Let’s say you’re taking a history class. What’s it called? American History 101 (1492-1865)? American History 102 (1865-Present)? Why do the dates begin at 1492 and 1865? Because 1492 was the year that Columbus landed in America and because 1865 was the year the Civil War ended.
So, what should we call our history class about the Confederate flag issue in South Carolina? The Confederate flag was first flown during the Civil War, which dates from 1861-1865. And the Confederate flag became a political issue in South Carolina in 1961, when John May (Mr. Confederate) secretly raised the Confederate flag up atop the dome, purportedly for the Centennial.
Therefore we should have the following classes: Confederate Flag History 101 (1861-1961) and Confederate Flag History 102 (1961-Present). I am interested in solving the major unsolved problem in CFH 102, which is that our state legislature continues to fly the Confederate flag in a manner that clearly implies:
- South Carolinians owe allegiance to the Confederacy.
- Our state government supports efforts to affront the dignity of African Americans.
It seems to me that Sen. Glenn McConnell (today’s Mr. Confederate) believes that CFH 102 should end in 2000, because the “compromise” enacted in 2000 was a final solution. But people keep asking the presidential candidates of both parties about the Confederate flag — in 2000, 2004, and 2008. And the NAACP boycott and the NCAA ban are still in effect. And lots of people continue to get pretty worked up about this issue.
Anyway, anything you want to tell me about history, please indicate on which of the two courses you have appointed yourself as my lecturer. And if you choose CFH 101, please tell me how your information is relevant to today’s political issue. Because I am most interested in learning from people about CFH 101 when they are interested in learning about CFH 102.
See, today’s political issue is that our state legislature has appointed itself as the definer, the defender, and the deployer of the Confederate flag. This is classic government encroachment on the responsibility of private organizations and businesses. Our state government already has a flag that it is supposed to define, defend, and deploy — the Palmetto flag. Our state government is not capable of, nor should it be responsible for, providing these services for more than one flag.
The proper organizations for defining, defending, and deploying the Confederate flag are the Sons of Confederate Veterans and the United Daughters of the Confederacy. If we pass H-3588, they will get the opportunity to fly the Confederate flag from the Statehouse grounds every year in a beautiful, well-attended, respectful, and educational annual event.
Passing H-3588 is a win for the SCV and the UDC. Moreover, passing H-3588 is a win for all South Carolinians, including members of the NAACP and people involved with the NCAA. When we get H-3588 passed, we will get the NAACP to end their boycott, and we will get the NCAA to end their ban. And thus, we will relieve our state legislators of the burden of defining, defending, and deploying the Confederate flag, so that they can focus their attention on more important matters.
When we get our state government to stop forcing us to try to understand what in the world they are trying to say by flying the Confederate flag from Statehouse grounds, we can focus on productive things like doing business, working together, and learning from history. Please write a letter to your state legislator in support of H-3588. Thank you.
2 Comments
July 21, 2008 at 8:01 pm
You state that the flying of the Confederate flag “clearly” implies that SC supports efforts to “affront the dignity of African Americans”. Says who, you? Why should we listen to you, or anyone else that says something so stupid. You also say that it implies that South Carolina still believes it has “sovereignty”. Is this a problem for you? What do you care if South Carolina has not gone down on bended knee to the omnipotent power of Washington. Nothing could more easily demonstrate your lack of understanding of the origins of this country, than to suggest that the people of the States are not sovereign and are NO LONGER FREE to FREELY CHOOSE under what government they wish to live. I say, let that flag fly bigger and higher if for no other reason than to let the EMPIRE builders in Washington know that the spirit of resistance to tyranny is not yet dead. You do not deserve to live free if you are not willing to fight for it.
I hope your chains rest lightly on you sir.
July 21, 2008 at 8:30 pm
You’re right that “clearly implies” was stronger than I meant. What I meant was “reasonably implies” by which I mean that a reasonable person might draw such inferences. And other reasonable people might draw other inferences.
The sovereignty that South Carolina has now is clearly indicated by our flying of our state flag. And, as you likely know, our state flag has been with us for a long time, and it was South Carolina’s flag during the Civil War period.