The NCAA is not backing down, and our state is losing money. The NCAA says that South Carolina is an inhospitable environment, neither worthy nor capable of hosting tournaments.
Why does the NCAA think that about our state?
Because we cannot solve the simple issue of what flag to fly out in front of our State House. Our state legislature chooses to fly the Confederate battle flag of the Army of Northern Virginia instead of our state flag.
Everyone is confused by their choice. Why does our state legislature fly the Confederate flag instead of our state flag? There is no good answer.
The NAACP postulates that the reason that our state legislature flies the Confederate flag is because our state legislature 1) wishes to pretend that SC is still part of an alive Confederacy and 2) wishes to send a political message that African-Americans are second-class citizens in SC.
These are guesses by the NAACP, and they could be true, who knows? We have to ask the state legislature why they fly the Confederate flag instead of our state flag.
So far the state legislature is not clarifying the reason why they fly the Confederate flag instead of our state flag. And so, the NAACP says, well, we’re just going to have to assume that our suppositions are in fact correct. And since we don’t agree with the apparent position of the state legislature, we’re going to do something about it.
The situation now is this: The NAACP mandates a confusing boycott based on rationale that is guesswork, and the state legislature mandates a confusing display based on rationale that is undisclosed. And the NCAA is so disturbed by this confusion and division that what they see clearly is that South Carolina is an inhospitable environment for NCAA tournaments.
The solution is for the state legislature to clarify, with words and deeds, why they fly the Confederate flag instead of our state flag. The way for them to do this is to pass H-3588.
By passing H-3588, our legislature would declare that the flag, the flagpole, the monument, and the holiday all work together for the sole purpose of honoring the Confederate soldiers. H-3588 says, with words and deeds, clearly and incontrovertibly, that the Confederate flag is the flag of the honorable Confederate soldiers. It a symbol of the brotherhood of soldiers, not of the bigotry of racism and not of the politics of any era.
Some people who support the year-round flying of the Confederate flag out in front of the State House say that the state legislature should not take any action to clarify their justification for flying the Confederate flag instead of our state flag. Sometimes such people say that taking any action will embolden the NAACP so much that suddenly the NAACP will have so much power that they can make all monuments, flags, and street names disappear forever in a history-denying hurricane of horror. That’s ridiculous.
Of course, some people someday will complain about the flag, the flagpole, the monument, and/or the holiday. Everybody complains about something. Some people don’t like Memorial Day or MLK Day or wish that President’s Day was really two holidays. Some people don’t like the African American monument or the Ben Tillman monument.
What H-3588 does is to tell the truth so clearly that no group’s complaints will have any traction. H-3588 does not grant any group’s complaints any merit. The clarity of H-3588 sends the complaints into a coma.
Look, let’s get to the bottom line. Can we in South Carolina accomplish anything? Can we?
For example, polls show that 70% of South Carolinians want the cigarette tax to be raised to curb teen smoking. Will our state legislature do what the people want? So far, the answer is no. We cannot accomplish what 70% of the people of South Carolina want.
Year after year, the state legislators refuse to clarify their reason for flying the Confederate flag instead of our state flag, and the NAACP refuses to end the boycott. Don’t both groups realize that doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity?
Incapable, inhospitable, and insane. That’s what the NCAA sees when they look at South Carolina. All because we cannot solve the simple issue of what flag to fly out in front of our State House.
3 Comments
August 5, 2009 at 10:20 pm
This is long, but I hope you can read this and see it thru to the end message. This is a story called “The Three Flags.”
As part of Thanksgiving sales promotion, an on-line store gave away a large, heavy cloth US flag to three random shoppers.
One recipient was an Army veteran. When he received the flag, he thought of his fallen comrades, and wept. He bought a flagpole, and proudly raised his flag upon it.
One recipient was a Native American. When he received the flag, he thought of the Trail of Tears, and the loss of so many Indian lives and Indian land. He trembled in anger. He threw the flag in the trash.
One recipient was a very recent Chinese immigrant, who was brought to the United States by his only child. When he saw the flag, he was impressed by its colors, and the strength of the fabric. That night, he used it as a blanket. It gave him the best sleep he ever had.
Question: Who is “right?”
***
What’s the point? The flag is a symbol that means different things to different people. The conception of that symbol cannot be “dictated.” Different people will see it in different ways.
RE: The Confederate Flag: It’s all well and good to say, “It is a symbol of the brotherhood of soldiers, not of the bigotry of racism and not of the politics of any era.” The thing is, that’s WHAT IT SYMBOLIZES TO YOU.
To others, it symbolizes SOMETHING ELSE.
It’s just not going to work to say, “well the flag symbolizes this, and anybody who thinks otherwise is wrong.” It just doesn’t work that way.
My own feeling: the Confederate has so many different meanings to different people that, it’s become a symbol of controversy and division more than anything. The wise thing to do, in my opinion, would be to remove the source of controversy, and use symbols of brotherhood that truly have a universal appeal.
I’m sure that advice won’t be taken. But there it is.
September 12, 2009 at 9:43 pm
Chris Pearson is a bone head. He readily admits working for the NAACP, the most racist organization on the planet !!! That is fact, not fiction.
Why anyone would support a racist organization such as the NAACP is beyond me – but here in America we do have our loons. And this is a case of one, unfortunately, in South Carolina.
The fact he quit working for Michelin to do his blog and work on taking the Confederate flag off the Soldiers monument certainly demonstrates a very real ignorance.
The Confederate flag flying at the State House simply represents the thousands of South Carolineans that answered the call of their State in the face of an unconstiutional invasion by the North – which unknown to such idiots, includes all races that supported the Confederacy – Jewish, A. Indian, Blacks, etc.
If you are a legislator, Black or White, you are duty bound to honor such men that the State once called upon.
This honor should be demonstrated by flying the flag on the State House dome, or incorporated in the State flag.
As a veteran, I feel these men should be honored in the highest manner possible – and their service not regulated by the demands of a racist organization such as the NAACP, but oh, I forgot, they are black so anything they say or do can’t be racist ??? Duh !!! Yea Right. What BS.
I can live with the flag off the dome and on the Soldiers Monument.
Take it off the monument and I double damn anyone to knock on my door, and ask me to defend this damn State, or ask my children.
If the State can not stand behind men or veterans that gave their lives for the State – you will not find this veteran doing anything at all supportive of said State.
What we need in this State is a referendum asking 1 question.
IS THE NAACP A RACIST ORGANIZATION ?
I should think that would end this issue.
Chris Pearson, the NAACP, and any legislator that votes against the Confederate flag – can kiss my ass.
Charles Parks USA/CSA
September 12, 2009 at 9:55 pm
A vote for H-3588 is a vote in support of flying the Confederate flag, at the flagpole adjacent to the Confederate Soldier Monument, on Confederate Memorial Day.
A vote for H-3588 is a vote in support of flying our state flag, at the flagpole out in front of the State House, on every other day of the year.
Let’s fly our state flag year-round, to offer respect to everyone in South Carolina, and let’s fly the Confederate flag on Confederate Memorial Day, to offer honor to the Confederate soldiers from South Carolina.