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North Carolina Residents Rally after Soldier Memorial Removed for Promoting Christianity

  • Carrie Dedrick Religious persecution, missions, Christianity around the world
  • Updated Jan 14, 2015

The city of King, North Carolina has rallied together after a group complained that a memorial featuring a soldier kneeling before a cross promoted Christianity. Many residents of King were outraged the monument was removed following a city council vote. 

Christian News Network reports that Americans United for Separation of Church and State (AUSCS) filed a lawsuit against King on behalf of Afghanistan war veteran Steven Hewitt who argued that the memorial was not representative of all he served with in the military. 

The city voted to remove the memorial and abide by the wishes of the AUSCS to avoid further financial burdens on taxpayers; city council members estimated that fighting the group to keep the monument could cost up to $2 million. 

Many King residents protested the decision. On Sunday (Jan. 11) a group of citizens gathered at the park where the memorial had stood and held a live recreation of the monument as protesters sang songs and held flags. 

One protester said, “The separation of church and state was written to protect the church from the state, and it’s just the opposite now. [But] it’s only the first quarter. Communists, liberals one, veterans zero. But it’s only the first quarter. We’ve got three more to go. We’ve got the ball. And no more defense. We’re going on the offense.”

Publication date: January 14, 2015