Confederate flag flies, John Deere dies

Edgefield Journal ^ | 11/21/01

[4CJ]

Instead of arousing sentiment and support of Southern heritage, I think many will hate it even more. The intentions may have been correct - and JD did not close just because of this - but many see it that way.

[Colt .45]

"John Deere's management had every right to ban Confederate Flags, American Flags, Chinese Flags, Texas Flags, or any other flag from their business. If the employees didn't like it they should have walked!"

You would've worked out real well in the former Soviet Union with that type of thinking. You obviously don't believe in the 1st Amendment that the Left uses so well to get their message across! When "Freedom of Speech and Expression" dies, the 2nd will have to be used. Why do you think the Founders put that God Given Right first?

Folks like you make me wonder if I have just wasted 19 years of my life defending the US Constitution and Bill of Rights! Perhaps I haven't, but you give me cause to feel shame to call you "countrymen".

Perhaps Samuel Adams said it best -"If ye love wealth greater than liberty, the slavery of servitude greater than the animating contest for freedom, go in peace. We seek neither you arms nor your counsel. Crouch down and lick the hand of your master, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen!"

[SC Swamp Fox]

Wrong. The First Amendment prohibits the government from limiting your speech.

A private employer is absolutely entitled to limit the content of speech or actions on their property. If the employee doesn't like it, they may leave. If the employee continues to speak or act in ways the employer has asked them not to, the employer has every right to terminate that person's employment.

It's about Freedom.
You are free to speak your mind, but I am free not to listen.
On property owned by me, I am free to determine what is appropriate behavior in my workplace. If you don't like it, you are free to leave.
If an employee doesn't follow my rules, I am free to ask them to leave.

[aomagrat]

My Grandmother worked at the Dixie Cup plant in Darlington SC. (I wonder when the NAACP will discover Dixie Cup and boycott them until they change their name?)

[dixie sass]

You are so right! Mr. Weems and others like him need to grow up. My heart goes out to these families that are going to be affected by this, especially the children.

[IronJack]

John Deere has always struck me as a solid American company. I'm surprised they would succumb to PC pressure and fire these two guys. If this is the whole story, then that plant SHOULD be shut down. I suspect a lot of innocent folks are going to be out of jobs, though.

[CWRWinger]

You're right. We need to get rid of unemployment benefits.

[CWRWinger]

"...plant closing has absolutely nothing to do with Confederate Flags and protests."

Your assessment is correct. John Deere bought Homelite from Textron as a cash cow for agricultural R&D. In order to enhance the 'cash' part, they closed the huge assembly plant in Gastonia, NC and moved it to Chihuahua, Mexico. The move was a disaster financially. The pencil pushers at JD, also, did not know how to market consumer products of this type.

Their 'cash cow' got economic anthrax and died.

[CWRWinger]

At this same plant, I witnessed Puerto Rican cultural symbols allowed, but not the Battle Flag. What do you say about that?

[aomagrat]

Free Republic thread on original firing.

John Deere fires man for refusing to remove Confederate flag from toolbox

[Texas Yellow Rose]

Thank you SC Swamp Fox... couldn't have said it better myself.

[CWRWinger]

The First Ammendment also protects liberty loving individuals who recognize the evil face of PC tyranny. The First Ammendment allows them to picket a manufacturing plant, even if it means the plant goes out of business. Mr. Weems and others there have more intestinal fortitude than those who support the politics of appeasement.

Prov. 22:28 "Remove not the ancient landmark which thy fathers have set"

IMO, this includes loyalty to ones past, and not allowing anyone else remove it either. The best way to get that message across is to hit them in their wallet.

[RogueIsland]

A private employer is absolutely entitled to limit the content of speech or actions on their property

Is a private employer allowed to hire only white people, too? And what about those pesky jews, can they be avoided while we're at it? Just curious.

[Cautor]

John Deere's management had every right to ban Confederate Flags, American Flags, Chinese Flags, Texas Flags, or any other flag from their business.

