LORIS, S.C. (WBTW)- The owner of a diner in Downtown Loris has removed the American flag from his flag pole after a Veteran expressed concern about it flying upside down this week.
“In the U.S. Flag Code, it says the Union should never be displayed down, unless you feel that there is dire distress and I believe our country is in dire distress right now with everything going on,” Ernie Ross said.
Ross owns Ernie’s Hometown Diner in Loris and says the recent violence around the world and here in places like Dallas, Louisiana and Minnesota prompted him to turn the flag down.
“There’s people dying left and right for no reason whatsoever, none. It’s senseless, pointless. Young kids are dying, like in France.”
Over the past few weeks, Ross says he received questions about the flag but when he explained the reasoning most people didn’t mind. However, this week, one veteran expressed concern and was offended at the gesture.
“We’re not here to hurt anybody. We changed it. We took the flag down. We put the Christian flag up so when people go by now and see the Christian flag. All we ask them to do is take 5 to minutes to pray for our country. Pray for our service men, pray for our police officers, our firefighters. People there to protect me and you and everyone around,” Ross said.
Ross says he believes prayers will help. He says the country needs more love and less hate to make any kind of change.
“Let’s get back on track, let’s think of our neighbor. Let’s love each other again. Quit the hate. The hate has to stop. There’s no hope of future if there’s hate. The hate has to stop.”
Ross said he will continue to ask the community to pray and fly the Christian flag indefinitely, unless it becomes an issue.