Two town councilors in Hampden, Maine refused to stand and recite the Pledge of Allegiance at a recent council meeting.
Their disrespect was caught on camera.
The two men said they refused to stand because the Pledge is “too political.”
WLBZ 2 repoted:
Video of two town councilors in Hampden refusing to stand and recite the Pledge of Allegiance at their March 17, 2014 meeting has been getting a lot of plays ever since it first appeared on YouTube.
Officials in Hampden say councilors William Shakespeare and Thomas Brann have both refused to get up for the pledge for the past two months. One leader claims they both feel the oath is being inappropriately used at town meetings for political reasons.
Town officials say both Shakespeare and Brann happen to be veterans themselves. NEWS CENTER was able to make contact with Thomas Brann on Tuesday. He said his choice to sit down wasn’t motivated by any disdain for the pledge but his view that it’s now being used as a political weapon.
Hampden’s town council only started saying the pledge at meetings at the beginning of he year. Since then Brann and Shakespeare have both refused to take the oath at each and every council session.
