Proud of Flag's Heritage
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I'm responding to Clifton Frye's letter (Sept. 26) condemning the Confederate flag.
First of all, your credibility meter is broken because the Confederate battle flag and the Stars and Bars are not the same flag.
As a Southerner I'm proud of my Scots-Irish, Celtic heritage. Some of the earliest records of my people were from the Roman Empire, which spent six years building a wall 15 feet high, 10 feet across and 73 miles long to guard themselves against us "red-haired savages." We were with Wallace at Stirling and Bruce at Bannockburn. We defeated the British at Kings Mountain and at the Cowpens, many of them calling us "Crackers" as they took their last breaths.
Americans of Scots-Irish descent have made up the bulk of every American army, including the majority of the Confederate army, which is why it is no mistake that the Confederate battle flag is adorned with the cross of St. Andrews. This flag was not officially adopted by the Confederate government, but it was adopted by the soldiers themselves, 90 percent of whom owned no slaves. Claiming that the true origin of the flag is a lie because some have distorted its symbolism is nonsensical and imbecilic.
The majority of native North Carolinians have ancestors who fought under that flag, 40,000 of whom lost their lives. Yet you advocate that a photo of the flag should be banned because it may offend some readers of The Pilot? Why not offensive letters or cartoons? How many people were offended by your letter? Should your words be banned? Who should make those decisions?
As for now, we are still a free society, and we have as much right to fly our flag, Mr. Frye, as you have not to like it.
Thomas B. Mattocks
Pinebluff
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Comments
statelady 2 years, 7 months ago
AMEN!! Here's what I like to say-"if you don't like it then turn your head and don't look at it!" that goes for anything and anybody!!
OldPilot 2 years, 7 months ago
"...our flag..."? The south lost! Get over it.
Ross 2 years, 7 months ago
statelady - You are probably the same person that screams when some artist portrays religion is an unflattering light!
btw - I also agree with the letter writer!
GoldenDreams 2 years, 7 months ago
Mr. Mattocks, I think it's a little silly to bring in the history of the Confederate Flag back to the Roman Empire. The swastika also has its roots in ancient Rome, possibly even back further. Does that make it right to use it when it offends so many people in our present time? I don't think so. We have to deal with the here and now. We have one flag and that's the American flag. Let's move on.
MikeNC 2 years, 7 months ago
It’s too bad that the Confederate Battle Flag causes so much anxiety. I realize that many hateful screwballs have desecrated the flag by using it for nefarious reasons. Be mad at those hate groups…not the flag and what she actually represented. This year is the Sesquicentennial of the American Civil War. The political correctness of today concerning that time period and of the war itself discourages and prevents today’s people from understanding exactly what happened. The actual who, what, where, when and why’s of the war are doomed to be archived and forever forgotten and that is a shame. So much knowledge of our country during terrible times is being lost because of political correctness. If these issues were openly and honestly addressed, it would help bridge our racial divide.
That particular flag was the Confederate Battle Flag. It was designed by soldiers to identify friendly lines. The actual Confederate flag and the American flag looked so similar, especially on smoke filled battlefields; that soldiers on both sides retreated to the wrong side during the heat of battle. The design and use of this flag helped alleviate that. NC paid a terrible price of approximately 40,000 war dead and about 25% of its adult work force killed or so badly maimed, they could no longer farm or find suitable employment. Approximately a half million Americans were casualties of the Civil War….and people want to forget it and them???
I love our Country today and our flag, but I will also never try to forget or put aside all those Americans who sacrificed so much back then….on both sides. Someone above mentioned our one flag of today and how the Confederate Flag offends so many and to just move on. How about we count the ways in which our American Flag of today brought pain and suffering to yesteryear’s Americans? Ask an American Indian which flag brought them the greatest pain......Mike
Here’s a little something on the sesquicentennial in North Carolina. http://www.nccivilwar150.com/
Zoey 2 years, 7 months ago
Nice talking points Mike. To reflect further, how many Native American Indians observe Flag Day or even better, Columbus Day ?
MikeNC 2 years, 7 months ago
Good add ons Zoey...When I was in school...I was 'taught' that Christopher Columbus discovered something. I wonder if they still teach it that way?? The Civil War, 1861-1865 and everything that went with it ...beforehand and after the fact (Reconstruction) covered about three pages in our history book. They did not even cover the political way in which the Reconstruction Period ended...imagine that! The heroes and villains created by the 'teaching' of our own country's history is quite amazing. If accurate American history was actually taught and then understood by all of us....we would all be so much better off and get along so much better. And the politicians would not be able to hoodwink America unchecked as they do.....Mike
OldPilot 2 years, 7 months ago
And we are all going to salute the "Stars and Bars" in favor of the American flag because? Get a life!
Zoey 2 years, 7 months ago
OldPilot says... "And we are all going to salute the "Stars and Bars" in favor of the American flag because?"
OldPilot, could you direct me to where specifically that was suggested or inferred..
MikeNC 2 years, 7 months ago
Besides what Zoey told you....Seems like lots of folks do not salute our current American flag anymore. Most likely you are one of them. Here's another example.... http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j236/mike-nc/untitled.jpg
OldPilot 2 years, 7 months ago
OK, got it. You venerate the Confederate battle flag, think there is much to be learned from the south losing the Civil War and dislike Obama. Figures. Sounds like a series of Jeff Foxworthy "You might be a redneck" jokes....except Jeff is being funny.
greentara13 2 years, 7 months ago
MikeNC, thank you for your clarification and excellent points!
greentara13 2 years, 7 months ago
That war was bitter and terrible on both sides regardless of who 'won'. It decimated so many young men of that generation. So sad! I think to honor the dead we should remember how horrible it truly was, and using the flag in that context is different. Hate groups should be fined when they use that flag to instill fear and hatred. Not all Southerners were fighting because they wanted to keep slavery around. There were many Southerners against it and many Northerners who practiced it (New Jersey).
Zoey 2 years, 7 months ago
Now, I'm onto OldPilots flight plan. With his/her focus solely being "The south lost!" and "the south losing the Civil War", I think he/she is wanting of confirmation that the "North" won. The second-rate history of the "South" and its flags are just that, second-rate. I believe that OldPilot has flown into the wrong airspace...
MikeNC 2 years, 7 months ago
Thanks Greentar13....You nailed it in a short paragraph. We need more thinkers like you who can base their emotions on facts...whether they are long known facts or just learned ones.
The Civil War and the Confederate Battle Flag are subjects that folks shy from. I suppose because it induces thoughts of the "S" word...slavery; and they sure do not want to be caught on the wrong side of the fence with that. That's what most seem to think both the flag and the war was all about. The way our country has taught our history and the way in which most politicians will lead you to believe...slavery is the political correct word in which to define or blame the war on and the flag is thrown in for good measure. And you seal the entire contents away and it becomes taboo to discuss as one might be labelled a racist to discuss the actual facts of the event.
The subject could never have a good outcome on a forum such as this. This issue, especially with the 150th year anniversary, should be forum subjects within every level of government town hall meetings. What a great learning experience that is being lost. The education would be beneficial for everyone and many of the myths could be tossed aside.....Mike