Dowdell's actions garner disapproval

The majority of Auburn’s City Council disagrees with fellow councilmember Arthur L. Dowdell’s removal of Confederate flags from graves at Pine Hill Cemetery Thursday.

Dowdell, who represents Ward 1, said Friday he took four flags and plans to get the rest on Monday, the day after the Admiral Semmes Chapter #57 of the United Daughters of the Confederacy observes Confederate Memorial Day at the cemetery.

Auburn Mayor Bill Ham Jr. and other council members said Friday they each have heard from citizens about the incident, but there is nothing they can do as a council to censure Dowdell for his actions.

Ham said citizens even asked him about the possibility of arresting Dowdell.

The only repercussions may be a misdemeanor charge if a report is filed with the Auburn Police Division. Assistant Chief Tommy Dawson said he knew of no such report as of Friday evening.

Ward 6 councilmember Dick Phelan said the memorial service is not unique to Auburn or Alabama. He said it’s a way to “honor our heritage.”

But it’s the heritage’s negative aspects that prompted Dowdell to act. He said the week-long display of Confederate flags in the cemetery was intimidating and a sign of racism and the Ku Klux Klan.

“I don’t have any regrets for the way I handled it,” he said. “None whatsoever.”

Pine Hill Cemetery on Armstrong Street is in Ward 5, represented by Robin Kelley. Efforts to reach Kelley Friday were unsuccessful.

“It could be in heaven’s ward, and I’d campaign against it,” Dowdell said.

Dowdell, a self proclaimed Auburn native, said he never knew the United Daughters of the Confederacy displayed the flags for the week before the memorial service. But it’s a practice he now demands be changed.

“I’m not going to tolerate it,” he said. “They can have one day like everybody else. They can do it for Sunday. That is their right, but don’t infringe on my rights for a whole week.”

Ham said he doesn’t condone anyone — a councilmember or a member of the community — going on private property and destroying it.

“Everybody in this community has a right to their own opinion, to freedom of speech, but that doesn’t give anyone a right to destroy another’s property,” he said.

Ward 2 councilmember Sheila Eckman said she received e-mails about the incident, and none were in favor of Dowdell.

“We have to be tolerant of other people’s values, other people’s sense of history, other people’s interpretation of history,” she said. “The sentiment behind the display of flags is historic.”

Ward 8 councilmember Bob Norman said there is no hatred intended with the flag display. It’s simply a way for a group of citizens to exercise their rights and honor those who fought and died in the Civil War.

Ward 3 councilmember Tom Worden said Friday he would “not comment right now because I don’t have all the details. And that wouldn’t be fair to him (Dowdell). I was just surprised he did it.”

Ward 4 councilmember Brent Beard expressed surprise too, as well as disapproval.

“He shouldn’t have removed them if he didn’t like them,” Beard said.

Gene Dulaney, who represents Ward 7, said Dowdell has a “passionate personality” and a tendency to react without considering the consequences.

Dowdell expressed no surprise at the reactions of the rest of the council.

“The council has disagreed with me before,” he said. “But I’m the only black man on the city council, why would they agree with me? They’re all white. They don’t understand.”