On Easter Sunday the city of Hartford, Connecticut raised the Christian flag over City Hall. A local pastor recited a prayer as the flag was raised for Holy Week.
But a group of local satanists, along with a Wisconsin-based group of atheists, is blasting City Hall. They say the flag raises constitutional issues. The Freedom From Religion Foundation said the Christian flag represents religious favoritism and must be taken down.
The First Amendment’s Establishment Clause requires governmental neutrality toward religion, FFRF emphasizes. By flying the religious flag, Hartford runs headfirst into this neutrality principle while also violating religious neutrality. Hartford expressly labels the Christian flag as government speech. Even if residents had input on which flag to hoist, nothing would have changed, since the government would still be speaking. Flag flying is historically government speech; objective observers would believe that Hartford is speaking when selecting which flags to fly.
“This is an unconstitutional display of religious favoritism that sends a message stating Christians are the preferred residents of Hartford,” FFRF’s Annie Laurie Gaylor said in a statement. “Residents of the city deserve better than to be told that they need to conform to one religion in order to be part of the community.”
At least one city council member agreed with the atheists and the satanists.
“Instead of uniting of city of Hartford, it is dividing our city of Hartford,” councilman John Gale said at a council meeting. “This is an illegal and unconstitutional resolution.”
To be clear there is nothing unconstitutional about flying a Christian flag over a public building.
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Last year City Hall raised the so-called pride flag over city hall. City leaders said it was a sign that they were inclusive and that Hartford was a place of belonging.
Not a single Wisconsin atheist objected to that flag. And it flew over City Hall for an entire month.
At least four other Connecticut towns flew the Christian flag during Holy Week and now a satanist group is demanding equal access to the flag pole.
Chaz Stevens, of the so-called “Church of Satanology,” threatened legal action in emails sent to Hartford, New Britain, Waterbury, Torrington and Bridgeport, if the cities don’t display a banner reading, “Satanology: Satan Loves the First Amendment.”
“Once a city allows one religious message, it can’t deny others without violating the Constitution,” Stevens’ email said. “You’ve opened the door. I’m simply walking through it — with horns held high, and very very sharp elbows.”
“New Britain just raised a Christian flag above city hall. That caught Hell’s attention,” his email read as reported by Connecticut Insider. “Satan sends his hottest regards — and, in case you didn’t know, he loves nutmeg.”
I reckon the good people of Connecticut will need to decide if they would rather pledge allegiance to the rainbow flag or to Prince of Darkness. As for the rest of us, I’m content pledging allegiance to the flag that represents one nation under God.
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