The “National Conversation” has now spread out from just the Confederate Flag
(Fox News) The debate over the rebel flag that began anew after last week’s church shootings in Charleston, S.C., has morphed into a full-blown Confederate controversy.
While Stars and Bars have long been associated by many with slavery, the latest campaign to remove Confederate emblems has extended beyond the flag to statues, memorials, parks and even school mascots. Never has the debate over what symbolizes heritage and what stands for hate covered so much ground, as efforts to strip icons that have been part of the visual and cultural landscape of the South for decades are afoot at national, state and local levels.
In one Arkansas town, the school board voted unanimously Tuesday to ban the song “Dixie” for the next school year and phase out “Rebel,†the school’s mascot.
Harry Reid linked the Charleston shooting with gun control and the flag. What about renaming the UNLV Running Rebels in his home state of Nevada? Yes, it has a link to the Confederacy, not through action, as Nevada had no part in the Civil War or the Confederacy, but, simply a cool name.
In Maryland, Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamentz is pushing a plan that would change the name of Baltimore’s Robert E. Lee Park. A spokesman for Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake told The Associated Press she supports the name change and is willing to work with the county to find an appropriate alternative.
Baltimore has more important things to worry about, like crime, murder, violence, mobs, declining property values, tax base, and education, and so much more, but, hey, why not.
Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers in Tennessee have called for a bust of Nathan Bedford Forrest, a Confederate general and early Ku Klux Klan leader, to be removed from an alcove outside the Senate chambers. The bust, with the words “Confederate States Army†engraved on it, has been at the state Capitol for decades.
A group of Kentucky officials, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, want to kick a statute of Confederate leader Jefferson Davis out of the state Capitol rotunda, and activists in Minnesota have demanded a lake named after John C. Calhoun, a senator and vice president from South Carolina who supported slavery, be re-christened.
Should we remove George Washington and Thomas Jefferson from Mount Rushmore? How about all statues, streets, monuments, and references to the two? Despite being opposed to slavery, they had been slave owners at one time.
Better yet, why are we not calling for the removal of all things named after Robert “KKK” Byrd (Democrat), as well as any and all statues? The man was an actual high ranking member of the KKK. Fire Andrea Mitchell notes
What’s more offensive? A KKK Grand Kleagle like Democrat Robert Byrd, or a Confederate flag that was on top of the General Lee in the Dukes of Hazzard? Andrew Wilkow has started a petition at change.org to have Robert Byrd from the public space, road ways and government buildings (including schools). The petition to get rid of Robert Byrd from public spaces has been up less than an hour at the time of this post and already has over 100 signatures.
Byrd made many racist pronouncements. He was a virulent racist. Let’s remove all references to him.
How about John F. Kennedy? He voted against the 1957 Civil Rights Act. He refused to send in federal troops to enforce desegregation. He has a mixed record on civil rights, but, hey, it’s the bad things that count. We should remove all statues and such in his name. Hey, get rid of the eternal flame and memorial to this raaaaacist.
Kevin D. Williamson wrote about officially having reached peak leftism. I disagreed
https://twitter.com/WilliamTeach/status/613859073654714368
It’ll never end. They always want more more more. It started with a shooting, and rather than focusing on the racist murderer, they focused on a flag, with help from some Republicans. Then they move to other related notions. Then bring in other things. It’s always something. Give an inch, they take a mile. It never stops. Till they realize that their peak leftism actually harms them in their own lives.
They are coming after the American Flag. Gone With The Wind. Aunt Jemima pancakes and syrup, Uncle Ben’s Rice, Chiquita Bananas’ Miss Chiquita, the ice cream truck song, and The Washington Redskins
Crossed at Right Wing News.
Maybe we are not removing Byrd’s name because he later often said how much he regretted his prior racial positions
However teach should you or anyone else wish to remove all memorials for Americans who are/were not politically correct on racial matters please let us know
I am sure many would agree
So johnny boy, you are for banning the NAACP? The Congressional Black Caucus? La Raza?
Let us know when you get a spine and take on those organizations who are clearly racist.
Is it any surprise that John defends Robert “Sheets” Byrd?
I just did. You should read beyond the headline, John.
