The elected officials with the City of Milton continue to hear both sides on whether the city should continue to display the Confederate flag on city property and in the city’s official seal.
In addition to hearing from leaders from residents on the issue during a recent Administration Committee meeting, the city also received a detailed letter from Milton Fire Chief John Reble, acting as a concerned citizen, defending the flag.
Following the South Carolina church shooting June 17, in which nine African Americans were killed by suspect Dylann Roof during a prayer meeting, the Confederate flag has been the center of controversy after photos of the alleged shooter surfaced online in which Roof had the flag on display.
In an open letter to the city council, Reble gave multiple perspectives on why the flag should remain as Milton’s six flags. Listed are just some of the points mentioned by Reble.
- At no point has the city ever singled out any other flag of the group for special treatment or attention. These six flags were designated to commemorate Milton’s historical past, nothing more and have never been used by the city for any other purpose than to promote the historic character of Milton and its position as one Florida’s older cities.
- Nothing about Milton, its city seal, or other emblems had any influence whatsoever on the disturbed thinking of the killer, Dylann Roof.
- Where nothing has changed locally that should arouse a need to modify the city’s emblem, some, driven by the media frenzy that has swept other areas of the country, have chosen to suddenly embrace the status of the aggrieved and demand that Milton immediately yield to their demands for the desired form of change.
- Whether, in retrospect, one now looks favorably on the Confederacy, or not, it must be accepted this period of history did exist and it had an undeniable profound influence on the development of the city and region, dramatically impacting the lives of generations.
Rebel also encourages the city to not act hastily in making such a important decision.
“In this case we are not simply talking about the removal of the Confederate flag – we are talking about the gross alteration or total elimination of Milton’s City Seal and all references to the “Town of Six Flags,” thereby eradicating over 60 years of Milton’s history,” Reble said. “Is this really an action that should be undertaken hastily, simply to appease a popular crusade?”
In this month’s regular city council meeting, the council was presented with letters from members in the African American Community – consisting representation from of Santa Rosa NAACP #5094, Fellowship of Churches of Santa Rosa, Men with Vision, Pride of Milton Masonic Lodge #12 and resident James Bradley.
Those letters were presented before the city’s administration committee last week, in which elected officials further discussed options of handling the Confederate flag issue. In the committee, consisting of Chair person Marilyn Jones, Mayor Wesley Meiss and Council member Alan Lowery.
During the meeting, Lowery suggested replacing the Confederate Battle Flag with the first official flag of the Confederacy, also known as the ‘Stars and Bars.’
Lowery said his motion was second by Meiss, who is allowed to vote on the committee level, with one nay vote from Jones.
“I called Dr. Brian Rucker from Pensacola State College and asked him ‘did the Confederate Battle Flag ever fly over Santa RosaCounty?’ and he said no,” Lowery said.
After speaking with city staff, Lowery said there are only a few city buildings featuring the city seal with the Confederate flag and would not be expensive.
“In my opinion it is the best of both worlds,” Lowery said. “If the black community is okay with it, which they have told me verbally they are… if it is really is history we are concerned about, then let’s be historically accurate and use the correct the flag.”
The proposal will be brought before the city council during September’s executive committee meeting, scheduled for September 3 at 4 p.m.
This Saturday supporters of the Confederate flag will hold a 100-mile Southern Pride Convoy Rally, which begins in Crestview and travels through Fort Walton Beach, Pensacola, Pace and ending in Milton with a mud races on Rooster Run Drive in East Milton.
According to the event’s Facebook page, event organizers will be collecting nonperishable food items, hygiene and paper products for an area charitable organization. For more information and the latest updates on the rally, visit the rally’s event page at on.fb.me/1JQWXE8.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Confederate flag debate continues