Giglio, Fleur de Lis, or Just a Lily?

A Lily by any other name would smell as sweet, or would it? Perhaps it depends on whom one asks? In the past, former Florence police captain Pete Williford, as well as others, have waged a campaign to eradicate the words "Fleur de Lis" from the vocabulary of local residents, especially Florentines. Yet, is there really anything wrong with referring to the Florence, Alabama, logo as such? In fact, why not call it a "Lily" and be done with it?

It's true that "Giglio" is the Italian word for Lily, but does that mean we should limit ourselves to this appellation? Using that logic, the Lauderdale County seat would not be called by the French word "Florence," but by the Italian name "Firenze."

Ah, but critics are quick to point out that the flower's stamen are always depicted on the Italian version, whereas they are usually absent on the French. Well, you do have us there, but if we're going to argue over the inclusion of two stamen in the logo, then we insist upon the name change to Firenze. No one would mistake us for a town in South Carolina then.


What's up with this: It seems the town of Lexington's website, www.lexingtonal.org, is no longer functioning. We can hear the conspiracy theories now.