We learned from the culture wars in the United States during the Vietnam War era that soldiers who perform their duty honorably should always be respected, regardless of one’s opinion of the war they fought in, the reasons for the war, and the political leadership that engaged in the war.
Regardless, regardless, regardless.
The Civil War should not be an exception to this position of respecting soldiers. The Confederate soldiers were not terrorists. When Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered, they did too. The Confederate soldiers followed the orders of their military leaders, who in turn followed orders of their civilian authority, which was the governors of the respective states and the government of the Confederate States of America.
Terrorism is the actions of the KKK. Terrorism is the actions of al Qaeda.
We must stay true to our respect for soldiers. Respecting soldiers does not imply that we approve or disapprove of the Civil War, that we approve or disapprove of the reasons for the Civil War, or that we approve or disapprove of the political leadership that engaged in the Civil War. The history of the Civil War should be openly debated from every reasonable angle, but nothing should stop us from respecting soldiers who performed their duty honorably.
Our state legislature holds the position that South Carolina should respect the service and sacrifice of the Confederate soldiers. This position was made strongly with the compromise of 2000. However, this position was not made clearly with the compromise of 2000.
Flying the Confederate flag out in front of the Statehouse is confusing. Does this action by our state government imply sovereignty of the Confederacy somehow? Does this action by our state government endorse slavery, racism, supremacy, or secessionism somehow? Everybody is confused, and everybody gets extremely upset when somebody answers these questions differently than they do. The confusion is causing a crisis, and our state leaders must solve this crisis with clarity.
Therefore, our state legislature must clarify their presentation of their position by completing the compromise. I strongly recommend H-3588 as the vehicle for completing the compromise.
H-3588 flies our state flag where the Confederate flag flies now on every day except Confederate Memorial Day. Our state flag was extremely important to the Confederate soldiers from South Carolina, so this action respects the Confederate soldiers. Moreover, this action resolves all doubts about the possible implication of sovereignty of the Confederacy and about the possible endorsement of slavery, racism, supremacy and secessionism.
H-3588 flies the Confederate flag on Confederate Memorial Day on the flagpole where the Confederate flag now flies. This action commemorates the sacrifice and the service of the Confederate soldiers by raising the flag that they carried on this day that we have set aside to honor them. Moreover, this action protects the Confederate flag from being used for any other purpose on the Statehouse grounds (see comment #1).
This is a good bill that clarifies the confusion and completes the compromise. Please support H-3588. Thank you.
3 Comments
July 18, 2008 at 10:46 am
Some supremacist and secessionist groups still exist in America. Some of them like to hold rallies on our Statehouse grounds. When they do so, they pretend that the Confederate flag supports their efforts. If the Confederate flag is not flying when these groups hold their rallies, then it is protected from their pretension.
July 21, 2008 at 7:38 pm
Mr. Rodgers,
Why do you automatically link “supremacists” and “secessionists” in 2008? It has to be because you, like so many historically challenged folks, cannot image that modern day secessionists in the South are motivated by anything other than white supremacy and hatred or that their understanding of Mr. Lincoln’s War might be grounded in their knowledge of what was lost, in the realm of Liberty, by the Confederate States of America’s subjugation. As Chairman of the Virginia League of the South, we simply believe with all our heart that our families and our States would be far better off as independent, self-governing Nation States. You apparantly cannot think outside the box that you’ve been conditioned to accept.
Looking toward a better tomorrow for all Southerners, white and black, I am proud to be working toward peaceful Secession. Stop listening to the race hustlers at the SPLC/NAACP who profit, financially and politically, by trying to link supporters of secession, in the past, and today, with something ugly.
Wayne Carlson
Proud Virginian
Father of a proud South Carolinian
Proud property owner in Mississippi
Proud to call myself a Confederate American
May God Favor our Cause
July 21, 2008 at 7:52 pm
You’re absolutely right that I neglected to describe the differences between supremacists and secessionists. I completely agree that there’s no reason that a secessionist would have to be a supremacist. Or vice versa. Thank you for your comment.