French flag to fly on in Little Falls

LITTLE FALLS -- The French flag is still waving in Little Falls after the Little Falls City Council voted 6-2 Monday to keep it in Le Bourget Park.

The park, featuring the flags of the United States and France side-by-side, represents the friendship that Little Falls aviator Charles Lindbergh found when he landed in Le Bourget in 1927.

Some Little Falls residents objected to the flag because of France's lack of support for the United States in the war on Iraq.

"The military is putting their lives in harm's way," said Kate Zac-Sobiech. "We have people leaving from here tomorrow (to go to war). The French didn't want to back us and we shouldn't have to fly their flag."

Janelle Peters, head of the Sister City Committee, said the flag does not represent military issues.

"I am elated that the council listened and reacted to the views of the community," she said. "The flag represents friendship, not military alliance."

About 50 people attended the council meeting. Three representatives from each side voiced their opinion on the issue. A French language teacher at Little Falls High School voiced her students' views and another resident spoke of his family's relationship with Lindbergh.

Little Falls is home to many veterans and many people with family and friends in France. The issue will be the talk of the town for awhile, Zak-Sobiech said.

"I care more about how citizens feel about the flag than what the French think," Zak-Sobiech said. "To some military people, it's offensive."

"We go ask (France) to back our service personnel and get nothing in return. That's disgraceful," said Bruce Shorter, a Vietnam War-era veteran.

Little Falls Mayor Brian Mackinac voted to keep the flag.

"There are lots of U.S. policies I don't agree with, but I'm not taking down the U.S. flag," he said before the meeting.

(This story includes information from the Associated Press)