Rebel flag continues to divide our nation

sptimes ^ | February 17, 2004 | ernest hooper

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Ernest Hooper, Tampa columnist can be reached at 813 226-3406 or Hooper@sptimes.com

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herewegoagain

[goldstategop]

Liberals are intolerant of any one who doesn't agree with them 100% - and not just over a flag.

[2banana]

No, the Confederate flag should not be banned in schools. I would never deny a person's right to freedom of speech. But for those who feel compelled to wear it to school, I ask only one thing: Think about what you're doing.

How do you feel about Malcom X caps? Gangsta Rap artist jackets? Che Guevara shirts?

[G.Mason]

"Some 30 years later I shudder because people are still holding on to this symbol of racism."

Yet another intellectual fraud who spouts the revisionist drivel.

Teach your children well ...... home school them.

[zook]

You really have to have way too much free time to worry about or be offended by the Confederate flag. To those who are offended by it, I say, just quit it.

[Conspiracy Guy]

Flags of any sort are the least of our problems. Symbols mean differnt things to different people. If symbols could hurt you it would be an even more dangerous world.

I own no Confederate flags but I can't for the life of me figure out why this one symbol gets picked out to be such a big deal.

Let's concentrate on real problems such as parenting before we worry about symbols.

CG

[cripplecreek]

Its a piece of cloth ernie get over it.

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

When will I believe that this flag is about heritage and not hate? When I see people from Confederate organizations seriously confront racists who use the flag to espouse bigotry.

So I should not wear my cross until racist stop using it to espouse bigotry? Silly fellow.

[billbears]

When people argue that the fight over the flag creates healthy dialogue, I think back to when I was given that opportunity. My boys were 5 and 7 when we went to dinner at Buddy Freddy's, on a day when a Confederate organization was meeting in the restaurant's banquet room. Ethan saw the flag in the other room and exclaimed, "Look at that cool flag."

For the rest of the dinner, I had to explain why the flag wasn't cool. Young minds, more accustomed to learning about phonics, soaked in lessons about slavery, freedom and a time when Americans killed Americans.

As he filled them with more revisionist history no doubt

[azhenfud]

"If you want to show pride in the South, paint a plate of grits on a T-shirt and wear it to school."

Mr Hooper may wear his food well, but mine's not that becoming on me....

[JesseHousman]

... a 141-year-old symbol that should have been buried at Appomattox...

What a ridiculous statement!

[dmcnash]

Good Point! I guess we know what is next now.

[Rebelbase]

"But, for decades, it was used by the Ku Klux Klan as a banner for segregation and persecution"

[beckysueb]

Grits? And he is worried about the flag being a symbol of bigotry? How about this, grits a symbol of stereotyping , sorta like watermelon?

[Constitution Day]

But, for decades, it was used by the Ku Klux Klan as a banner for segregation and persecution. And white supremacists still embrace it today.

Early KKK poster.

Check the sign out.

Old songbook.

1960's in Birmingham, Alabama

More photos here

[Constitution Day]

Excellent. See my post #16 as well.

[beckysueb]

Oh but of course. See the American flag, in our wonderful new day of multiculturulism, might offend someone. If we are going to display it, then we need to come up with a flag for everyone blah blah blah.

[beckysueb]

Careful. We don't want to give them any ideas, do we?

[Rebelbase]

Great link.

Here's a couple more:

Is that a Canadian flag in the center?

and