In small towns, words spread fast. On Facebook, they spread even faster. Such was the case in Peabody over Memorial Day weekend when word was that some flags had been vandalized in the local cemetery.
Word had it the flags were casket flags &mdash the kind draped across service members' caskets during funerals.
Word spread to Facebook when Peabody resident and sergeant in the Kansas National Guard Kevin Linscheid posted that he was mad.
"This past Memorial weekend 12 teens cut 9 to 20 of these Flags down, tore them, cut them, piled them in a pile..."
In turn, residents in Peabody are mad at Linscheid for posting the information, some of which was inaccurate, and putting Peabody in a bad light.
Peabody, less than an hour's drive northeast of Wichita in Marion County, has a population of about 1,400.
Linscheid was encouraging his Facebook friends to join him Wednesday for a rally in downtown Peabody to show their support for the flags. He encouraged people to bring flags, ride bikes, pack the streets of Peabody.
He said he had heard from people across the nation — from Georgia, Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Washington, California and other places — indicating they had planned to be at the rally.
"This is to be a peaceful standing — not a protest," said Linscheid, a former railroad employee now working as a truck driver.
"I will not condone a protest. I don't want to upset or turn this town upside down," he said.
At 4 p.m. Thursday, Linscheid called off the rally. He said it was because of concerns for public safety.
Read the complete story at kansas.com