THE NEW WAY OF DISPLAYING OUR FLAG

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Dear Editor,

On the front page of the June 9th edition of the Tallapoosa Journal is an uncredited photo of the results of an alleged meth-lab bust. Certainly we citizens are much appreciative of the efforts of law enforcement in rounding up criminals and keeping our communities safe, and kudos to the Tallapoosa PD for doing their job.

Unfortunately, those involved in photographing those items obviously displayed very poor judgment by dishonoring our Veterans by, for whatever reason, using an Honorable Symbol as a place mat. Simply putting the Confederate flag that 300,000 men died fighting for and under on the ground to defile it is bad enough, but to contemptuously disrespect that same symbol of our ancestors by placing drug paraphernalia on it is to spit on it. There is absolutely no connection between illicit drugs and Confederate Veteran's Battleflags. United States Law declares Confederate Veterans are United States Veterans, and this takes place just after Memorial Day.

Perhaps the reporter thought it was somehow funny? Maybe the photographer has a leftist agenda? We know there are those in local leadership positions who are actively seeking to phase out the Honorable Banner from our great High School, and this kind of blatant abuse clearly plays to that effort. I would ask why is the photographer unnamed, and what would the public say had the backdrop been the United States Flag instead. Shame on them, and for the Tallapoosa Journal for printing such a disrespectful picture.

As such, I believe the person(s) guilty of dishonoring the Confederate Flag in this manner surely has violated Georgia law, and would strongly encourage the Tallapoosa Police Dept to investigate this most serious issue. Certainly if one media cameraman can be arrested for anti flag activities a few years ago, another can be held to the same standard.

TITLE 50. STATE GOVERNMENT
CHAPTER 3. STATE FLAG, SEAL, AND OTHER SYMBOLS
ARTICLE 1. STATE AND OTHER FLAGS

O.C.G.A. § 50-3-9 (2007)

§ 50-3-9. Abuse of federal, state, or Confederate flag unlawful

It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation to mutilate, deface, defile, or abuse contemptuously the flag of the United States, the flag, coat of arms, or emblem of the State of Georgia, or the flag or emblem of the Confederate States of America by any act whatever.

Thanks and God Bless
Billy Bearden
Mt Zion, Georgia

Contact info for this uncalled for slander!
amy@times-georgian.com

publisher@times-georgian.com

cbrown@tallapoosaga.gov

peidson@tallapoosaga.gov

CWorthy@TallapoosaGa.gov

BWilson@TallapoosaGa.gov

JRoberts@TallapoosaGa.gov

KRobinson@TallapoosaGa.gov

CGentry@TallapoosaGa.gov

PBridges@TallapoosaGa.gov

Thanks Brother Billy!