The Flag of Disgrace

The Confederate Flag needs to come off of every government building, whether local fire department, State Capitol grounds or national monument.  It's the flag of an enemy of the American people.  The US government would never fly the flag of the Nazi's, ISIS, or Great Britain officially, so why would we allow the flag of an enemy, which fought America to keep slaves, killing hundreds of thousands of American citizens along the way, to fly in any official capacity?  The Confederates were not forced from the country and were not trying to fight their way back in, they opened fire on US forces and they invaded northern states with the intent of conquering.

When I lived in Buford, Georgia as a kid, I had numerous white people insist the Confederate Flag's main goal was to "remind the (bad word for African Americans) of their place."  I have no admiration or respect for this 'southern pride.'  This was the same 'southern pride' which bragged about a county in Georgia where most of the African Americans had been run out off by the Klan.  This is also the same "southern pride" which got me yanked off the air at KKBJ in Bemidji.  Back then, South Carolina was having a different discussion about the true meaning of the flag (hint: it's racist!) and when I said it was time for the flag to go, pointing out white people telling black people what they should and shouldn't be offended by was wrong, I was taken off the air.  The GM told me, "you made the Pepsi distributor angry.  You know we're all good ol' boys up here, don't you?"

Before the conservatives distort it like a Jade Helm conspiracy, let's clarify something.  The Confederate Flag is not outlawed.  It isn't.  You can choose to be an ignorant moron and fly it all day long at your private residence or on your pick up truck.  That's freedom of speech and that's your right.  What you can no longer do on the State Capitol grounds in South Carolina, and what should no longer be allowed at a local, state or Federal government level anywhere, is the perceived endorsement of racism and anti-Americanism by having any government entity flying the stars and bars.  That's why racists are really upset; they can no longer force their opinions and ideology on the masses through a government entity.  It's also why religious conservatives are so mad about the gay marriage ruling.  They loved having state sanctioned homophobia, wrapped in the thin veil of piety.  No any more.  Without the Government to disguise their real motivations, both groups have become exposed for the truly close minded people they are.

Looking back to my Bemidji days, one of the most racist elements of the debate itself isn't being talked about.  Supporters of the Confederate Flag try to convince people offended by the flag they're wrong for being offended.  They dismiss the very legitimate racist and slavery reasons to be offended by the flag, because they know the flag is offensive, they like that it's offensive and they want to keep it without having to defend their true motivations.  It's a belligerent brush off.  Not only do they outright ignore everyone else's feelings, they then make up a false, vague justification to keep the flag (southern pride), and insist anyone who's offended by the flag is the real intolerant one.  These idiots act like they're getting away with something.  It's like the emperors new clothes, but as everyone is screaming "you're naked and we can see you," the emperor insists they're the real fools, and then puts on another invisible jacket.

If the vast majority of a cultural group told me they thought something was offensive, it's not my place to tell them they're wrong.  I used to like Mel Gibson.  Mel Gibson went on an anti-Semitic rant.  I'm not Jewish, but my Jewish friends say they're very offended.  After weighing the facts of the case, I agree with them.

The name of the NFL football team in Washington DC is taken from the color of the native American's skin.  It's extremely offensive to Native Americans, and after weighing the facts, I whole hardily agree with them too.

It takes a lot of arrogance and animosity to insist everyone else is wrong, when you're the one who is clearly misguided.  If you're from Minnesota, read about the Minnesota First and how they saved the union at Gettysburg, and then explain to me how you can proudly fly the Confederate Flag anywhere in the state of Minnesota, outside of our captured flag gallery in the Capitol rotunda.  Its time to remove the Confederate Flag, and all references to the flag, from all government buildings and land.  It's time to put that element of America's racist past into a museum.

Now, what to do about Stone Mountain, Georgia...