A man full of hate and loaded up with legal drugs murdered nine people, and let another live after making racial slurs and delusional statements. Then he ran away into the night, to be captured on the following day. When this man did his hating and his killing, he wrapped himself in the cover of what to many has come to be known as the "Confederate Flag." This man was a warped, cowardly individual who murdered several sweet, good people who were guilty of nothing. But this coward hated Black people and he killed those people, his own townspeople. I would like to state again, THIS coward killed those people, BUT the battle flag of the Army of Northern Virginia DID NOT KILL ANYONE!
No, the famous (or infamous) "Confederate Flag," hated symbol that it may be to some people, did not kill those people in Charleston. Nor did the hateful ideas of racism and bigotry kill them. Again, it was a cowardly man who will now hide behind his need for medication that killed those people. I bring out this point because the Constitution of the United States, the very document that affirms freedom for all Americans, also affirms the right of any American to believe and express himself or herself in any way he or she may like, as long as the person does not physically harm another. Muslims in America who shout hate and murder are protected, in their speech and beliefs, by the laws of this land. The Ku Klux Klan, an organization that I wish someday would go away forever, have the right to say all kinds of things which most people do not agree with, nor even want to hear, and their speech is protected by the Constitution, the law of this land. Americans for years have had the ringing words of hatred from Louis Farrakhan flung in their face on the nightly news, and before that Malcolm X. I personally DO NOT like the Klan, or any other group or individual, that spouts out hate and denigrates others, that revels with pride in their hatred of others. BUT I DO AGREE with their right to say those things, and that includes their right to fly flags that express their opinions, from Black Power to that hated battle flag of the Northern Virginia Army.
The cowardly murders in Charleston have led to the call by many to "ban" the display of the "Confederate Flag" anywhere, in any form, by anyone. I do not have the perspective that some have, of being descendants of those who were so brutally mistreated for so long, and I do not have their perspective of hatred for what some consider to be the "symbol of slavery." But I can understand why many Americans of color do not want to see this flag displayed. And because I understand it, I have to say to them, please take a little while to breathe, to grieve, to be angry (rightly so), but then step back and step under the Constitution again. In spite of terrible crimes committed in the name of one cause or another, the Constitution remains, at least for now, the law of the land. In spite of how some people may feel about one flag or another, about one group or another, about free expression, the fact is we live in a land where differences, including different beliefs, are both tolerated and protected by law.
Having said all the above, I do not understand why a couple of states continue to use a Confederate flag as their state flag. The Constitution limits our government in its constraint of the people, not the other way around. Therefore, I have to wonder why states that reaffirmed their statehood after a long and bloody war still insist that the flag in question must be a part of state government. Remember, an individual has the right to post any flag he wants on his on property, on his car, on his gatepost, or wherever else he wants, and this right is protected by the Constitution of the United States. But a state government is supposed to be of the people, by the people, and FOR the people. In this light, I can and do understand why a significant number of people, Black, White, and other "colors" do not want and can no longer tolerate a flag that symbolizes hatred for so many to be a part of a legitimate government's state flag or seal. I can understand why a Black person might feel a sense of hesitation and intimidation when the person must walk under this flag to walk into a state building, a building that belongs to ALL the people. In this regard, I understand and support the movement to eliminate the Confederate Flag from a state's official government trappings.
Yet, no matter how I feel about the Confederate Flag, I say again that this flag in and of itself did not murder, nor did it LEAD to the murder of, all those good people. And as unpopular as these sentiments may be, I do not support the "banning" of the Confederate Flag from use by individuals. I myself am somewhat offended by seeing flags of other nations flying at homes and businesses in and around the Midland area. I do not like seeing flags of other nations displayed as stickers on automobiles. But, I understand that these people, Americans JUST LIKE ME, have the right to express themselves, including displaying flags or images of flags that I personally do not want to see. And in fact, these symbols, these things I - and many others - may not want to see, did not kill anyone. So, as distasteful is this sentiment may be, a ban on the Confederate Flag or any other flag is intolerable in the United States of America. But murder of innocent people, for any reason, is intolerable as well. So let the Constitution cover free speech, whether we like that speech or not, and let the American justice system not fail, but deal with this dangerous man, so that he never see the light of day outside a jail cell again.
