NAACP Flag
Criticism Unwarranted
Being a Southern Heritage activist, I have been following the news
stories about the return of the Confederate Flag in
Notice that I choose my words carefully and deliberately, I refuse
to refer to the subject of the Confederate flag as an “issue” and for good
reason.
The
Confederate Battle Flag flew at
He did this while unofficially launching his Presidential Campaign
in
Former Democratic Governor Bob Holden came up with a quick
solution, and ordered the flags removed, thus creating an even bigger issue.
Perhaps the Governor didn’t realize by doing so that he was
dishonoring two of Missouri’s most famous Black Confederate Veterans, John
Nolan, a free black man that rode as scout and spy for William Quantrill and “Uncle Charlie” Baker who road with Captain
Bill Anderson. At any rate the Governor chose to dishonor many of
Governor Matt Blunt’s recent decision to
order the Confederate
This decision has brought much criticism directed towards Governor
Blunt by the NAACP.
The NAACP has been very vocal in its criticism regarding Governor Blunt’s decision to fly the flag at Higginsville during the
Confederate Memorial Day service on June 5 of this year. Below are just a few
of the statements of criticism offered by NAACP:
In an article entitled, “Confederate flag to fly Sunday in
Missouri” (published in the Kansas City Star, Friday, June 3rd) Mary
Ratliff, President of the Missouri Conference of the NAACP was quoted as
saying, "It is just appalling to me that the governor would again raise a
flag that is so humiliating and reminds us of the vestige of slavery that has
divided our nation for all these years”
In a recent story that appeared in the Marshall (Mo)–Democrat
entitled, “Confederate flag in Higginsville sparks controversy” (published June
9, 2005) the NAACP offers yet more criticism in the form of a press release:
“For anyone to imply or even suggest that a symbol that was used to terrorize,
threaten, intimidate, bully and frighten individuals can somehow retain any
value in our society is absurd"
Are these statements examples of legitimate criticism? A review of
the facts might prove otherwise.
On the subject of racism and slavery, why isn’t this same
criticism directed toward the
After all, slavery was considered legal and protected by the
And two of Missourians most noted slave-holders were staunch
supporters of the
One was Sylvester Baker, a pro-Union legislator who did not
believe in state’s rights but saw nothing wrong with slavery. It was after a raid on Baker’s home that
“Uncle Charlie” Baker, (Sylvester Baker’s slave) decided to ride with
Confederate Captain Bill Anderson.
The other was General Ulysses S. Grant who once stated,
"If I thought this war was about slavery, I would offer my sword to the
other side"
As for the association of the Confederate Flag with racism and
groups such as the KKK a quick search on the internet will provide plenty of
photographic evidence that the Confederate flag is not the only flag flown by
the KKK. The KKK has flown and still does fly the
As to the accusation that the Confederate flag is a symbol of
terrorism and that any attempt to legitimize it is absurd, I must ask the
question; is it absurd to suggest that the
It was under the flag of the
Most people would find it absurd to
suggest that the flag of our country is a symbol of terrorism. Like most Southerners who fly the Confederate
flag, many people fly the
NAACP National Chairman of the Board,
Julian Bond certainly hasn’t helped with misconceptions regarding the
Confederate flag.
In an article entitled, “Blacks Have a
Compassionate Friend in Bush” (
Julian
Bond is quoted as saying, “Republicans' "idea of equal rights is the
American flag and Confederate swastika flying side by side”
Julian Bond is an intelligent man,
surely he realizes that the two flags look nothing alike, and symbolize two
very different things.
The Swastika represents Hitler, who was
an aggressor and sought world domination.
The Confederate
Doesn’t Julian Bond realize that the
estimated number of Jews who fought for the Confederacy was a minimum of 2000
and high estimates rate that number at 10,000?
Why does Julian Bond use the phrase,
“Confederate Swastika”?
Possible
answers to this question are found in an article entitled, “Is the NAACP still
relevant as it nears 100?” (Published May 31’st 2004,
“As
the NAACP moves toward its centennial, people inside and outside wonder whether
its mission is still relevant.
Membership
is down. In 1995, the organization had about 650,000 members. Today the number
is about 500,000, according to the national office. And some lifetime members
may never attend a local branch meeting.”
If the
NAACP is attempting to use the Confederate flag as an issue to attract new members , rejuvenate current members, and encourage the
public to increase its donations the information found in the
With
fewer members, and a smaller donation base the NAACP is limited in its ability
to leverage its political clout.
The
NAACP has “hinted” that a boycott of
One
has to question the effect that this threat would have if set in motion. In an article published in the
“I'll
be honest with you, we no longer see any significant or measurable impact from
that -- haven't since the flag came down,'' said Marion Edmonds, spokesman for
the Parks, Recreation & Tourism Department.
The
NAACP insists the boycott still has an effect. But numbers are hard to come by.
If
there has been an effect, it is not reflected in tourism-related tax
collections,
All of
this proves that the NAACP’s criticism of the Governor and the Confederate flag
are not only unwarranted but ineffective as well.
It
should also be noted that
As a
proud
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