Post by addisona on Feb 17, 2022 14:17:08 GMT
Someone stole a Kennebunk church's BLM flag. Here's how the congregation is seeking justice.
KENNEBUNK, Maine – With the weekend’s ice storm finally finished, Bob Wuerthner returned two flags to their posts in front of First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church on Saturday, Feb. 5.
When Rev. Lara Campbell arrived at the church that Sunday, the American flag was still there, but the black lives matter flag was gone – and its pole was snapped.
The church had received three phone calls and an email from individuals denigrating the BLM flag and taking issue with the congregation supporting what the callers claimed is a partisan political cause, according to Campbell.
“But this is the first time since I’ve been here that someone has vandalized our property because of our beliefs,” said Campbell, who began serving at the church in 2014.
“No one owns this slogan,” Campbell said. “It is not copyrighted with an organization.”
The slogan has been used by many people, she added, especially during marches in mourning of slain Black people, including George Floyd, who was killed by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin in 2020.
In her statement, Wentworth responded to those who have contacted the church and requested that an “all lives matter” flag be hung there instead.
“All lives do matter, of course,” Wentworth said. “But ‘black lives matter’ is an important statement because of the killings, incarceration and other injustices done proportionately far more often to Black people ... We can only imagine the impact, especially during Black History Month, removing the flag has had on people of color in our community.”
www.seacoastonline.com/story/news/local/2022/02/16/kennebunk-me-church-replaces-stolen-black-lives-matter-blm-flag/6800992001/
KENNEBUNK, Maine – With the weekend’s ice storm finally finished, Bob Wuerthner returned two flags to their posts in front of First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church on Saturday, Feb. 5.
When Rev. Lara Campbell arrived at the church that Sunday, the American flag was still there, but the black lives matter flag was gone – and its pole was snapped.
The church had received three phone calls and an email from individuals denigrating the BLM flag and taking issue with the congregation supporting what the callers claimed is a partisan political cause, according to Campbell.
“But this is the first time since I’ve been here that someone has vandalized our property because of our beliefs,” said Campbell, who began serving at the church in 2014.
“No one owns this slogan,” Campbell said. “It is not copyrighted with an organization.”
The slogan has been used by many people, she added, especially during marches in mourning of slain Black people, including George Floyd, who was killed by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin in 2020.
In her statement, Wentworth responded to those who have contacted the church and requested that an “all lives matter” flag be hung there instead.
“All lives do matter, of course,” Wentworth said. “But ‘black lives matter’ is an important statement because of the killings, incarceration and other injustices done proportionately far more often to Black people ... We can only imagine the impact, especially during Black History Month, removing the flag has had on people of color in our community.”
www.seacoastonline.com/story/news/local/2022/02/16/kennebunk-me-church-replaces-stolen-black-lives-matter-blm-flag/6800992001/