May God bless those who are mourning for their loved ones tonight, and may God Bless America.
No, the famous (or infamous) "Confederate Flag," hated symbol that it may be to some people, did not kill those people in Charleston. Nor did the hateful ideas of racism and bigotry kill them. Again, it was a cowardly man who will now hide behind his need for medication that killed those people. I bring out this point because the Constitution of the United States, the very document that affirms freedom for all Americans, also affirms the right of any American to believe and express himself or herself in any way he or she may like, as long as the person does not physically harm another. Muslims in America who shout hate and murder are protected, in their speech and beliefs, by the laws of this land. The Ku Klux Klan, an organization that I wish someday would go away forever, have the right to say all kinds of things which most people do not agree with, nor even want to hear, and their speech is protected by the Constitution, the law of this land. Americans for years have had the ringing words of hatred from Louis Farrakhan flung in their face on the nightly news, and before that Malcolm X. I personally DO NOT like the Klan, or any other group or individual, that spouts out hate and denigrates others, that revels with pride in their hatred of others. BUT I DO AGREE with their right to say those things, and that includes their right to fly flags that express their opinions, from Black Power to that hated battle flag of the Northern Virginia Army.
The cowardly murders in Charleston have led to the call by many to "ban" the display of the "Confederate Flag" anywhere, in any form, by anyone. I do not have the perspective that some have, of being descendants of those who were so brutally mistreated for so long, and I do not have their perspective of hatred for what some consider to be the "symbol of slavery." But I can understand why many Americans of color do not want to see this flag displayed. And because I understand it, I have to say to them, please take a little while to breathe, to grieve, to be angry (rightly so), but then step back and step under the Constitution again. In spite of terrible crimes committed in the name of one cause or another, the Constitution remains, at least for now, the law of the land. In spite of how some people may feel about one flag or another, about one group or another, about free expression, the fact is we live in a land where differences, including different beliefs, are both tolerated and protected by law.
Having said all the above, I do not understand why a couple of states continue to use a Confederate flag as their state flag. The Constitution limits our government in its constraint of the people, not the other way around. Therefore, I have to wonder why states that reaffirmed their statehood after a long and bloody war still insist that the flag in question must be a part of state government. Remember, an individual has the right to post any flag he wants on his on property, on his car, on his gatepost, or wherever else he wants, and this right is protected by the Constitution of the United States. But a state government is supposed to be of the people, by the people, and FOR the people. In this light, I can and do understand why a significant number of people, Black, White, and other "colors" do not want and can no longer tolerate a flag that symbolizes hatred for so many to be a part of a legitimate government's state flag or seal. I can understand why a Black person might feel a sense of hesitation and intimidation when the person must walk under this flag to walk into a state building, a building that belongs to ALL the people. In this regard, I understand and support the movement to eliminate the Confederate Flag from a state's official government trappings.
Yet, no matter how I feel about the Confederate Flag, I say again that this flag in and of itself did not murder, nor did it LEAD to the murder of, all those good people. And as unpopular as these sentiments may be, I do not support the "banning" of the Confederate Flag from use by individuals. I myself am somewhat offended by seeing flags of other nations flying at homes and businesses in and around the Midland area. I do not like seeing flags of other nations displayed as stickers on automobiles. But, I understand that these people, Americans JUST LIKE ME, have the right to express themselves, including displaying flags or images of flags that I personally do not want to see. And in fact, these symbols, these things I - and many others - may not want to see, did not kill anyone. So, as distasteful is this sentiment may be, a ban on the Confederate Flag or any other flag is intolerable in the United States of America. But murder of innocent people, for any reason, is intolerable as well. So let the Constitution cover free speech, whether we like that speech or not, and let the American justice system not fail, but deal with this dangerous man, so that he never see the light of day outside a jail cell again.
May God bless those who are mourning for their loved ones tonight, and may God Bless America.
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