Group wants Confederate flag on state license plate (Florida)

A group that helped raise a huge Confederate flag above a North Florida highway now wants to bring the symbol to state license plates.

The Sons of Confederate Veterans is planning a campaign to create a specialty automobile license tag honoring what supporters call the state's Southern heritage.

"We know the flag is controversial because it's been misused by misguided people," said John W. Adams of Deltona, division commander for the organization. "But this tag is not intended to be divisive."

Black leaders said the emblem symbolizes oppression and are beginning to mount opposition to the plate along with others who criticize the ballooning number of specialty tags.

"I would hope the legislation proposing this tag never sees light of day," said Rep. Ed Jennings, D-Gainesville, chairman of the Florida Conference of Black State Legislators. "It is only divisive."

Gov. Jeb Bush decided to take down the Confederate flag that had flown at the Capitol for 22 years in 2001, saying he wanted to avert problems encountered by other states flying rebel banners. Those included divisive flag fights in South Carolina and Georgia, where some said the Confederate flag symbolizes slavery and racism.

Bush spokesman Jacob DiPietre said "the governor is adamantly against such a proposal."

Eight other states already have tags on the road available only to members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, which consists of descendants of those who fought in the Civil War. The Florida tag, if approved by state lawmakers, would be available to any motorist.

The group, which boasts 2,000 members in Florida, raised a 20-by-38-foot flag in a February 2002 ceremony at a memorial along Interstate 75 near the crossroad of Interstate 10.

For the tag to gain approval, organizations must conduct a marketing survey showing that at least 15,000 vehicle owners would consider buying the proposed tag, submit a $60,000 application and get the measure approved by the Legislature. Adams said the organization probably will begin moving ahead with its proposal next month.

Specialty-tag buyers pay an additional $15 to $25 for the tags, with the surcharge benefiting a specific cause or institution. Proceeds from the Confederate tag would help fund the group's historic-preservation projects, which include locating Confederate grave sites and maintaining historic flags and artifacts.

Differing (and uninformed) opinion piece from: News-Press.com

Keep rebel flag off license tag

Confederate symbol too inflammatory to represent pride

Florida needs a Confederate license plate like it needs ... well, a Black Panther license plate.

A specialty plate honoring the state's Southern heritage has been proposed by the Sons of Confederate Veterans, who say they are aware that the flag has been "misused by misguided people" and insist the tag is not meant to be divisive.

Please. The Stars and Bars has been used so many times to inflame that it is simply foolish to expect people not to be inflamed by it.

It has flown over way too many Klan and American Nazi rallies. It has come to symbolize racial repression to black Americans, who remember that it was dusted off all across the South when the region dug in its heels against integration. Things have gone way too far to pretend that this flag can be a benign or noble symbol.

That's not the fault of people of good faith who wish to express pride in their Southern heritage, but it's a fact. The Southern pride movement would do itself and society a favor if it found a new symbol.

One of the wisest things Gov. Jeb Bush has done was to quietly remove the Confederate flag that had flown over the state Capitol for 22 years. He wanted to avoid the emotional, hopeless political fights over this potent symbol that have paralyzed Georgia and South Carolina.

We should line up with Bush in opposition to the specialty plate, to stop this idea before it gains any traction. There are powerful, complex racial issues in this state. It won't help to add an inflammatory symbol.

You won't find a more staunch supporter of Southern rights than me. But I do think we would get ahead a bit more in such debates if we would use as our symbol of pride the First National, which is the real name of the Stars and Bars, instead of using the Confederate Naval Jack (= "the battleflag"). The Naval Jack just generates too much anger for the moment. After some years of reeducation and decent public relations efforts (which is something the SCV is really rotten at), we may be able to ease an understanding of the Confederate battleflag/naval jack into the public consciousness. But for now, we'd be a lot smarter to use the First National. I have the First National on my car and hanging in front of my house, and it generates interested questions rather than vandalism. It's been a bridge for expanded understanding between the races. As Martha Stewart would say, That's a good thing!

I am against display of the Confederate flag on Florida license tags. And, boy, am I going to get flamed for saying this!

I grew up in Virginia, not here in Florida where I have lived now for over 30 years. My Great Grandfather was a Lt. in the Confederate Army and twice wounded. After the war he returned home. He would walk with a limp the rest of his life. His father died shortly thereafter leaving him to take over a tobacco plantation which no longer had slave labor, take care of his mother, see to it that 9 siblings (those who lived) all got a college education. Plus, he married and had 12 children of his own, and saw to it that his own children all got a college education. He continued to be a planter, but managed by getting into other profitable business ventures, which he founded.

My grandfather was a doctor, got his share of the old plantation, and I grew up on his farm, within sight of the old ancestrial home.

There is plenty of rich history in my family from the war. I could not tell you, in numbers, how many kinsman I had who fought for the Confederate cause in that war...nor how many young kinsman were killed, but there were several. One, a General, was killed at Gettysburg. It makes good reading and is certainly an interesting geneological study.

