Common Council revises passage in ordinance from 1971
By Dave Fidlin
CORRESPONDENT
Citing a potential conflict within the community, Whitewater officials last week voted against flying a flag in support of the United Nations.
With assistance from City Attorney Wally McDonell, the council voted to amend an ordinance, first adopted more than 40 years ago, that pledged support toward flying such a flag outside Whitewater’s municipal building.
On Oct. 24, 1971, the council adopted a resolution that read, in part, “As a symbol of our obligations as world citizens, we proudly display the United Nations flag with the United States flag near the main entrance of the city hall and urge other cities to do the same.”
No such flag, however, is believed to have ever flown in Whitewater. Last month, resident Betty Refior implored the incumbent council to carry out the motion made by its predecessors more than four decades ago.
But the council on July 15 unanimously agreed having a flag in support of the United Nations in today’s era would not be a prudent idea. McDonell presented the council with a revised ordinance that eliminated the passage calling on flying the flag.
“I feel we recognize the support for the UN is not as strong as it was in 1971,” council member Lynn Binnie said. “I think there is still a good deal of support … but the percentage of people who don’t share that view has risen.”
Council member James Winship, a professor of social work at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, has had exposure with the UN through first-hand experiences in El Salvador.
During last week’s discussion, however, Winship said he would be hesitant to fly a UN flag in the community.
“The UN does a world of good,” Winship said. “But we have not enforced the ordinance, and it doesn’t appear we are going to.”
Plans of having some type of monument in support of harmony are not off the table, however. A proposal to place a peace poll at one of the city’s parks will be taken up in August by the Park and Recreation Board.
