Letter | Why don’t blacks accept majority Southern view that Confederate flag is cherished symbol?
I am a senior, white and male. I was born in the north, served in the military and retired from government service.
I am married to a lady of proud Southern heritage - whereas I am a Southerner by choice, primarily because of the Southern climate and, while in the service, found it to be favorable.
Enough about me. Now onto the “what if” pertaining to the Confederate flag situation.
Years ago while I was a young man in government service, my desk was in proximity to several others occupied by former military types like me. One day, they were engaged in a conversation regarding the Civil War, or as the South called it, “The War For Southern Independence.”
One of these gentlemen was a graduate from West Point, the other from Virginia Military Institute. Being one who always enjoyed history, but not at their level regarding Civil War history, I was astonished at their expertise. My knowledge at the time was not much beyond Lincoln, Grant, Lee, Stonewall, and the fact that the north had prevailed. They suggested that I read the trilogy written by Shelby Foote entitled, “The Civil War - a Narrative.”
Since that time, I have not only read the aforementioned book but have accumulated a library of more than 200 books on the subject and have visited many of the related sites. Being one who usually roots for the underdog, I couldn’t help being fascinated by the war effort of the South, considering their lack of raw materials, industry, manpower, etc., in which to conduct a war.
Now we come to the current situation of the Confederate flag. Of course slavery is wrong, and it was wrong 150 years ago, albeit at the time it was the lifeblood of the Southern economy, especially after the invention of the cotton gin by Eli Whitney. This is not in any way intended to defend Southern slavery, but to understand the circumstances 150 years ago.
It was also a time when blacks were not permitted to reside in several Northern states. If my memory is correct, they were Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa. One hundred fifty years have passed and the damage cannot be undone. Obviously, the Confederate flag means different things to different people. It is questionable if taking down the flag will improve race relations. To the contrary, it probably creates resentment, thus curtailing relations. Again the, “what if.”
“What if” the black leadership reversed their opinion regarding the Confederate flag while acknowledging that although it might seem demeaning to their race, they understood that it was, to a majority of Southerners, a cherished symbol of Southern heritage and embellished as such? Possibly that gesture could change the mindset of enough of the population to make a difference.
An afterthought:
Remember the immemorial words of JFK: “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.”
The writer lives in Myrtle Beach.
This story was originally published September 2, 2015 at 10:42 AM with the headline "Letter | Why don’t blacks accept majority Southern view that Confederate flag is cherished symbol?."