Thread: Flag desecration latest vandalism at church

Flag desecration latest vandalism at church
'We're trying to put an end to it'

August 7, 2007
BY ERICA MASINI ELMASINI@scn1.com
BEACH PARK -- "There was dead silence," Tony Malatesta of Winthrop Harbor said of a solemn Sunday morning. "Nobody was talking."

Remnants of three flags were discovered by members of the non-denominational Beach Community Church on Green Bay Road in Beach Park as they arrived for Saturday morning prayer. Strewn across the new brick section of the front parking lot under three newly installed flagpoles were a shredded American flag and a burned Christian flag. An Illinois State flag was stolen or burned completely.

On Sunday, Malatesta, councilman for the church, said parishioners arrived for Mass only to find the bare flagpoles that the parish's God's A.R.M. (Active and Retired Military) group installed before Memorial Day.

After installing the flagpoles, a ceremony was held around Memorial Day to dedicate the flags and commemorate military members including Army Air Corps veteran Frank Suhadolnik and Women's Army Corps veteran Lillian Nicholson, the church's two oldest veterans who raised the American flag. The ceremony also included a Zion-Benton High School's Junior ROTC sword ceremony. This weekend, though, the scene was a stark contrast to the moving ceremony.

"Regardless of feelings toward the war, this is the flag of our country," Malatesta said. "The fact that they did that to the American flag is unfortunate."

Parishioner and church keyboard player Jonathon Sands said the vandalism looked as if the suspects were "trying to decorate the place." He also noted that the church fell prey to previous vandalism when words including "Nazi" were spray painted on the fence adjacent to the church.

Lake County Sheriff's Sgt. Christopher Thompson said the vandalism occurred sometime after 11 p.m. on Friday.

Although a new American flag was raised Monday morning, Malatesta said the church does not have enough funds to purchase the two remaining flags and ropes yet. He said he hopes to raise enough money to replace the flags as well as purchase security cameras or motion detectors for the four-year-old church.

"We're trying to put an end to it," Malatesta said.

Malatesta also added that a $1,000 reward will be given to anyone who can offer information that leads to an arrest. He said he is hoping someone who was driving on Green Bay Road might have seen the vandalism to offer a description.

The sheriff is investigating the incident. There are no suspects, Thompson said.

I don't see mobs of Americans burning Mexican flags, let alone any flags from any foreign country! Flag burning is the lowest possible thing you can do to a country (outside of nuking it) and to do it on the soil of the country is horrible!

If someone wrote 'nazi' then I wouldn't think it had anything to do with a war protest. But I have my suspicions who did it, the ones who call us nazis?

Originally Posted by IndianaJones

If someone wrote 'nazi' then I wouldn't think it had anything to do with a war protest. But I have my suspicions who did it, the ones who call us nazis?

And how are we considered the "National Socialist Party"? We want are laws enforced and that is another race card they play oooh sooo often!!!

They don't have the money to buy 2 new flags and rope, but they do have $1,000 to give away? Something smells fishy.

Originally Posted by NCByrd

They don't have the money to buy 2 new flags and rope, but they do have $1,000 to give away? Something smells fishy.

Maybe its the Sheriffs office offering the reward?

The article infers it is the church council.

Originally Posted by NCByrd

They don't have the money to buy 2 new flags and rope, but they do have $1,000 to give away? Something smells fishy.

Why? They want the criminals caught, for obvious reasons. That is an emergency. The $1000 reward has probably bled the rest of their funds white. IOW, they probably had $1000 floating around they could have used for Bible Studies, etc etc etc...

but now they have to buy a security camera and set aside $$$ for a reward.

Cost of crime.

Cost of tolerating crime.

Lake County Sheriff's Sgt. Christopher Thompson said the vandalism occurred sometime after 11 p.m. on Friday.

Chicken BeeepS couldnt do it in the day time...


Id like to see some one give them some new flags