The “Christian flag” was hoisted over Boston City Hall Wednesday morning, a long-sought win for the conservative Christian group Camp Constitution — although maybe a short one.
“In the city of Boston, the cradle of liberty, liberty has now finally returned to this public square forum for all people,” mentioned Mathew Staver, a lawyer who represented Camp Constitution, to a gaggle of round 100 supporters gathered to look at the flag elevating.
Camp Constitution and its founder Hal Shurtleff first utilized to fly a “Christian flag” on the City Hall flagpole in 2017 and, after being rejected by then-Mayor Marty Walsh, argued for his or her constitutional proper to take action all the best way to the Supreme Court.
The group gained a unanimous Supreme Court victory in May. Justice Stephen Breyer said within the majority opinion that beneath town’s allowing course of, the flag flying constituted protected private expression.
“The raising of this Christian flag today symbolizes the fact that the Christian community and communities of faith across this whole country are not constitutional orphans — they’re full heirs to the constitutional guarantees of freedom of speech and free exercise of religion,” mentioned Harry Mihet, one other lawyer representing Shurtleff.
But town might quickly legislate away the victory.
Tuesday, metropolis councilors introduced a proposed change that might navigate inside the Supreme Court ruling to permit town discretion over which flags it flies.
Under the proposal, town would select a banner to fly by council decision or mayoral proclamation, moderately than granting a company permission to fly a flag. The change excludes the flags of Boston sports activities groups or 195 diplomatically-recognized international locations from the formal course of.
Camp Constitution’s authorized counsel is reviewing the proposed modifications, Staver mentioned, and has issues.
“This can masquerade as another form of discrimination which is just as unconstitutional as the policy the Supreme Court struck down,” Staver said. “I hope the City of Boston learns from its 9 to 0 loss.”
Supporters Wednesday cheered and sang throughout the flag-raising Wednesday, emphatically “blessing” and “casting the demons” out of 1 protestor yelling aggressively by way of the occasion.
Speakers included a Christian pastor from Sudan and a Buddhist monk from Bangladesh. Both argued that, having seen the truth of non secular persecution in different international locations, defending freedom of speech and faith should all the time be taken severely.
“You don’t know what it’s like,” mentioned William Levi, the Sudanese pastor. … “Count your blessings.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com”