Lets remove the Confederate flag and any other thing that offends people. I and many others are offended by the Lincoln Memorial. Lincoln was a terrible person and was instrumental in killing about one million people, men, women, children. He did not free the slaves, that is a myth. The emancipation proclamation was designed only to free slaves in regions not under control by US forces. Lincoln was a main player in the mass murder of the American Indian. Many know of his activities against the Sioux. What is not know is that the Sioux were acting out due to attempts by his administration to starve them. Then after the conflict were put in what later came to be known as concentration camps and again staved them. In addition, he was instrumental in the Long Walk of the Navajo. Again, killing women and children. Soldiers even bayoneted pregnant women that could not keep up, somewhat like what the Japanese did some years later. Lincoln even attacked Japan during the Civil War. Lincoln started the transcontinental railroad. This was one of the most corrupt businesses ever known and designed to favor his political friends. Lincoln used his lofty position to have homosexual relations with soldiers at various times. The list goes on and on. So lets get rid of his name. The same goes for Grant, Sherman, Sheridan, and Custer.
David if there were a majority of Americans that felt that way then sure take it down, but nt so many people share your political views. They would appear to be extreme to most Americans
I think perhaps you might have come unhinged, conservatives are really taking a beating this week.
And now to make it even worse people are laughing at you
You should ask all your Black readers why they are not protesting all things Byrd, yet are upset by monuments to the confederacy.
So david hates Lincoln? Why am I not shocked.
Lincoln did not fire a shot in the war and was responding to an insurrection as allowed by the Constitution. It is amazing that david lays the blame at the feet of Lincoln for the insurrection which started before Lincoln even took office.
The Emancipation Proclamation freed slaves in states that had not already freed them. There were no northern states that allowed slavery at the time of the Emancipation Proclamation, so it is logical that the Proclamation would only apply to states with slaves. Southern apologists like to say “Lincoln only freed slaves in the south,” forgetting to add that there were no slaves in the north. It is dishonest and a slanted statement designed by southern apologists to mislead. This is one of those things that when Southern “gentlemen” talk about the honor of the South, one wonders why they have to deceive people with their statements.
As to the “Long Walk,” many argue that the move was a military necessity. Once again david likes to blame Lincoln for responding to actions of the southern states.
The Transcontinental Railroad was a necessity for the country to fill the idea of “manifest destiny.” While david wants to lay the blame on Lincoln, the fact of the matter is that the railroad was authorized by Congress several times over the course of its construction. The funds were part of the budget which as we all know does not have a line item veto. There were powerful forces from the southern states against the railroad as they wanted to continue to allow transportation of goods by water, which was most costly and less reliable. For david to say that Lincoln’s support of the Transcontinental Railroad is some sort of payback is simply not supported by the historical record and shows a bias based on david’s southern roots rather than an objective look.
Absolute, complete bs.
The incident to which david is referring took place in 1864 when the Japanese tried to shut off the Shimonoseki Straits which were considered “open waters.” The Japanese fired on the USS Pembroke and the following day the USS Wisconsin went through the straits shelling the Japanese, disabling the shore batteries and helping to keep the straits open.
One must wonder how Lincoln is responsible for this as the incident took place over the course of two days and there would not have been any way for the Pacific fleet to contact anyone on the US mainland in that time period. (And in fact, they never tried. The action was a result of the head of the Pacific fleet ordering the Wisconsin to reopen the straits.) Maybe david can explain how the US defending against an attack is somehow unwarranted? Perhaps david can explain why he would place the blame for the US vessels being attacked at the foot of Lincoln who was literally thousands of miles away.
Finally, Lincoln was not a homosexual and even if he were, what would it matter? This “accusation” comes from two literally works of far left leaning authors who are gay rights advocates. Both their works have been loudly criticized for lacking any documentation and misrepresenting the practices and style of writing of the day. It is not surprising that in his hatred of Lincoln, david would take the side of liberals.
I am sure that david will respond with something like “read a book” or “you’re wrong,” but all I can do is put the facts out there and let people look at them.
People and history should be judged on the actual actions and events, not the spin and lies put forth by so called “southern gentlemen.”
Good scholarship up until:
Liberals hate Lincoln?? The Republican Lincoln is considered a liberal hero. America could use another Lincoln or Teddy Roosevelt about now.
Yes, children- if you take away all symbols of whatever one doesn’t like, then whatever one doesn’t like will magically disappear! (or, it will just make self-loathing liberals feel good about themselves- for a few minutes).
I have no idea. But the “sources” david is using for the attack on Lincoln being gay are from liberal gay activists who have no issue with lying.
David sided with the liberals because his hatred of Lincoln drove him to side with lying liberals who have adopted the “Lincoln was gay” meme.
Liberals would hate Lincoln if he were president today. It is important to realize that Lincoln was a free market guy who didn’t like regulations on anything. He was a pragmatist dealing with a difficult if not impossible situation.
But as liberals hate business, personnel responsibility and want more regulations, they would hate Lincoln.