Lifting the Christian flag on Georgian government grounds raises concerns

After seeking legal recommendations, Cochran, Georgia was advised not to raise the traditional Christian flag outside City Hall. However, the city council decided to determine this through votes that eventually turned in favor of lifting the flag. The flag raising is part of the anticipation of the annual Bible reading marathon organized in the locality next month.

span style="line-height: 15.8599996566772px;">MUNTINLUPA, PHILIPPINES (Catholic Online) - "The city manager took the flag down because an attorney said we could have a problem," said councilman Gary Ates in an interview with WMAZ-TV. But the some people disagreed with the decision of taking it off the pole solely because of the lawyer's advice.

"The people of Cochran came to a city council meeting and said 'let's put the flag back up,'" he added, explaining why the sectarian flag is again lifted.

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The worry stems from fear of a violation of the First Amendment, according to the report. Although the flag --- white, blue and red decorated --- has been raised from time to time, the city manager decided to get legal advice this time.

According to Richard Newbern, the city manager of Cochran, he sees it as a necessary action and that legal consultation made it clear that there could be a violation of the separation of church and state.

"The attorney advised that the flag not be flown at city hall," said Newbern in the interview with Raw Story. However, the council members, as urged by the people, voted into keeping it lifted as the annual event sponsored by the International Bible Reading Association approaches.

He added that since the traditional Christian flag has been waved again at the city hall grounds, there has been     no complaint filed. But the critics are still uncomfortable with the issue, considering that it is a government property.

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