A Lesson You Don't Want to Hear

Well, I got ugly messages yesterday about the Texas Ranger statue being taken down at Love Field in Dallas....So, I may as well keep going....

Let's talk a little about the Confederate or Rebel Flag.

I see this from time to time, " The flag is not racist." Or " the flag is about heritage."

Let's talk about the Rebel Flag history.

After the Civil War 1861-1865, the Rebel Flag pretty much disappeared in the South. It was hard to see or even find anyplace in the United States. It was only seen a Veteran's Reunions.

It was not until after World War II 80 years later that the flag re-emerged. And then, it was not used as a source of Southern Pride or a Romanticized view of the Civil War.

It first was used again in 1948 by Strom Thurmond and the old Dixiecrat Political Party and the main issue of the Dixiecrats was " State's Right's " especially to keep from desegregating and integrating the schools.  

The supported the old Jim Crow Laws, whites only restrooms, water fountains, restaurants.

In 1956 Georgia added the Rebel Flag as a part of their state in response to Brown v. Board of Education which started the de-segregation of public schools. The Rebel Flag was added to show Georgia's disdain for  the Court's saying Black kids should go to school with White kids.

In 1962 James Meredith was the first Black student to attend the University of Mississippi, the Rebel Flag was the flag waved to protest him attending school.

And it was repeated all over the South.

Montgomery High School.

Birmingham Schools

Protesting MLK marches

Louisiana

The Rebel Flag has been associated with the Ku Klux Klan forever. I dated a girl and there was a Klan rally one weekend across the highway from their house. ( The parents were appalled) There were about 25 Rebel Flags at the rally. I do not remember seeing an American flag.

Heck, in Germany, the Nazi Flag is banned, so what do German Neo-Nazi's carry? The Rebel Flag.

It's flown by the Nazi Party of America. 

Don't tell me the Confederate Flag is NOT a racist symbol. Don't tell me Blacks in America should see it as a symbol of ' Southern Pride' when it has been used as a symbol of hatred against Blacks, Jews, Asians, Latinos.

If you want to fly the flag, admit you are either a racist, or you support racist activities. Quit saying you have " Black friends" knowing good and most of you don't hang out with anyone but lily white people outside of work or school.

Or you support " Southern Pride." Most of you know so little about Confederate History or who in your family might have been in the Confederate Army, do some actual research. Come back in about 2-3 years when you've done serious research on all of it. Read about 250,000-350,000 pages then tell me about " Southern Pride."  ( Say it can't be done? There have been 60,000 books written on the Civil War)

Look around your church. How many non-whites to do you see in the pews? Or do you " like it that way?"

I am convinced that money to Southern Baptist Missions was cut off in the late 1970s because we were doing too good a job and the Baptist Churches in Latino Counties of Texas were out " Baptizing"  Dallas, Houston, Beaumont, Tyler, Austin churches.

But concerning the Rebel Flag. Stop saying it isn't a racist symbol.

Be honest with yourself.