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Whitley County man’s “Speak English” flag sparks controversy

Downtown Columbia City (Public Domain)

WHITLEY COUNTY, Ind. (WOWO): A flag flown outside a Whitley County man’s home is getting attention.

“If you live here, SPEAK ENGLISH.” That’s what is on the flag outside the home of retired veteran Dean Graham, who tells our Partners in News at ABC 21 he was upset when he heard a couple speaking Spanish at an area Walmart:

“It’s offensive if you’re speaking a foreign language in a country that’s majority English,” Graham says. “I’m not offended, like I said, by Spanish speaking people. I just wish they would feel what I am trying to say, and say you know what here in America we will at least attempt to learn English.”

About 200 workers from Puerto Rico were moved by Zimmer Biomet to Columbia City to work at their Warsaw campus.

Columbia City Mayor Ryan Daniel says Graham’s flag doesn’t represent how the rest of the community feels:

“We’ve been very happy to welcome people from lots of different places, lots of different countries. We have three or four different countries represented in new businesses here this year.”

Graham says he has no plans on taking down the flag, and he’s also not surprised that some disagree with it.

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