So you support all the PC-thinking companies and organizations, including many of the schools and news organizations, that banned the American flag after the events of 9/11? I think that attitude sucks.

[CWRWinger]

You "Don't Mess With Texas" bumper sticker needs replacing.

[Texas Yellow Rose]

	CWRWinger wrote: At this same plant, I witnessed Puerto Rican cultural symbols allowed, but not the Battle Flag. What do you say about that? Cautor wrote: So you support all the PC-thinking companies and organizations, including many of the schools and news organizations, that banned the American flag after the events of 9/11? I think that attitude sucks. CWRWinger wrote:  Your "Don't Mess With Texas" bumper sticker needs replacing. The paragraph in the article stated:  The protests ... were the result of John Deere management firing two employees due to their love of their heritage...  Another employee... was fired for the crime of whistling the song, “Dixie.”  That just plain ole bull!  They were fired because they refused to follow the companies rules. CWR Winger: Did I say ANYTHING in my post that indicated I was in agreement with John Deere?  No.   Puerto Rican cultural symbols were allowed??  This whole attitude sucks (as Cautor put it).  You can see from some of my other posts that I totally disagree with all of this PC BS.  However, this case is different.  Cautor:  I think the companies that banned American flags didn't quite think things through clearly.  At the same time I did support schools which did not allow children to wear American Flag T-shirts if it violated their dress code.  Did/does the attitude at companies suck?  Yes! BUT... IF it so happened that I didn't want American flags on my company trucks I sure have every right to require they not be affixed or removed! CWRWinger:  My "bumper stick" is JUST FINE!   I don't want the federal government messing with Texas any more than I want them messing with my private business or me personally.  I may not agree with John Deere, but I do support their rights as a privately owned business.   Would you prefer that it be different?  No employee has complete personal freedom in their place of employment.
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[Colt .45]

"At the same time I did support schools which did not allow children to wear American Flag T-shirts if it violated their dress code."

You see, that attitude allows the encroachments on our rights as Americans. You let the companies get away with it, and let the schools get away with it, soon you'll be letting the government get away with it. John Deere telling these guys that they can't have any Confederate flag sticker, or whistle Dixie yet allow other nationalities to put up something of their heritage is nothing but a cheap PC double standard. Diversity means different heritages. And for one to be acceptable and another not to is a clear violation of the 14th Amendment! And the Bill of Rights does not just apply to government infringement, it applies to everybody! Why do you think they have the "Fair Standards Acts"? If the guys celebrating their Southern heritage aren't allowed to display anything, then that should be a blanket statement for everyone. Right now, by John Deere buying into the PC crap about the Confederate Flag, they have clearly stated that they will follow the State sponsored way of thinking and speech. So if you support that, then you support PCism and become an enemy of the Bill of Rights whether it be knowingly or unknowingly.

You all are mad about the Company folding up its tents and leaving town. Ohhhhhhh ... the poor jobless people. But the people were willing to take a stand against PCism! And they canfind other work!

You would do well to study what the Founding Fathers of this country went through! When they said "We pledge our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor", they meant it. And a lot of them ended up paupers because of fighting for our freedom. It wasn't about the money ... it was about something more sublime ... individual liberty for all of us. All of us, not just a chosen few!

To risk conscientiously is honorable!

[Twodees]

Earley could have used party influence to do a lot of damage to Virginia. The democrat carpetbagger can be sidelined if your party bosses don't influence all the majority seats in the legislature to cave, as republicans always do even when there's no pressure.

There are principles involved in politics. Like it or not, having republican majorities usually results in advancement of liberal socialism, not any reversal of it. Look at your magnificent "republican revolution". That one worked out just fine, didn't it?

[Twodees]

They've already shoved Dixie Crystals sugar out of Walmart. This crap has gone on long enough.

[orfisher]

>We are selling away our freedoms to Marxists.< More like to the lowest bidder. Wake up!