Introduction

In the past few years, more so than ever before, the Confederate Battle Flag has been called into question.  Many Americans of African heritage, and their non-African supporters have challenged the use of the Rebel Flag in Southern culture.

As I write this, the Confederate Battle Flag has been removed from the state houses of both Alabama, and South Carolina.  The University of Mississippi Rebels no longer display the flag as a symbol of the school.  The Congress of the United States was blocked in an attempt to secure, as it has for many years, protection of the "stars and bars" as a symbol of a Southern women's organization.  A minor hotel chain has refused to allow a Southern organization to hold a convention in their hotel as it has for many years, because the organization's symbols made the multi-cultural staff of the hotel uncomfortable, according to the hotel chain's president.  (It is interesting that this same hotel chain has recently been sued by its multi-cultural employees on the claim that promotions within the organization were racially discriminatory.  The suit has not been settled.)

Hatred of the Rebel Flag

It's reasonable for these types of protests to go on.  For many years, textbooks have been written by those who wish to justify the northern aggression on the Confederacy as a war to abolish slavery.  It was anything but that, it was a war for economic security, on the parts of both the North and the South.  Indeed, slavery was the economic issue upon which the war was based, but the idea of giving African descendents their freedom because they deserved equality was championed by only a few right minded individuals.  The South fought for their sovereignty, and the North fought for the preservation of the Union.  

I could write quite a bit on that subject, but more learned men and women than I have written much, with great research, and come to the same conclusion.

Further reaction to the Rebel Flag comes from the horrible fact that this flag has been used regularly and repeatedly as a symbol of hatred and derision by those who would return us to the days of segregation and separation, and even more so, those who find poor justification to hate Blacks, Jews, Roman Catholics, or any other group they wish to identify.

Surely, I can understand that to many African Americans, the Rebel Flag has become so embroiled in emotions that to them, this symbol is as reprehensible as the Nazi flag is to me or to most reasonable people.

Heritage, not Hatred

While I respect and honor the concerns and sensitivities of those who object to this symbol and those things that it has come to represent for them, I likewise expect, and even demand that they respect and honor my sensitivities on the subject, too.

I was raised in the days of segregation in Louisiana.  I remember when Blacks had to ride on the back of the bus, attend separate (and inferior) schools.  I'm proud to say that my mother was the first Caucasion woman to volunteer for a teaching position in a formerly all Black high school in Rapides Parish, in1968.

I believe that holding men and women of any race as property is immoral.  I likewise believe that relegating people to an inferior position in life based solely on their race is, likewise, immoral.  I believe that Rosa Parks did more for the freedom of the American Negro, and in turn all of the American People, than did all of the Yankee soldiers and politicians of the Civil War.  The American people will eventually come to this realization, but as of the end of the Twentieth Century, we're not there yet.

I would never harbor a symbol to support inequality or hatred.  But I will support the symbols of the Confederacy.

More soldiers died in battle in the War Between the States than in every other conflict that the United States has fought, combined.  The casualties on both sides are staggering.  Surely with this much bloodshed, the victors would have pressed their cause to completion, and indeed they did.

So, if freedom for the slaves was the true cause of the United States of America in fighting the Confederacy, then why was the War followed by over 100 years of American Apartheid?

The true causes of this horrible war were indeed pressed into place by the victorious United States of America.  A strong central government usurping the powers of the individual states to determine their destiny developed and is firmly in place today.  No longer do people refer to themselves as Virginians, and New Yorkers.  They are all Americans.

That may not be bad, but many of us mourn the near loss of a wonderful way of life.

My ancestors fought under the Confederate colors for the preservation of that way of life, and I am proud for what they did.  I do not come from a wealthy heritage, so it is highly unlikely that my ancestors owned slaves.  Most Southerners of the time did not, this was a privilege of the wealthy.

I honor my ancestors for fighting, not for slavery, but for what is right, the preservation of our rights.  Likewise, I honor those men who fought on the other side believing that they were truly fighting to free the slaves.  I will continue to honor my ancestors by honoring and displaying the colors for which they fought.

Is There an Opportunity for Compromise?

As I stated above, I believe that I can appreciate the feelings that well up in those who are descendents of the men and women held in slavery by our Southern forefathers, and held in an inferior social standing to this day by racial prejudice and segregation.  The abuse of the Southern Battle Flag by the Ku Klux Klan and other White Supremacy groups has further insulted our father's memory.

But, the flag shown here, commonly accepted as the Rebel Flag, was never adopted as the national flag of the Confederate States of America.  This flag was the battle flag. 

The flag that was finally adopted by the legislature of the CSA as the National Flag contained this battle flag as a jack on a white field, with a red stripe running vertically down the leeward side.  I am told that this flag is known as the Third National Flag of the Confederate States of America.

This flag was not used in battle, because when draped (that is, when not being blown by the wind) the white field of the flag could be misunderstood as a Flag of Truce or Surrender.  Not what you want to start your battles with.

I propose that the symbol that we use appropriately to represent the heritage of our Southern tradition should be this flag, the one adopted as the National Flag of the Confederate States of America.  It is significantly different from the Battle Flag, and is not associated with the hate groups with which the Battle Flag has been associated.

Our Responsibility

It is our responsibility, as Southern Gentlemen, to treat this flag with respect and honor, in the memory of those hundreds of thousands of men who fought and died to preserve our way of life.

It is further our responsibility to prevent this flag, by whatever means, from being used by those who would represent hatred and evil.  To so use this flag is a desecration of all that a gentleman stands to represent.

I hope that you will join me in this position.

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