Board Chairperson Threatens Meeting Attendees For Reciting 'Pledge Of Allegiance'

                The Bladen County, North Carolina, Board of Elections recently received a request from a veteran to add the Pledge of Allegiance to its business meeting. The board denied the request by a vote of 3-2, with all three Democratic members voting against it, naturally. This spurred a local resident to invite others attending the meeting to join him in standing up and reciting the pledge right then and there. Most did so, with hands over their hearts, including both Republican board members, according to video of the event. This did not sit well with the board’s chairwoman, Louella Thompson, who told attendees that the Pledge of Allegiance was a “disruption of the meeting,” and threatened to call “law enforcement” if such a breech of etiquette should ever again occur. For good measure, she added: “So be prepared for that.”

                Ms. Thompson subsequently issued a statement to WECT-TV reading: “The Bladen County Board of Elections received a request to add the pledge of allegiance to the agenda of our business meeting. After a period of public comment the board voted 3 to 2 to deny the request. A few individuals present refused to accept the decision of the board and disrupted the meeting to protest the vote by standing and reciting the pledge. That disruption violated the law NC GS 143.318.17 Disruption of official meeting. Those present were made aware of the violation and told that any future disruption would result in arrest.”

                I’m quite sure the Pledge—or any other show of support for America or traditional values—would not fit Ms. Thompson’s agenda. She won’t stand for standing for the flag. That would be a “Disruption” (notice the capital ‘D’ she employed), whereas she no doubt sees kneeling for the National Anthem as a glorious exercise of one’s First Amendment rights, an act protected and enshrined even by our own flawed Constitution, living document that it is. 

                Ms. Thompson pledges that second “offenders” will be incarcerated? Will three-time offenders be shot? Should anyone standing for the National Anthem be subject to fines and prison time? Should those attending the meetings clad in red, white and blue attire be kicked out, those wearing “MAGA” hats immediately vaporized via a ray gun? Should anyone suspected of being in favor of limited government be whisked off to a re-education camp?

                I don’t care what statute NC BS 666.666.69—or any other bullshit bureaucratic regulation—mandates, you can’t legislate morality. But you can render it illegal.