Flag Photo Was a Terrible Choice

As of Saturday, September 25, 2010

Was it ignorance or intentional blatant callousness in which The Pilot featured the bastardization of the state flag on its front page on Sunday, Aug. 8?

The photographer probably took dozens of pictures of the Robbins Farmers Day parade, but the one chosen prominently displayed one of the vilest symbols of hatred and bigotry known: the battle flag of the Confederacy. To add injury to insult, it was combined with the state emblem.

Before the zealots start ranting and raving about the lie of “Heritage not Hatred,” let them remember that the flag, in some form or fashion, has been present at lynchings, cross burnings, segregationist parades, anti-civil-rights rallies, anti-busing affairs, school integration protests and the like for the past 140 years. The Stars and Bars, along with the swastika, is the standard banner of the Klan, skinheads and their ilk.

I have yet to hear the devotees of the battle flag protest to these groups about the use of the flag at the above-mentioned event. “Heritage not Hatred?” Yeah, right.

Editor Bouser, when you chose this picture for your paper, your sensitivity needle must have been broken or wasn’t working for the readers I know.

I believe in freedom of speech and expression. I defend one’s right to display that rag of a flag on his or her private property. Personally, I think it should be on door mats and toilet tissue.

Clifton Frye

Cameron

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intrepidreader 2 years, 7 months ago

The North Carolina state flag was adopted in 1861 and modeled on the first national flag of the Confederate States of America, the flag which is known as the Stars and Bars. It's a common error to call the familiar red and blue battle flag by that name. The flag in the Robbins photo is some sort of modern mishmash of this state's flag and the battle flag: It has no provenance and no valid reason to be used in a parade.

I have long thought that those who wish to display the Confederate flag should fly the Stars and Bars, since it has no connections to any of the hate groups and acts you mention. It also has the advantage of being largely unknown other than to people who know the history of that period. This allows those of us who wish to acknowledge pride in our heritage to do so without being harassed or causing offense.

recondo 2 years, 7 months ago

more politically correct BS. Get over it i am sure no one paid any attention to the flag in the photograph merely a photo of a parade that for whatever technical reason (light background exposure) was the most suitable for printing. As for that rag of a flag it is just that a piece of cloth that means one thing to you and something totally diffrent to someone else. whoever it was that choose to fly it that day was doing exactly what he was afforded to do by the US Constitution which applies to any place not just private property. People need to Simply grow a little bit thicker hide and not be bothered by BS The world would be a much better place with a lot less stress

ragofaflag 2 years, 7 months ago

The so called rag of a flag was on my wagon that day, and i am very sorry if i've offended anyone by it's presents. I fly that flag with grate honor, I am proud to be a American which is more than I can say for some of our so called politically leaders. I am proud to be from North Carolina and I am very proud of my Confederate Heritage. I see stuff every day that offends me all the time, but I don't go ranting and raving about it and try to demoralize somebody else's beliefs. I aint out here taking part of these so called civil liberties unions trying to take the Christian Flag off our (mine&yours) veterans memorials. I didn't support congress for taking prayer out of our school systems, people wonder why the world is so messed up, and don't realize we are doing it to ourself. Personally,I could think of a lot of other stuff that could be used as toilet tissue. A wise person will speak because they have something to say, a foolish person will speak because they have to say something. As for the editor who chose to published the picture,I am very honored to be in it.

Mark Hurley

Seagrove