City of Tega Cay, SC Removes Police Officers Monument After Complaints About Biblical References

Tega Cay, SC police officers monument. Screen grab via WCNC.
Tega Cay, SC police officers monument
Tega Cay, SC police officers monument. Screen grab via WCNC.

In yet another example in this country of political correctness run amok, the city of Tega Cay, SC has decided to remove a police officers monument due to complaints from some community members about its references to the Lord and Biblical scripture.

Advertisement

WCNC Charlotte reports:

The city originally decided to remove the word “Lord” after backlash from the community. Then, social media was buzzing with others who disagree with the city’s action.

The monument was located at the fallen officers memorial outside the police department. A police spokesman said they started getting complaints, so city leaders had a meeting and decided to remove the references.

The word “Lord” appeared three times in the monument before it was removed. However, removing the word has also caused backlash.

In a statement released Tuesday, city officials say they received comments both locally and nationally in response to the monument.

“We attempted to find a compromise but failed as our community has further divided. In an attempt to find a resolution, we have upset parties on both sides of this issue and for that we are truly sorry,” the statement reads.

Here’s the statement the city released to media outlets who inquired about the controversy:

The City of Tega Cay and our Police Department understand that not everyone agrees with the religious references that were on the monument located in the Fallen Officers Memorial at our Police Station. We also understand that just as many people are not in agreement that we have removed those references. There was never any intent to hold any group in higher regard than another. This monument was modeled after other monuments that appear across the country at various levels of government honoring law enforcement officers, military veterans and others whose duty is to protect and serve. Be that as it may, after seeking legal advice on the matter and after discussing it at length with City Council, we have made the decision to remove those references. We are public servants and want to make certain that all members of the public, regardless of what their religious beliefs may or may not be, understand that we are here to serve everyone. They will be welcomed into our facilities, whether it be the Police Station or City Hall, they will be treated fairly and with the respect they are owed by us. As the two sides of this issue continue to debate their stance we hope they will do so civilly and respectfully.

Advertisement

Watch the news report WCNC did a few days ago before the monument was taken down to see what it looked like:

Here are some close-up shots of how it looked when they tried to take the Lord’s name off of it:

First Liberty Institute general counsel Hiram Sasser told Fox News the removal was “utter nonsense”:

“We won the case at the Supreme Court just last month — The American Legion v. American Humanist Association,” Sasser told Fox News, referencing the 7-2 decision that allowed the Bladensburg Peace Cross war memorial to stand on public land.

“The country is now free from the memorial scrubbers,” Sasser noted.

I suspect for Tega (which is right across the NC/SC border from Charlotte) that the issue is not legal concerns but instead community harmony and trying to please everyone. What probably happened here is maybe a handful of people complained about the Biblical references, and the city took step of removing the Lord’s name, thinking that would be enough. It sounds like it wasn’t enough for that handful of people, so the city decided to take it down because they didn’t want to deal with it.

Advertisement

In the end, they should have left it up. Because not only is it harmless, but this is South Carolina after all, which – next to Texas, Alabama, and Mississippi – still maintains a strong Christian base, even among Democrats. If a few people want to complain, so be it. You cannot and will not ever be able to please everyone.

—————-
— Based in North Carolina, Sister Toldjah is a former liberal and a 15+ year veteran of blogging with an emphasis on media bias, social issues, and the culture wars. Read her Red State archives here. Connect with her on Twitter. –

Recommended

Join the conversation as a VIP Member

Trending on RedState Videos