Confederate flags flying over Lexington streets
By Lindsey Ward
January 10, 2011On a breezy day newly displayed flags blow above the streets in Lexington.
Monday morning two versions of the confederate flag and a version of Virginia’s flag were put up all over the city.
Brandon Dorsey is the leader of the local Sons of Confederate Veterans chapter.
His group asked for the flags to be flown Monday through Saturday, but Lexington City Council said no, and agreed to Monday through Friday.
Dorsey says in his eyes no one should be offended.
“I don’t see it as a symbol of racism,” Dorsey explained. “I know that some people feel that way, but to us we don’t consider that, we don’t consider that they should I guess is what I should say.”
The flags just went up Monday morning and the City Manager said he hadn’t received any complaints, but on our way out of his office was Anna Browdsky, a woman angry about what she saw on her way to work.
”I understand the flags are to hang there for a whole week. It is certainly too much and frankly it’s causing me an embarrassment, I teach young people at Washington and Lee and I’m embarrassed before my students that our town allows such a thing to happen for so long,” said Browdsky.
City Manager, Jon Ellestad, says there was thought that went into the decision.
“I think in this specific case we were more cognizant of we’ve allowed others to put flags up, so there was really no reason why we wouldn’t allow them to have their flags displayed,” said Ellestad
However, for Browdsky it’s not just any flag.
“There is certainly a sense that for a lot of people it means discrimination, injustice and it symbolizes slavery.”
©2011 Media General Communications Holdings, LLC
On The Web: http://www2.wsls.com/news/2011/jan/10/confederate-flags-flying-over-lexington-streets-ar-765784/