Posted on 08/16/2017 3:50:42 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Best Defense is on summer hiatus. During this restful spell we offer re-runs from the past 12 months. This item originally ran on Jun. 22.
During the bloody battle of Okinawa, late in World War II, Army Lt. Gen. Simon B. Buckner Jr., saw a Marine unit flying the Confederate flag over a position. Buckner, himself the son of a Confederate general, ordered it taken down. “Americans from all over are involved in this battle,” he said.
And he wasn’t the son of just any Confederate general. His father, Gen. Simon Bolivar Buckner Sr., was the officer who was defeated by U.S. Grant at Fort Donelson, Tenn., in February 1862. That action led to Grant’s nickname, “Unconditional Surrender.” But the two generals got over their problems and Buckner Sr. was a pallbearer at Grant’s funeral.
If a Confederate general and his son could find this sort of reconciliation and understanding, why is it so hard for some Americans to do so now?
Maybe we can make some good result from that horrible South Carolina shooting. Taking down the Confederate flag would be an appropriate memorial.
I know that flag means something to many white Southerners. But it means something very different to many black Americans, and to many others, such as myself. I see it as a symbol of slavery, of hundreds of years of racist oppression. And I see its display now and in recent decades as an attempt to deny the gains of the Civil Rights movement. Why would anyone want to uphold a symbol that insults millions of their fellow citizens?
(Excerpt) Read more at foreignpolicy.com ...
The American flag flew over slavery for much longer than the confederate battle flag. Is it next? (The left has already started.)
Queue the picture of Ayers standing on the flag.
Enough already!
Bullcrap. I notice that “compromise” always means us giving up something, and them getting something.
I say keep the flag, screw them.
Maybe I’ll listen when there’s an actual compromise, you know, where both sides gain something, and both sides give up something they want.
Kiss my ass.
Molon Labe.
Gen. Buckner basically drew the short straw and had to stay and hold off Grant while the other generals at Fort Donelson escaped. He was the first to surrender to Grant in an unconditional surrender. Grant and Buckner had been classmates at West Point and later Buckner served as a pallbearer at Grants funeral. Civil War was sad times. Things today are on a slippery slope.
The flag he should have worried about in that battle was the three star flag waving on his Jeep, which drew fire.
“According to an eyewitness account, on June 18, Buckner had arrived in his command jeep which was flying its standard 3 star flag, to inspect a forward observation post. Visits from the general were not always welcome as his presence frequently drew enemy fire, which usually happened as General Buckner was departing. Buckner had arrived with his standard three stars showing on the front of his steel helmet and a nearby Marine outpost sent a signal to Buckner’s position stating that they could clearly see the general’s three stars on his helmet. Told of this, Buckner replaced his own helmet with an unmarked one. However, a small flat trajectory Japanese artillery projectile of unknown caliber (estimated 47mm) struck a coral rock outcropping next to the general and fragments entered his chest.”
But cool story about the rebel flag. God forbid that a general come up and now scold Marines for something that made them feel a little more aggressive.
An old Marine who fought at Okinawa told me that General Buckner Jr. was killed by a Marine artillery round that “accidentally” fell short after the general’s staff kicked a Marine artillery observer out of his fox hole so that the general could get a good look at the battle. That is a good story, even if it is not true.
I suspect that Thomas E. Ricks spends a lot of time and energy patting himself on the back for how enlightened and virtuous he is. He's certainly no bigot.
Um, well, except that he is an anti-Southerner bigot. He can try to dress it up with pretty words and anodyne sentiments, but when it comes right down to it, Thomas E. Ricks is an intolerant bigot.
He probably thinks that he crafted that article in a way that no correct-thinking human being can argue against it. But let's have some fun with a slight rewording of that paragraph - because:
I know that Planned Parenthood means something to many secular white female Americans (of course, including people of all genders who self-identify as female). But Planned Parenthood means something very different to many black Americans, and to many others, such as myself. I see it as a symbol of the eugenics movement, of hundreds of years of racist oppression, where abortion was first widely promoted as a way of removing 'defective' genetic material from the population. As a result, many millions of black American lives were terminated in the womb - by design. And I see its widespread promotion now and in recent decades as an attempt to deny the gains of the Civil Rights movement. Why would anyone want to uphold a symbol that insults (and literally kills) millions of their fellow citizens?
An old Marine who fought at Okinawa told me that General Buckner Jr. was killed by a Marine artillery round that “accidentally” fell short after the general’s staff kicked a Marine artillery observer out of his fox hole so that the general could get a good look at the battle. That is a good story, even if it is not true.
>>><<<
The old Marine was wrong. He was killed by a Japanese shell. The Japs spotted the shiny 3 stars on his helmet and zeroed in on his position. Marines told him to take off the helmet and he did, but it was too late.
I guess we need to appease the terrorists by renaming Buckner Boulevard in Dallas. Maybe Mugabe Way?
Take them down from government buildings, fly them wherever the hell else you want until the freaking universe ends.
I just got of the phone with my uncle. He was a Marine on Okinawa. He said he had heard that story and they all considered it just a “war story”. There were numerous Marines and one Army General close to Gen. Buckner when he was killed by the coral shrapnel to the chest.
Is that when he stuck his head out and got zapped by a Jap sniper?
Great comment.
A Jap sniper didn’t get him. read my posts if you want to find out how and why he was killed.
Regardless, he foolishly went to the front lines with his “General’s identity” and the Japs eyes lit up
Sorta reminds me of some white people today, notably politicians and “media” HERE, TAKE ME
Yes, that was stupid of him.
Dear Thomas Ricks... It pains me (but not very much) to inform you that I DO NOT consider you my "Fellow Citizen"... I do in fact consider you a big part of the Communist invasion that is trying to divide and destroy my country... It is my hope that someday soon we will begin to "RAIN HELLFIRE THE LIKES YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN" down on you treasonous head... This, Mr. Ricks is what I'm really looking forward to...
PS..
You don't really seem to give a rosy RAT'S ASS.. about my likes or dislikes... You don't seem to care one way or the other about what insults me and mine... You seem to care only about you own elitist self and your commie goals... So before you start your "We should all just try to get along" crap.. You better take a long look in the mirror and see yourself for who you really are.... A Commie bastard that an entire nation is hoping will soon get his just dues... :(
Destruction of our history ping list. I think this will be
a high volume ping list. Please let me know if you want on
or off the list.
Go F yourself Ricks! The flags and monuments will stay.
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