Posted on 10/03/2005 2:57:07 PM PDT by Southside_Chicago_Republican
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - An organizer of a planned memorial to honor Confederate soldiers who died at an Illinois prison camp says the rebel flag will be displayed at the memorial's dedication, despite opposition.
"We consider this an honorable flag. This is a soldier's flag," said Ron Casteel, national chief of staff for the Sons of Confederate Veterans, one of the memorial's planners. "There will be no substitute."
Camp Butler, just east of Springfield, was a training facility for Union troops during the Civil War and a prison camp for more than 3,500 captured Confederates. More than 800 of the prisoners died and were buried there, and the site is now a national cemetery.
Local and cemetery officials already have approved the plans for the Confederate memorial there. Organizers have raised about $6,000 for the project, which will include a 7 1/2 foot obelisk, and hope to dedicate the memorial sometime next year.
The local NAACP chapter said the flag "represents oppression and murder." The Anti-Defamation League, which fights anti-Semitism and other forms of discrimination, proposed that organizers fly flags of individual Southern states during the dedication, saying many Americans consider the Confederate flag to be "a symbol of hatred and oppression."
Sens. Dick Durbin and Barack Obama also have asked federal officials to bar display of the Confederate flag during the ceremony.
Confederate flags are not allowed to be flown in national cemeteries. But Camp Butler officials say the flag can be carried in and out when monuments are dedicated
More liberals whining. No surprise here.
The "selective outrage" makes me insane.
But of course if a U.S. flag was being burned, they'd have no problem with it.
Exactly.
I'm surprised they're not protesting the memorial itself.
NAALCWP you mean. (liberal colored whiny people)
Hey South, you lost the Civil War, get over it, thanks!
But of course if a U.S. flag was being burned, they'd have no problem with it.
Well, if the Sons of the Confederacy came to burn a battle
flag, they probably wouldn't have a problem with that either.
"...saying many Americans consider the Confederate flag to be "a symbol of hatred and oppression."
Of course there are those Americans who don't consider it so, but they don't count, at least according to the NAACP.
Ygw, my first inclination as a southerner was to reply STFU because your flippant comment dismisses the valor and courage of Confederate soldiers who died fighting for what they felt was just causes, but that would not have benefited either of us. Instead, I shall politely request that you study the intricate complexities of the causes of the war between the states from the issue of states rights to the issues of commerce tied to tobacco and "king" cotton. Slavery was not the prime reason for the war, but was used as a linchpin for taking action on the other reasons. By the way, did you know that there were blacks who fought on the side of the Confederacy during the war. Information on these black rebs can be found here, here, here, and here. Also, you might be surprised to discover how slaves themselves felt about slavery and the civil war. There is a book called, "Before Freedom: 48 Oral Histories of Former North and South Carolina Slaves" that has interviews with slaves taken in the 1930's. Excerpts from the book can be found here. The book can be purchased from Amazon.com on this page. Once you have sufficiently studied these things (and please disconnect the lens of your current sensibilities while you do so and try to see things from the perspective of a southerner of that time frame), then get back to me. Thanks
"ygw wrote: Hey South, you lost the Civil War, get over it, thanks!
Ygw, my first inclination as a southerner was to reply STFU because your flippant comment dismisses the valor and courage of Confederate soldiers who died fighting for what they felt was just causes, but that would not have benefited either of us."
Thank you, you were much more tolerant in your reply than I would have been!
Spoken like an arrogant yankee.
Far as I'm concerned, both sides were wrong to start this war, but also both sides fought valiantly for what they believed. All the civil war veterens should be honored. Neither should be denegrated.
Well, I looked at ygw's homepage and learned that he is in his early 20's so I decided to cut him some slack because of his youth. Besides, while I am "American by birth, Southern by the Grace of God", I am proud of both of my heritages. Just because this young man can not understand the legacy of that heritage is no reason to disrespect him. I would rather educate him and have him learn of the kind of people who were willing to fight and die for principle as the Confederates were than just castigate him. As a young conservative, I do believe he has a great capacity to learn, and the true history of this nation is there if one can just unearth the hidden resources. This essay is representative of the kind of information that is never taught in our public (or private for that matter) school systems. I do believe that ygw, if exposed to the truth, will come to look at the civil war in a new light. The truth will do that for a man.
So what! They say that about this flag too, don't they?
As far as I'm concerned the fact that Turbin Durbin and Barak Obama are opposed is just icing on the cake.
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