carrying the U.S. flag is encouraged, he said.

[RC30]

I saw this on the news last night. Really upset me. Wheaton College is supposed to be a Christian college. You would think these students would have more of a clue. Although the television station did interview quite a few students and a majority of them agreed that these students didnt speak for the campus. For further information about Wheaton College see www.wheaton.edu.

[Alex Murphy]

Bump for later. Wheaton is not a stranger to scandals, having incurred Franky Schaeffer's wrath back in the mid-80s over it's standing (lack of?) on abortion....

[Semper Paratus]

I know something about the Norton Police Department and I'm guessing there is going to be some overenthusiastic enforcement of the traffic laws in the vicinity of the campus.

[Indiana Jones]

www.wheaton.edu


You have the wrong Wheaton College...there is a Christian school by that name in Illinois. The one referred to here is in Mass.

Hope that clears up the confusion (note the Ma. in the thread title)

[Texas_Jarhead]

Someone else in that building needs to hang a nazi flag and see how long it takes before they're ordered to remove it. What would cause the school administration a big time problem because either they would have to go back on their word and remove both flags or be faced with restricting free speech in one case and allowing in another (hypocrisy).

[Living Free in NH]

How' bout a Confederate Flag as a protest to the US actions. Would the Free Speach hounds let it fly proudly in the halls of Wheaton?

[RC30]

You are correct, my apologies. The website for Wheaton College is www.WheatonCollege.edu... There website is pretty slow, I thought that they were a Christian College as well, but probably not. Thanks for the correction.

[Fearless Flyers]

Flying the Flag upside down is a call of distress. It is imperative that the good citizens of this town raid the house confine and debilitate the occupants and force them to disclose the whereabouts of the victim who sent out the distress call.

[RC30]

Yes, I wonder if there are a few damsels in distress that we could help out :-), of course Im married though, so any single male freepers out there may want to check this out...