Just Cloth on a Stick?

-
Today we honor the men and women that died in service to their country but does that include the soilders from the Confederate States of America? After all, Memorial Day was adapted from Decoration Day, an observance that honored Confederate soldiers. As we all know, the State of Mississippi is the ONLY state clinging to the Confederate flag as a representation of their state. Keep in mind, the flag was adopted in 1894. Depending on who you ask, the flag represents honor, duty, courage but it also represents segregation, Jim Crow and is often recognized as a symbol of hate. In recent news, Gov. Phil Bryant of Mississippi, touted the great strides made in race relations but keep in mind that in the State of Mississippi, they can't honor Martin Luther King, Jr. without adding a Confederate general. But, in his eyes, we're making progress. There are some that view the Confederate flag as a symbol of hate and others view it as a symbol of their heritage. For those that tout the historical relevance of the Confederate flag, I find it odd that whenever it's used at Klan rallies or Aryan Nation events, there's no outrage for using the symbol of their heritage to promote hate. Apparently, there's not much difference. So let's just say it represents a heritage of hate. Regardless of where you stand, I don't think a person is going to change because of a flag but their willingness to embrace a symbol of hate gives one some insight on how they're thinking.

In Keokuk, Iowa there's a National Cemetery that serves as the final resting place for 4,000 soldiers, sailors and air force personnel. The cemetary is also the burial site for hundreds of Union and Confederate soldiers. On Memorial Day, it's not unusual to see graves decorated with Confederate flags and graves decorated with US flags. In my opinion, the Confederate flag should be embraced by those that want to honor their relatives that fought for their belief but I do not think a state should use the Confederate flag to represent a diverse group of citizens. We cannot bury history or pretend the Civil War never happened. However, to say that this flag represents an entire state is wholly inappropriate. There are people who argue that the Confederate flag is an innocent symbol of Southern heritage. While that might be true for some, it means something completely different to others. Its original purpose was to serve as a symbol for a collection of states that fought against a united country and propagated slavery. So, if we're going by historical meaning, that's what it stands for. No matter your belief, we are the United States of America, not two separate bodies. I sometimes wonder when people refer to the State of Mississippi as the poorest state in the union, are they just referring to economics or character?

Comments

  1. AnonymousMay 25, 2015 at 6:45 PM

    I don't give a hang whether the state flag has the remnants of the battle flag in it or not, Vote it out!
    Oh wait-tried that already. Just hang in there, it will be gone in a couple or more generations probably.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

FY Budget 2015: Pills and Potions

-
Image
I called this post the pills and potions edition because after looking at the budget that was presented; it's obvious this board is overdosing on something. I can't tell where any real cuts were made to the budget; it seems the same. The fact that the board paid Richard Rose $1, 600 to prepare this budget is a joke. Why do we have a city clerk if she cannot prepare a budget? What is she doing all day other than reading the Lumberton Informer or thinking of her next lie? The board claimed that Richard Rose was doing this out of the goodness of his heart, that he knew the City of Lumberton was not in a position to pay him. So, rather than charging the normal going rate for an embattled city manager that was allegedly terminated for not reporting to work and other matters; Rose decided he will charge the fiscally challenged City of Lumberton a mere $1,600 and a motorcycle. Now, keep in mind, the board never voted to hire Richard Rose but somehow, he received a check and a moto
Read more

Stealing Elections: Lumberton Style

-
Image
Last night when I went to the Ben Barrett Voting Center to watch the counting of the vote, I entered the building about 10 minutes before the polls closed and the picture above is what I saw. Throughout the day, many people expressed their concerns that the poll workers didn't match the demographics of the City of Lumberton. I shrugged it off after someone texted me, assuring me that the election was going to be fair. Well, that was not the case. Later in the day, a voter came to me with evidence that the votes had been compromised. They gave me two torn affidavit ballots that were torn up and thrown in the trash in the women's restroom at the voting center. Interesting. There was another person that came to me about the conversation they overheard between Cora Rogers and her mother, Voncile Richardson. It seems that Ms. Voncile wanted to cast a vote for me but her daughter, Cora Rogers, instructed her to mark the ballot for Kent Crider. Interesting. Last
Read more

Kim Rogers: A Phenomenal Woman

-
Image
I've always said that I don't offer balance throughout this blog. It seems that most of the focus is placed on the bad things or more gossipy topics, but I think today is a good day to give credit where credit is due. I know she don't do what she do for attention or accolades but I would like to tip my hat to Mrs. Kim Rogers, founder of the KeKe B Foundation. Kim, like many other women of our community, is a testament to the power of hop, courage and resilience of a loving mother. I don't know how she does it but she has chosen to take a stand when others would have buckled under pressure. Her dedication and courage has touched so many people in so many ways. The work she's doing through the KeKe B Foundation will be a beacon for many generations to come and the she many never realize the impact her courage has made in the lives of others. But despite it all, she is still pressing forward. Kim does not want another parent to experience what she had to experience
Read more