[Savage Beast]

This is a good article, ArcLight, thanks.

"Surely the memory of the Confederate dead has been sullied long enough by the flag's public connection to neo-Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan."

What a wise statement. As the grandson of a Confederate soldier, the great grandson of two and of a blockade runner, I deeply resent the use of the Confederate Flag by neo-Nazis, the Ku Klux Klan, and other assorted racists--almost as much as I resent the use of the Cross by the Klan. I think Gail Buckley is right. The Flag should be removed from public controversy and retired to a place of reverence.

One important thing that Ms. Buckley might had mentioned is that slavery is alive and well in the world today, in many places, including notably the Islamic theocracies.

[gunnedah]

Bringing Hispanic labor here to do jobs Americans wont do is a form of slavery!

[Arkinsaw]

What a wise statement. As the grandson of a Confederate soldier, the great grandson of two and of a blockade runner, I deeply resent the use of the Confederate Flag by neo-Nazis, the Ku Klux Klan, and other assorted racists--almost as much as I resent the use of the Cross by the Klan. I think Gail Buckley is right. The Flag should be removed from public controversy and retired to a place of reverence.

A place of reverence like a memorial perhaps? Oh wait, they want it down from the memorial as well. Forgot.

I would also be interested in knowing how removing the Confederate flag from valid public historical display and context would "stop its association with the KKK and racists". In fact it does just the opposite and is certainly not "wisdom".

The valid American response to the Confederate flag being used by racists is to strengthen its real historical meaning within the context of 1861-65. You can't stop modern political movements using it and you can't stop racists from using it no matter what you do, but you can make their use of it recognizably illegitimate rather than validating it.

If you are looking for wisdom by patriotic men who understand both your grandfather's history and their own:

RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT
DISPLAY OF BATTLE FLAGS OF THE CONFEDERACY
119TH NATIONAL ENCAMPMENT OF THE
SONS OF UNION VETERANS OF THE CIVIL WAR
LANSING, MICHIGAN AUGUST 19, 2000
A resolution in support of the display of the Confederate Battle Flag.

WHEREAS, we the members of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, condemn the use of the confederate battle flag, as well as the flag of the United States, by any and all hate groups, and

WHEREAS, we the members of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War support the flying of the confederate battle flag as a historical piece of this nation's history, and

WHEREAS, we the members of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War oppose the removal of any Confederate monuments or markers to those gallant soldiers in the former Confederate States, and strongly oppose the removal of ANY reminders of this nation's bloodiest war on the grounds of it being "politically correct," and

WHEREAS, we, as the descendants of Union soldiers and sailors who, as members of the Grand Army of the Republic, met in joint reunions with the confederate veterans under both flags in those bonds of Fraternal Friendship, pledge our support and admiration for those gallant soldiers and of their respective flags;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that we the members of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War in 119th Annual National Encampment hereby adopt this resolution. Dated in Lansing, Michigan, on this nineteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord Two thousand.

By Order of:
Danny L. Wheeler
Commander-in-Chief


Attest:
Todd A. Shillington
National Secretary