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   "Dedicated to the Preservation of Southern Heritage"North Carolina Chapter  Confederate Flag Remains Atop NC Firestation
TROY-A battle over the Confederate Flag recently raged through Montgomery County due to the actions of a black county comissioner. At the September meeting of the Montgomery County Comissioners, Ralph Bostic, comissioner of a predominately black district that snakes its way from one side of the county to the other, without any notice and without it being on the agenda, made a motion to hold up the purchase of a new fire truck for the Uwharrie Volunteer Department because they fly a COnfederate Flag. Even though the station is privately owned, Bostic argued that county money goes into the building in the form of fire trucks. "I find that flag offensive," Bostic said, "as do many others in this county." The other commissioners tried to sway Bostic to wait until the fire department a roll call vote immediately. His motions failed, three to two. The flag flown by the volunteer fire department is the newly desinged "North Carolina Confederate Flag," designed by Troy SCV member Wayne Schaefer and originally sold by the NC Division's Public Relations Committee. The flag has flown, along with the US flag, for about ten years without any problems. Uwharrie Fire Chief Johnny Mullinix said the decision to fly the flag was the department's board of directors and the vounterrs. "The only comment from up to here," he said, "is the flag is going to fly." Mullinix also said that the fire department had decided that even if the commissioners did refuse them the truck, (the first new truck the station has ever been offered), they would continue to fly the flag. There are four other rural fire departments in the county that are slated to receive new trucks for the first time. All four departments had voted that if the Uwharrie station was defined their truck, they would refuse theirs as well. At the commissioners' October meeting, with the room filled to standing roon only and overflowing with fire departments supporters, Bostic again made basically the same motion that had been defeated at the last meeting,"...to hold in abeyance the truck...until the Confederate Flag is permanently removed." As the fire trucks had already been voted on twice and they were not on the agenda, he was ruled out of order and the board quickly moved on to the other business, no doubt greatly disappointing the television news crew that Bostic had arranged to be there. Bostic said he would not bring the motion up again in his capacity as a commissioner but declined to comment on what action he might take as a private citizen. The president of the local naacp said he would be talking with the civil rights attorney about the matter. The flag controversary caused by Bostic has generated numerous editorials in the local paper and call-in comments on the local radio station. There has also been a noticeable increase in the number of Confederate Flags in the community. In addition to members of the Troy SCV Camp attending the commissioner's October meeting, members of atleast three other camps were presented as well. Appreciation is extended to those from the Anson County, Salisbury, and High Point SCV Camps, (and please forgive the omission of the other camps that may have been represented), and all others who took the time to show their support of our Heritage and History. --David Dunn contributed this article to The Carolina Confederate (NC SCV Newsletter)  
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