Reply To: Fly the flag of the Confederate States of America?

[Gallup’s Mirror]

In my opinion each locality should decide through our local government what is right for local public lands, not the feds.

If that’s the way it worked then Christian shrines on public land would be ubiquitous. It’s better to limit the power of government, local or otherwise, even in a democracy, when it comes to minority rights. In some localities, a vote on whether a certain symbol means ‘heritage’ or ‘slavery’ is like three wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner.

Have you ever read the letters from confederate soldiers? You may get some insight into why they really fought…It’s the same theme over and over, they fight for their fellow soldiers, friends and relatives….I would bet many did not support slavery.

We’ve covered this already, Robert. Whatever their other reasons, Confederate soldiers fought to preserve a social order based on slavery, genocide and white supremacy, knowingly or not, willingly or not. The Confederacy existed, waged war and flew banners to that aspiration.

BTW, I have never experienced racism of the intensity like I have in my business travels to Northern cities such as Boston and New York, or in my dealings with some Northerners. Mr. Bunker is alive and well.

Was the racism you experienced expressed through a monument erected by the local government on public property?

Look at it like this. Have you ever been to Germany? Imagine the Berlin city government erected a memorial to Germany’s war dead, complete with the flag of the Third Reich, and defended it as ‘heritage’, family and friendship, while denying the soldiers’ hearts were really in the Holocaust. How much trust and credibility would this inspire you to feel in the local government? Would it make a difference if you were Jewish?