But, my friends, that was a long time ago. I think it's good for those of us who are the sons of Confederate soldiers to hold the history and traditions to heart. But it should end there. I'm just not for offending any groups by continuing to hold that flag up in their face since I know they see its' symbolism as having meant something of terror to their ancesters.

As for Florida, I do believe it was still up in the air as to which way Florida was going to vote until late in the game. That Florida finally did chose to side with the Confederate cause was a very narrow sentiment as there were those here at the time who sided with the other side, and many more still who simply did not care about the war or who might win. Florida was not big on plantation crops, nor on slavery. A number of the black population at the time were slaves who had runaway from other states. And, they were free here.

The union army was quick to seize the fort at St. Augustine. Florida did ship cattle by rail to feed the Confederate army. They had to drive the cows from the end of the tracks in Florida about twenty miles to Georgia to put them on another train. This produced some fist-a-cuffs between the two armies here and there. But there weren't any major battles fought on Florida soil.

Florida does not have the Confederate tradition of the rest of the southern states. Maybe there's some of this in the northern Florida panhandle, but not much.

As for all the other specialty license plates, they are interesting; manatees, the Florida panther, universities, professional sports teams, many others - and I like them!

But the Confederate flag! I don't like the idea. It's just not that big a chunk of Florida's very rich history. I, more or less, regard Florida as having been a Confederate state in name only. Some young fellows joined up and were shipped off to Virginia. We sent some food to their army. The union won. Slaves were set free. It didn't impact nor change the way of life in Florida really that much. I get the feeling folks who lived here back in 1865 probably just said, "The South lost. Bummer!" And went on about life.

As for Florida today! Well, it was New York money that built this state. And, I had a Cuban friend who bought a used car and was showing it to me. On the front there was a Confederate flag plate from the previous owner. I pointed it out and told him he should remove it as it might be offensive to certain folks. He took the plate off but I don't think he understood why.

And I am not going to understand a Florida license tag with a Confederate flag on it either.

It's just not that big a chunk of Florida's very rich history

With all due respect, Florida was the third state to leave the Union. The Ordinance of Secession was issued January 10, 1861. Florida was very much in line with it's sister state of South Carolina. In fact, the hostilities were expected to start at Fort Pickens in Florida, but the incidents at Fort Sumter occurred sooner.

During the War Between the States, Florida raised:

11 Infantry Regiments
2 Infantry Battalions
2 Cavalry Regiments
1 Cavalry Battalion
6 Light Artillery Batteries

Our state offered 15,000 of her best men - the highest percentage of any Confederate state. Nearly 5,000 of those men died in the War.

During the war, Florida became a source of cattle and salt - two necessities during the war. As supply lines were cut and the Anaconda plan squeezed the coast, daring blockade runners would leave New Smyrna for the eastbound run to the islands for trade. The blockade runners supplied hogs, beef, salt, sugar, rum, and other necessities all the way up to Virginia. The cattle king Jake Summerlin supplied the Confederacy with thousands of pounds of beef and was never repaid.

Salt was key to preserving meats for transport to far away Confederate states. Families would boil sea water at old Spanish mills in huge kettles to extract salt. Saw Palmettos were another source of salt natives used. Barrels of salted pork, beef, fish, venison, and rabbit were cured in salt up to 25 percent. Often a mixture of molasses and spices were used to improve the taste.

While there were not many battles in Florida, Southerners held their own. The Battle of Ocean Pond near Olustee, FL pitted 5,500 Union against 5,000 Confederate troops on Feb. 20, 1864. The result held 2000 dead Union and 800 dead Confederates. Tallahassee was the only Confederate capital east of the Mississippi River not captured thanks to the young men at present day FSU. The battle of Natural Bridge involved the home guard fending off a Union advance in March 1865.

Florida has always been home to a mix of people - Spanish, French, British, Scottish, Irish, African, Cuba, Puerto Rican, Seminole, Creek, Timucuan, Cherokee, Minorcan, and many others. Pirates, Cow Hunters, Indians, Frontiersman, Pioneers, Preachers, Outlaws, Runaways, Robber Barons, Carpetbaggers, and just about any other walk of life could (and still can be) found in Florida.

Yes, Florida earned her spot in the Confederacy and the title of "Supplier of the Confederacy." The famed "Cow Cavalry" protected local ranches and cattle from Union raids. She made her own contribution and stands proud of the men who served.

The Battle of Ocean Pond near Olustee, FL ...

On my side we had a relative die in that battle; another relative on the wife's side was wounded.

The intolerant among us want to forget them. Instead they would - and do - worship & protect war criminals, dictators, gays, socialists, communists, pedophiles, and abortionists. Basically they love those that seek to destroy our Constituion, those that refuse to abide by it, and those that pervert it.

The same seek to remove the Bible from our country, from our government, from our very lives. I choose to honour our ancestors, the Constitution and the Bible. We will serve the Lord.

Kudos to the proud members of the Florida SCV, may they never forget.

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