All members of the Barrington United Veterans Council resigned last week, protesting the town’s flying of certain flags above the veterans memorial outside Barrington Town Hall. 

The BUVC made the decision during a meeting on Tuesday night, March 12. The group sent a letter to the Barrington Times after the meeting.

“Unfortunately, the Barrington Town Council, which does not have a single veteran among its members, has chosen to virtue signal to controversial national political entities outside of our community rather than respect the wishes of those that have served and sacrificed from within the community,” stated the letter.

“Therefore, effective immediately, the Barrington United Veterans Council will cease to exist as an official Town of Barrington government entity, and all its current members hereby resign in protest from their volunteer duties and obligations. We can no longer serve in good faith a local government that harbors such hostility and animosity towards its Veterans and its families.”

The decision to resign in protest left town officials scrambling to find someone to organize this year’s Memorial Day parade in Barrington. For decades, the BUVC and its members have “successfully executed all our Town's annual veterans ceremonies and events to include the celebrated Memorial Day Parade.” 

Without BUVC members available, the Town Council decided to approve a $5,000 expenditure to hire an event planner for this year’s parade. 

Barrington Town Council President Carl Kustell has tried to remedy the issue. Last summer, Kustell suggested the town erect three new flagpoles at the top of the lawn in front of the Town Hall. Kustell said the flag pole in the middle would fly the US flag, while the poles on either side would fly the state flag and town flag. Kustell said officials could replace the town flag with other banners when they choose to do so. Currently, the town flies a number of different flags, including one for Black Lives Matter and the Pride flag — under the US flag above the veterans memorial.

Kustell said his plan would allow the town to continue to show solidarity for historically marginalized communities and also honor those who served and those who died while serving this country. 

“We can do it without diluting either message,” Kustell said. 

The Council President offered the Obama administration as an example — he said that when the marriage equality act was passed, the government lit up the White House in rainbow colors, but they refrained from doing that at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier or at other veterans memorials. 

Kustell’s plan failed to garner support among other Council members during the summer meeting. 

Kustell said the town has placed local veterans in a difficult position. 

“They’re in a tough spot, and I don’t blame them for finding the position untenable,” he said. 

That message was clear in the recent letter from BUVC members.

“The Barrington United Veterans Council (BUVC) can no longer support or be affiliated with a local town government that openly disrespects and marginalizes its veteran community by failing to maintain the sanctity and decorum of the Town’s Veterans Memorials.  

For over four years, the Barrington veterans have petitioned the Barrington Town Council to refrain from flying controversial and politically charged partisan banners under the US flag over our Veterans Memorial at the Town Hall; however, the Town Council has refused to acknowledge our wishes and continues to desecrate our Memorial,” stated the letter.

“They have repeatedly rejected all requests for compromise: such as erecting a separate flagpole away from our memorial from which to fly these unauthorized banners, to moving the American flagpole away from the memorial, to even relocating the Veterans Memorial itself.”

The BUVC members said the US Flag Code is clear that the “American flagpole should never be used for advertising purposes, and this includes the unauthorized display of political banners from the same lanyard regardless of their merit. Nowhere in this country will you find military or veterans memorials being defiled in this manner.”

Kustell said he plans on reintroducing his recommendation to erect new flag poles. 

The BUVC’s letter stated that the Barrington American Legion Post #8 will continue to handle veterans functions deemed necessary.