A symbol of hatred or history? Obama quietly bans Confederate flag at cemeteries(V.A.)

washingtontimes.com ^ | 8/30/2016 | Stephen Dinan

[rktman]

The Veterans Affairs Department quietly moved this month to ban flying of Confederate flags from fixed flagpoles at the cemeteries it runs, striking yet another blow against the controversial emblem.

Congress had debated and rejected that change, but the Obama administration decided to move forward anyway, saying it was unilaterally imposing the restrictions.

“In particular, we will amend our policy to make clear that Confederal flags will not be displayed from any permanently fixed flagpole in a national cemetery at any time,” wrote Ronald E. Walters, under secretary for memorial affairs at the VA.

[proud American in Canada]

“He really thinks he is a king.
As yet, no one has proven he isn’t.”

_______________________________________

You’re right. He may well be; his past is shrouded in mystery.

I would like just one person, one friend or professor, who knew him in college to come forward. It is incredibly bizarre.

(Actually, it’s not all that bizarre. It’s explainable, but no one wants to hear the potential reasons).

[central_va]

here is absolutely no difference between the Nazi flag and the Confederate flag.

Wow. What a statement of pure ignorance.

[Reno89519]

Whatever. My family traces history to the 1700s in the Ohio River Valley. They, as did my dad and me, served the US. My dad was buried with an American flag last year. We didn't serve to defend a Confederate flag, nor Nazi flag, and we didn't kill Americans flying American flags.

Look, national cemeteries, as I wrote earlier, should be for Americans and others who fought defending the American flag. Private cemeteries can do whatever they want.

I'm done with this whole discussion thread because there are too many people want to defend IMHO the indefensible. We have bigger issues to address--Trump vs. Clinton. Neither we nor anyone else needs this distraction, which, from previous public encounters, Trump would say no to the Confederate flag if asked. He did so before, he'd do it again. So, how about dropping this whole discussion?

Please join me in one of the other discussions... Comey anyone? Anticipated protests against Trump in Seattle area tonight? Clinton Foundation? Hey, how about McCain's primary today? Or Rubio's?

[Cuttnhorse]

It took awhile, but the keepers of the Gettysburg Memorial also agreed with you...eventually.

The first Confederate monument on the Gettysburg battlefield was dedicated in 1884 to the 1st Maryland Battalion. It took years for the next to follow.

Southern states were impoverished after the war, Gettysburg was a Union victory fought on Union soil, and the battlefield commission was controlled by Union veterans whose rules discouraged the meaningful placement of Confederate monuments.

An effort by the War Department after 1900 to mark the locations of Confederate regiments failed due to lack of participation and even active opposition by surviving Confederate veterans.

As time went on the importance of the Battle of Gettysburg and a spirit of reconciliation combined to bring some southern monuments to this northern field. Many of the veterans who strongly associated with their regiments had passed on by then, and efforts were concentrated in state monuments.

Virginia was the first in 1917, but the last Confederate state monument, that of Tennessee, was not dedicated until 1982, and Maryland, whose monument is dedicated to its troops who fought on both sides, until 1994.

Virginia Monument at Gettysburg

[DoodleDawg]

Have you seen the latest numbers of Texan's who want to secede? Last I saw it was one in three if clinton wins.

Which still means that two in three don't.

[okie01]

It was agreed that Confederate veterans would be entitled to the same benefits and treated in the exact same fashion as Union forces.

It was a matter of honor.

But since when did liberals attend to matters of honor...???

[Boomer]

Which still means that two in three don't.

True but not long ago it was one in ten so the numbers are changing fast. It could quickly become 2 in 3 under harsh DC leadership.

[ohioman]

Great post. If Hillary wins, the Taliban-like destruction of Southern monuments and history will continue. This will also include new attempts to attack our Founding Fathers including our greatest American - George Washington. The National Anthem is even under attack right now. The current times are like a Cold Civil War and the good guys are losing. Would love to see Trump set things right.

[bankwalker]

Would love to see Trump set things right.

He can provide the leadership, but it's our job to set things right.

[Cuttnhorse]

Thank you very much.
I had never given much thought to the Civil War until I started reading Colonel Ralph Peter’s excellent books. I visited Gettysburg a year ago and was so impressed. There are over 1300 monuments within the Gettysburg battlefield park.

The war was a tragic, but important part of the history of America and I don’t believe backers of the Confederacy were necessarily traitors.
As General Sherman said, the Rebs are still Americans, they are just wrong.