Confederate Flag! Right or Wrong?

[Russ T Chambers]

Confederate Flag! Right or Wrong?

It does not matter which side one would put oneself on during this time of duress in our Country!  Both sides served valiantly in defense for their beliefs.   Most now realize it was truly was a matter of states rights.  To me, an avid Wisconsinite/sort’a Northerner, I’d be proud to wave the battle flag of the Confederacy anytime, anywhere!

[Major E A Sterner]

It is unfortunate that some "Hate" groups have userped the Confederate battle flag for their own purpose which makes most unimformed people think that it is an icon of that hate towards a certain race or races of people. I have had to explain the difference to people that just didn't know any better. Education is the answer. If the people who are offended by a piece of cloth won't be educated then maybe it's best to save your breath and just not invite them over again.

[Badlands Walker]

Major,

I believe after the discussion I had with the visitors concerning MY flag, I won't have to be concerned about a return visit!

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[Badlands Walker]

To me, an avid Wisconsinite/sort’a Northerner, I’d be proud to wave the battle flag of the Confederacy anytime, anywhere!

Amen pard & much obliged!

[Ozark Iron John]

"Some say our State did not Secede. ...If she did or if she didn't we'll have her anyhow. Let us alone, we'll do the same, that is the Southern rule. If that won't do we'll pack the State down South on Shelby's Mule...Shout Boys, make a noise, the Yankees are afraid. That something's up and hell's to pay when Shelby's on a raid."

--lyrics of "Shelby's Mule"
(Confederate Song from Missouri)

[Tangle Eye]

Well said Derby.

[Hemlock Mike]

This posting here and on TFS is interesting AND I'm impressed that there's no bad words between the pards.  I thought it would disappear over on TFS. 
Good pards can have a friendly discussion without hate.  Gotta love the cowboy way 

Mike

[Vin Weasel]

Let' er fly!  'Course, I'm Mississippi born, so the so-called "rebel flag" is near and dear to my heart.  I don't see it as a symbol of hate or right, or wrong.  It's just part of who I am.
Vin

[Triggerlock]

Dislike, or worse yet hatred, by some towards the Confederate battle flag is an indictment of the failure of our education system. 

Students are not encouraged to study the various facts of an issue, and think for themselves, forming their own opinions.  But instead, are supposed to accept opinions given to them by their teachers as fact.  As a result, you can have people with totally flawed perceptions of right and wrong, but no idea as to why they hold these perceptions one way or the other.

Sometimes people can even be on the correct side of an issue, but not really know why it is correct.  Again, these are people who were failed by our education system.  It is their parents', as well as their teachers' fault.

I learned as a child to question everything I was taught at school, or anywhere else.

When I was a child in school in Iowa, I was taught that the South started the war by firing on Fort Sumter.  But I questioned as to where Fort Sumter was.  It appeared to me that the Union was trying to occupy Confederate territory in South Carolina!

Then they told me the war was over slavery.  But I noticed that the emancipation proclamation didn't come about until three years after the start of the war.

Those are merely two quick examples.

People need to learn how to think, I believe parents should teach that to their children before they send them off to school,  and then parents should continue to remind them of that as they get their education.

(I was also taught in school that the theory of evolution was a fact,  but when I started to question all the obvious flaws in that one, I concluded that to believe in evolution required more faith than most religions needed.)  But, while that also shows the need for a student to practice critical thinking, it is a whole other subject.

[Joyce (AnnieLee)]

My son came home from school one day, talking about how great President Lincoln was.

"What made him great?" I inquired.

"He freed the slaves!" He replied, his tone was excited.

"Oh? How?"

"With the Emancipation Proclamation!" He was proud, he had listened in class and remembered what the teacher told him.

That's when I printed out a copy of the Emancipation Proclamation and we had a good, long discussion about secession and jurisdiction.

At the end of it, his tone was more sober.
"Dern, Mom, he didn't free anyone at all!"
"Yup."

It's kinda sad that one of the roles a parent has these days is arming themselves with knowledge to counter the pure nonsense kids are taught in school. What's even more sad is that a LOT of parents reinforce that same nonsense.

I'm neutral on the issue of the Confederate flag. I know some folks who fly it for pure reasons of heritage and the Constitutional value of States Rights. But I also know people who claim it as "heritage not hate," while practicing and promoting racism.

AnnieLee

[Badlands Walker]

AnnieLee,

I hear exactly what yer' sayin' Darlin.  I don't have any children in school to deal with that sort of thing.  In a way, that is a good thing cuz I think I would be down at the school about every other week wantin' to know where they get this garbage that they teach our children today.  I have always believed that history is a delicate matter & too many times the wrong information is published out there or taught to our youth.  Teaching is not a matter of opinion, but a matter of facts!  There are many out there who could learn from that statement.  Always question what you hear.  Do your own research & you'll find most of the time, the information you learned in our public schools, is really not how it was at all.  JMHO!