Civil war erupts over Confederate handbags

DFW ^ | January 6, 2006 | JIM DOUGLAS

[stainlessbanner]

BURLESON — Two North Texas high school students who were kicked out of class for displaying rebel flags vow to take their fight to court. They said they are proud of their heritage, but Burleson High School education officials maintain the Confederate symbol is offensive.

Ashley Thomas remembered how it all started. "Principal comes up and says, 'You've got to get rid of your purse... it's racist."

Ashley and Aubrie McAllum both received purses patterened after the Confederate battle flag from their parents for Christmas. Both girls decided to take their presents to school.

"I don't have 'KKK' written on me or anything; it's just a purse," Aubrie said. "Doesn't have anything to do with what color you are."

The students were asked to leave their purses with the principal; they elected to leave school after calling their parents.

Ashley was sent home three times this week. "I'm at the point where I really don't know what to do," she said. "I want to keep going to school and get my education, but this is my life. I was born and raised in the South. Why is the flag so bad?"

Here's the answer, from Burleson ISD spokesman Richard Crummel: "It's a violation of the dress code," he said. "We don't want students to wear anything that might cause a disruption, and that symbol has done that in the past."

"Then that's a heritage violation on her, on me... on all of us," said Aubrie's father, Rick McAllum. "So we can push it."

McAllum belongs to the Sons of Confederate Veterans. Ashley's mom, Joni Thomas, is from New York. But the parents of both girls praised their daughters, and vowed to fight.

"I'm hiring a lawyer," Thomas said. "I'm going all the way with it, because I think it's wrong."

Burleson High School, with a 2,200 student enrollment, is about 90 percent white, 8 or 9 percent Hispanic. There are very few African Americans.

"We want to be sensitive to everyone; make it comfortable in school for all our students," Crummel said.

Both girls said they have never been in trouble and don't want trouble now.

But they don't want to back down, either.

School officials know controversy often follows the Confederate flag, and they will not let it in.

The girls as of Friday, decided to go back to school

[silentreignofheroes]

"When I wore my General Sherman "I'm Marching To the Beach" T-shirt. I got dirty looks down south

We're gettin' soft if that's all you got.Reckon we're not as friendly as we once were.Being these boys hunt ( in some form or fashion ) all year,could of invited you to go...Yall come back,,ya hear

[PMCarey]

I imagine you'd be right. I was pretty disappointed a few weeks ago when I read that Lincoln's motives were more political than altruistic. Pity.

Lincoln was certainly a master politician and thus he never forgot the political angle to any particular problem he encountered. Having said that, there's no reason to believe he couldn't be both political and altruistic. I suggest you read a very fine volume, "Lincoln's Virtues", on the development of Lincoln's moral code and viewpoint prior to the Civil War.

[blaquebyrd]

You still don't get it? I don't think a freed slave would care why he was freed, just that he was. Aren't you proud that you now live in a country that practices what it preaches? Aren't you proud to live under an American flag with citizens that believe so much in freedom that we will fight and die to defend to it? Perceptions be damned that my friend is reality.

[varina davis]

I'll second that "Ping!"

[AzaleaCity5691]

It's not delusional at all. The War of Southern Independence was a war that was fought for reasons that stretched back to the nullification crisis of 1832, it stemmed directly from a chain of events that began with Calhoun's resignation. And the crisis of 1832 had nothing to do with slavery, it had everything to do with tariffs and it was what lit the spark.

[Getsmart64]

Try as you might you'll never make me, a true American patriot, believe that slavery is a virtuous, respectful, saintly business.

Now you know I didn't say that.....I'm definitely saying slavery is not right....but....slavery is used to support agendas in this country when is shouldn't be..slavery is wrong in every sense of the word...but quit using it as an excuse....hate to tell ya...but the average PA farmboy could have given two s*%ts about slavery...much less die for it in a war....and it has been 140 years....and the Civil War wasn't fought over slavery...sheesh...I do appreciate you serving our military for 20 years...if I may ask...what year did you retire?

[My2Cents]

BTW, I'm a Yankee too.

[Main Street]

"However, you can't deny that the rebel flag has been taken over by some pretty creepy racist elements in the 20th century. Most people associate it with these elements, not with the civil war."

Yes, but is that a reason to ban it? We can find that just about everything is offensive to somebody.

Slavery also existed under the US Flag for far longer then it existed under the Confederate Flag. And lord knows, many Libs consider the US as a racist, repressive nation, here, and around the world. The American Flag is offensive to many leftists in this country. What about their feelings??

This is a case where spineless officials, empowered by a liberal media, allowed a few radical whiners to tell us how we should live. Political Correctness is not just out of control, it's getting worse.

As for me, my great grandfather was an abolitionist officer of a black regiment, who fought the Confederates at the Battle of Petersburg, the Battle of the Crater, and was killed at the Battle of Ft. Fisher. If any one should feel offended, it's me. But that symbol doesn't bother me in the slightest. This flag wasn't a problem until over 100 years after the fact. Some people are just too thin skinned and full of hate toward some other people honoring their heritage.

[My2Cents]

The south seceded and became a separate nation.

Not according to the Union.

[dpa5923]

In what school were the students allowed to wear a "F*$# BUSH" t-shirt? I find it hard to believe a school would allow this shirt to be worn.

Now I am looking for factual information, not heresy or your personal feelings, but a link or eye-witness account that will verify that a student was seen wearing this shirt and allowed to continue wearing it during school hours on school property.

Yeah, I'm tired of hyperbole.

[dinoparty]

I am proud of my ancestor who was under General Sherman's command. I have a picture of the good general on my mantle. He's on his horse near Atlanta breastworks.

[JamesP81]

The war between the states.

The War Between the States was many things; civil was not one of them.

[Alouette]

This one's for you, Alouette

Look here first, help a FReeper

[varina davis]

"The civil war is so yesterday. All the idiots who lost the dumbest war in history are DEAD!"

Where have you been? Wherever it was, you might want to go there -- you clearly have no idea what this thread is about.

The War of Northern Aggression was not lost and there was no official surrender by the CSA. Those "idiots" as you call them, happen to count dozens of my ancestors among their number, who served proudly.

You might want to update your American history education by non-revisionist teachers.

[Froufrou]

"Aren't you proud that you now live in a country that practices what it preaches? Aren't you proud to live under an American flag with citizens that believe so much in freedom that we will fight and die to defend to it? Perceptions be damned that my friend is reality."

Yes, my friend. I am proud. And I do 'get it.' Growing up in the 60's in Houston wasn't very nice, or equal; but it is now, and for that I am also proud.

[dinoparty]

I never said it should be banned. I did imply, however, that blacks might have good reason to get a little agitated at the sight of a rebel flag, because of what it has stood for in this century.

[processing please hold]

The War Between the States was many things; civil was not one of them.

I most certainly agree with that.

[Blzbba]

"We're gettin' soft if that's all you got."


Response directed to wrong person, friend.

[My2Cents]

It was about states' rights more than about slavery.

It was about states' rights to perpetuate the system of slavery. Had the confederates taken a stand for the defense of states' rights on some other issue besides slavery, they may have had a defensible point. That they wished to exercise their "rights" to keep a class of people in bondage was a violation of the laws of nature, and of the intent of the founding charter of the nation.

More accurately, the war was about a group of states that didn't like the outcome of a constitutionally valid election, and they wanted to take their ball and go home. Petty, childish, and in the end, tragic.