Stanly County NC
Flag Rally
Albemarle NC
3 PM - 5 PM Thursday 20 December 2001
Notice of this Flag Rally
http://www.shucks.net/shucks/alert3.htm 
Report on this Flag Rally
Text Version
from the Stanly News & Press page 1A
Sunday 23 Dec. 2001
Banging the drum

BY LIZ BARNES/Staff
Paul Burr, of Albemarle, protests the decision by county commlseioners to scrap the plan to close county offices In recognition of Confederate Memorial Day May 10.  About 60 protesters turned out Thursday in downtown Albemarle.
Decision sparks protest
By Michael Knox
Staff Writer
  Jerry Peacock's drumbeat shot through the bitterly cold air as he marched clown Second Street in Albemarle Thursday in his Confederate Army uniform.
  Peacock was among roughly 60 people who marched downtown from the county courthouse to the memorial honoring local Confederate soldiers
  The crowd marched to protest the recent vote by County Commissioners Mike Coble, Pattie Huneycutt and Gene McIntyre.  The three voted to keep the courthouse open on May 10 for Confederate Memorial Day, reversing an earlier decision to give Stanly County employees the day off.
  Many protesters felt betrayed.
  "I don't think they should deprive us of our right and freedom," said Rick Sehrist.
  Protesters carried signs that read, "Stop the Gang of Three, Mike Coble, Gene McIntyre, Pattie Huneycutt."
  Several said Stanly County citizens should be proud of their Confederate heritage.
  "There's a lot of misconceptions about, [the Confederate] flag," said Paul Burr, of Albemarle, who was also dressed in a uniform.
  "[The Civil War] was fought for Southern independence.  It was not fought for slavery."
  Burr said the flag stands for individual freedom and for giving local government, rather than the federal government, more control.
  The rally even drew the attention of people outside
of Stanly County.
  James Green III drove from Winnsboro, S.C., to protest.
  "When people come out against the Confederacy...it makes me mad," he said.
  "Mad enough to drive this far."
  The vote to keep the courthouse open on Confederate Memorial Day was based on the state holiday schedule, Coble said Thursday night.
  The state only recognizes Confederate Memorial Day and does not shut down its local government offices.
Despite protesters such as
  •See PROTEST, 3A

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• Protest
continued from page lA

Green, Coble said his decision is firm.
  "What they're trying to do right now is force us to shut down," Coble said.
  "They can have a rally every day, but the only thing I'm willing to do is honor it like the state...That's all I'm willing to do."
  A Little History
  Thursday's protest is just the latest incident that stems from an initial move in June to get the county to officially recognize Martin Luther King Jr. on his birthday, Jan. 19.
  Stanly was thought to be one of only two N.C. counties not to observe MLK Jr. Day. Commissioners then received calls to also recognize Confederate General Robert E. Lee.
  As a result, commissioners unanimously voted to designate Jan. 19 as the Robert E. Lee/Martin Luther King Holiday Lee's birthday is Jan. 15.
  Commissioners saw this as a compromise.  The day would replace one of the employees' optional work days, meaning the county would incur no added expense by closing county offices.
  But the decision backfired, bringing out a storm of protest from local NAACP representatives and community leaders, including Albemarle Mayor Roger Shyder.
  Commissioners scrapped the Lee/MLK Day idea, which caused more protests, this time from individuals and groups, such as the Sons of Confederate Veterans.
  MLK Day, however, would still be recognized Jan. 19.
  Then in a controversial 3-2 decision in early September, commissioners decided to shut the county government down each year on May 10 to celebrate Confederate Memorial Day.
  McIntyre and Coble voted against the move.  Commissioners Gerald Efird and Ken Furr voted in support.  Huneycutt did not cast a vote.  As chairman, Furr ruled her decision to abstain was equal to a yes vote.
  At the time, Huneycutt said she had not made up her mind and wanted more time to decide.  She said she felt she'd been "steamrolled."  She said she was also leaning toward voting against shutting the county offices, noting the strong reaction the dual holiday decision had brought.
  The issue reappeared Dec. 17, when Coble, Mclntyre and Huneycutt voted to rescind the September decision.
  Huneycutt said that in the present economic climate it would be a waste of public money to close county offices.
•Holiday
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The above clipping was provided to James Green III by the husband of his Killian 2nd cousin (Donna Jean Gaither of Albemarle).  Thanks.
James Green III's great great grandfather Elijah Killian of Catawba Co. NC served in Company C of the 28th NC Regiment CSA
From the John Deere Picket
James W. Green III of Winnsboro SC,
David of Fountain Inn SC,
& Herb of Tega Cay SC came in support --
James & Herb in Herb's truck & David in his car.
James brought & loaned to others to hold: 5x8' NJ & 3x5' NCX & 3Nat, while he made video,
David brought & held 3x5' NJ & Don't Tread on Me,
& Herb brought & held 3x5' NJ.
Return to the John Deere Picket

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