Posted on 09/10/2005 3:52:21 AM PDT by johnny7
SPRINGFIELD -- Illinois' senior U.S. senator and a civil rights group are raising a red flag over plans to erect a monument to fallen Confederate soldiers near the state's capital city.
In a letter being drafted to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin is expected to request that the Confederate flag be banned from a dedication ceremony for the gray granite obelisk at Camp Butler National Cemetery. The letter is being sent on behalf of the Springfield chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, which began questioning the monument earlier this summer.
Although Springfield NAACP chief Ken Page believes the 7-foot-tall engraved marker is an appropriate way to honor fallen Confederate soldiers, he said the rebel flag should not be allowed inside the cemetery gates. "For black folks, the Confederate flag represents the same thing that the Nazi flag represents to the Jews. There is absolutely no difference when we look at it. Now, white folks try to explain it away like, 'Oh, it's OK.' But when you're black, it is not OK," said Page. "It represents oppression and murder." James Barr, adjutant general of the Military Order of the Stars & Bars, a Confederate organization, earlier insisted that the monument is not meant to create tension. "We are simply honoring these men who died there," Barr said in June.
Camp Butler, just east of Springfield, was the site of a Civil War training camp. In the early 1860s, it also was home to a Confederate prisoner-of-war camp, holding more than 3,500 soldiers. More than 800 Confederate soldiers are buried at the cemetery in an area separate from Union soldiers. The monument is the brainchild of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, a group of women who had relatives who fought for the South in the Civil War. The organization, along with other Confederate groups, has been raising money to honor their deceased relatives buried in cemeteries across the nation.
Initially, plans were to have the $4,395 monument erected this fall. But, Camp Butler director Bill Rhoades said the approval process has been moving more slowly than expected. "It will probably be next spring before anything happens with it," said Rhoades. That could give officials time to figure out the issue of the Stars and Bars.
The NAACP had considered calling for a public hearing on the monument, but decided to ask Durbin to send a letter expressing concern about the flag to Veterans Affairs after a meeting with the senator and other officials in August. "That was our biggest concern," said Page. Rhoades said the policy at national cemeteries is to allow Confederate flags to be carried in and out when monuments are dedicated. Otherwise, Confederate flags are not allowed to be flown in national cemeteries. "Our whole purpose is to honor the veterans who are buried here," said Rhoades. "And, by public law, the Confederates are also American veterans."
A Durbin spokeswoman said Friday that the letter could go in the mail Monday.
Durbin's an idiot.
Well, Durbin is one of the plantation masters. Right turbin?
Government education strikes again!
A history lesson would do these people some good. Geez.
Right. Slaves were brought to the US on ships that flew the American flag....which brings us to the next item on Jesse and Al's agenda: reparations.
Duct tape please.
Anytime we dedicate a Confederate monument, we fly three flags, the Stars and Stripes (Old Glory), the Confederate banner (the Battle flag) and our state banner of the Old Norrth State.
Always will, race pimps be screwn.
The Confederate banner is also an American flag.
Some. Many were also brought by English traders, up intil the 1830s. In 1820 the US passed a law declaring slave trading as piracy, and punishable by death (enforcement was difficult and often uneven).
Only if TV cameras are present. That's Jesse's true agenda - getting his mug on TV as much as possible. The man can smell a TV camera.
They should fly a flag but it should be the 1st, 2nd or 3rd National, not one of the battle flags. While the ANV battle flag is the most recognized it would not have been the one western troops fought under.
Hey DICK , when slavery started in this country the rebel flag ( St. Andrews Cross ) had not even been thought of . So go blow .
Durbin is also a NAZI.
Mao's cultural revolution lives!
You people arent reading the Post.
The argument isnt over flying the flag at the cemetary.That isnt allowed anyway.
The argument is that the NAACP doesnt want the flag carried into the cemetary and back out on the day of the ceremony.
The flag would probably only be there for an hour on that one day and these low life buttwipes who probably wont be there anyway dont want that allowed.These people act like no blacks ever fought under that flag. When in fact many blacks did fight for the Confederacy.This isnt about a flag its about their radical form of racism.
If they dont want to see the flag for that one hour that one day they should stay the hell home.
What is it with Durbin? Everytime he opens his mouth.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.