04/18/2008
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About 100 people attended a rally called by Vietnam veteran Charles Bennett of Farmington, an American Legion commander. On Tuesday, he had challenged the University of Maine at Farmington administration's decision to allow an art project that used flags made of duct tape and plastic to be placed on the corridor of the student center.
Ultimately, the project generated debate about the flag and what it means.
"I think there is a renewed sense of patriotism on campus and appreciation of the flag," said student Austin Cookson, 20, of Kittery, who was holding up a large American flag with two friends.
"We're not saying the administration is un-American, but they are saying it is just a piece of cloth. It is a lot more than that. It represents freedom," he said.
Munroe Hawkins, 88, of Farmington and a UMF alumni, is a World War II combat veteran.
"I am here because this flap about the flag is about my country. Had I known that art project was there, I would have been there and stood by Charlie," he said.
The project that started the uproar was created by education major Susan Crane, 40, of Auburn. It was an assignment by art professor Kate Randall to create a social commentary piece and Crane, a self-described conservative Republican and the daughter of a 25-year military veteran, chose the American flag as her subject.
Her presentation used five large flags placed in a winding pattern down a university building corridor, with another 1,000 handheld flags scattered on the floor. The project was approved after a lengthy review by administrators and an attorney on the grounds that Crane had a Constitutional right of freedom of speech and expression.
Crane said her point was to get people to think about how they felt about the flag when faced with either walking over or around one placed on the ground.
"We would not do anything differently. The student had a project, she got all her permissions and we were correct in supporting her," said UMF President Theodora Kalikow on Thursday. "It was a legitimate learning experience."
She said, personally, she would never put a flag on the ground.
"The flag represents our country, along with the Bill of Rights and the Constitution. But do people want censorship if an idea makes them mad? The highest value is upholding the Constitution, even if it means disrespecting the flag," she said.
During Thursday's brief, organized part of the demonstration, Bennett spoke about the need to protect the flag and then Lawrence "Jay" Dwight, of Wilton, spoke.
In a lengthy address, he called Crane's project an "insult" and said UMF administrators "were joining the terrorists who would burn and stomp" on the flag. He then led the gathering in the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.
Afterward, student Debbie Arsenault, 44, of Anson, said she came from a line of combat veterans. She described herself as a conservative and "extremely patriotic."
"(The issue) was not just about freedom of speech. It was about censorship," she said.
"My family fought for an idea and a way of life and for the right for people to have an opinion and to speak about it," she said. "I had no problem with the flag project -- it was only a representation of the symbol."
She objected to Dwight's speech.
"It is appalling that he equated terrorists and Nazis with the administration. What has come out of this is that it created discussion. If this is what the artist wanted, then she succeeded. It was a thought-provoking social experiment," she said.
Student Angela Courchesney of Jay, who said she strongly objected to Crane's project, also noted the controversy did bring people together.
"A lot of people united around this and said it should not have happened," she said.
Bennett said he was gratified by the turnout.
"We got our point across. The college heard us. Our main objective now is to get hold of our congressmen and pressure them to support a law that protects our flag," he said.
Betty Jespersen -- 778-6991
bjespersen@centralmaine.com
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