The Durham, North Carolina City Council invited Cub Scout Pack 451 to the meeting, and to lead the Pledge of Allegiance.
And 10 year-old Liam Holmes did not hesitate.
This fifth grader, with his hand on his heart, quietly dropped to his knee.
After the pledge, the room became silent.
The mayor, Steve Schewel, immediately told those assembled that this peaceful display was welcomed at City Hall and in the City Council chamber.
And he thanked Liam.
"To the scout that expressed his conscience by kneeling, we will say that we endorse and appreciate all expressions of conscience in the Durham City Council.
At a very young age, you can be a moral person and stand up for what you believe in.
One of the things that we have to really be aware of is what our flag really stands for. Our flag stands for freedom of individual expression and freedom to express your conscience and we need to support that.
All the time.”
Said Liam, “What I did was took a knee against racial discrimination, which is basically when people are mean to other people of different colors.”
Yes...Liam understands completely.
His moral compass is intact.
Reports Blavity…
Scott Holmes is an activist himself and also a civil rights attorney and professor at North Carolina Central University. The News Observer reports Scott has represented protesters arrested during Confederate monument protests in Durham and Chapel Hill.
The proud dad said he believes Liam took the knee for religious reasons in addition to protesting against racial inequality.
The Holmes family are Quakers. Taking oaths goes against the values set in the Quaker faith, and Liam initially wanted to honor his spiritual beliefs by not taking the pledge at all.
In talking about the pledge, the father and son began to discuss why Kaep and many others choose to take a knee during the pledge and national anthem.
"I told him that [taking a knee] is just an idea and he should do whatever he feels comfortable with," Scott added. "Because I know how it can feel weird, awkward to do something different than other folks."
As shown by Kaep and those since, there is no better time to make this statement then during the pledge.
There is that segment of the population that has done everything they can to blend racism and nationalism. And to hide their racism in the flag.
They can’t be surprised when young people like Liam will start to associate the flag with racism.
And they will interrupt nationalist ceremonies to prove their point and make their stand.
No...it’s the perfect time to do it.
When asked what he would say to those that don’t support or approve of his action, Liam had this to say….
“Well, those people just don’t listen.
I just like the idea of it and now, I just feel like doing it every time when we do the Pledge of Allegiance.
Until things change.”
Indeed.
Liam...Scott….Mayor Schewel….Kaep...
….you done good.
A Thank You! to underwriter505 for bringing Liam’s righteousness to my attention.