Now that the Confederate flag
Flap has gone national; let's examine what this hoopla is all about. In
1962, as part of the centennial celebration of the War of Northern Aggression,
South Carolina raised the Confederate battle flag over its capitol.
The flag is not, by the way, in
A "position of sovereignty." It's in the position, as protocol demands,
Beneath the American, and South Carolina flags. If, for example, Massachusetts
Wanted to fly the rainbow flag in honor of its congressional delegation,
The flag would occupy the honorary slot, third from the top of the flagpole,
Just as the confederate battle flag does in South Carolina. So the Confederate
Battle flag has been atop the South Carolina state house for 38 years.
Now, in all that time, has that flag flying had any material or legal effect
On any human beings?
we dare say not. |
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We venture to say that most people were unaware
That it was even there. But let's be fair. Let's say the South Carolina
Legislature votes to take down the Confederate flag. Now, will the absence
Of that flag have any material or legal effect on any of us? No. So you
Have a situation in which there is a dispute but not about any substantive
Matter. Whether the flag's there or not there, our lives remain the same.
So what is the argument about?
Well, like so many arguments in America today,
It's about politics and interpretation of history. The National Association
For the Advancement of Colored People having won all its legitimate legal
Battles got to casting around for some reason to stay in existence and
Decided to attack historical symbols of the Confederacy. It dubbed the
Dear old banner "the most odious symbol in the universe." It said that
The battle flag is a symbol of slavery and racism. And there's the conflict.
Realizing that the meaning of any symbol lies
In the eyes of the beholder, those who defend the Southern heritage adamantly
Reject the NAACP's definition. To us, the battle flag is a symbol of courage,
Honor and love of freedom. Despite the ignorance of most people today,
The facts are on our side. The South did not secede to preserve slavery,
And the North did not invade to end it. The differences between North and
South, which surfaced long before slavery even became an issue, were economical,
Cultural, and political. The South seceded to preserve the constitutional
Republic of sovereign states, and the North invaded to destroy the republic
Once and for all and establish the centralized national government that
We have today.
Slavery had been a global institution imposed
On the colonies by
Great Britain over the protests, by the way, of both Virginia and
Georgia colonists. When the United States was created, slavery was a national
Institution. Racism was national. The U.S. Constitution protected slavery
And was upheld by the Supreme Court. If any flag symbolizes slavery in the
United States, it is the Stars and Stripes, not the Confederate battle
Flag.
After all, during the war, it was the commander
Of the Northern armies who owned slaves while the Southern armies had freed
His. The majority of Southerners did not own any slaves, and, of those
Who did some were black slave owners. In short, the South is tired of being
The scapegoat for national sins, and a fund-raising tool for the NAACP.
A second factor in the dispute is the First
Amendment. The fact that a minority or even a majority decides that a symbol
Is offensive cannot be reason to ban that symbol. But, because the NAACP
Wants to boycott South Carolina and Jesse Jackson wants to boycott Georgia
(It's state flag incorporates the battle flag), we have a suggestion: Why
Don't all the South haters boycott the entire South all at the same time?
we'd love for you to stay away.
The NAACP is financially weak. To combat the
Boycott of South Carolina, the Council of Conservative Citizens favors
A counter boycott of the corporations that funds the NAACP. The following
Is a list of corporations, which donate generously to the NAACP or its
"Legal Defense" slush fund:
1. K-Mart, 3100 W. Big Beaver, Troy, MI; CEO - Floyd Hall; (248)
643-1000. (Very vulnerable during shopping season.)
2. JC Penney, 6501 Legacy Dr, Plano, TX; CEO - Gale Duff-Bloom; (972)
431-1000 (Ditto.)
3. Food Lion, PO 1330, Salsbury, NC; CEO - Bill McCanless; (800)
210-9569
4. Century 21, 6 Sylvan Way, Parsippany, NJ; CEO - Robert Moles (973) 428-9700
5. Bank of America, 100 N. Tryon, Charlotte, NC; CEO - Hugh McColl;
(704) 386-5000
6. Wachovia, 301 N. Main, Winston-Salem, NC; CEO - Will Spence; (704)
378-5365
7. Wendy's Intl., 4288 W. Dublin-Granville, Dublin, CO; CEO - J.
Schuessler; (800) 829-3639
8. Budweiser, 1 Busch Place, St. Louis, Mo; (800) 342-5283
9. Coors, 311 10th St., Golden, CO; CEO - WK Coors; (800) 642-6116
South
Carolina State Flag
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