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| Not the first time this flag has been at the center of a fight. (If anyone knows who painted this, please let me know. My Google Fu is weak right now!) |
No.
That doesn't fit their agenda.
It's about a flag.
Seriously, a flag.
For those who aren't sure, this is what is known as a "distraction," it's not the real issue but something else which the screaming crazies of the world want to take away from people.
Yes, I know some people find it "offensive," get over yourselves. It has meaning to some folks and with good reason. That meaning is good to some people, bad to others.
And please, don't compare that flag to the Nazi flag. As soon as you do, you've invalidated your argument. There is no comparison between those two items whatsoever.
I'm pretty damn sure the Confederacy didn't want to conquer the Union. Really, they just wanted to be left alone.
We could argue from now to eternity regarding what caused the war, whether or not those states had a right to secede or not. Immaterial really. The government in Washington D.C. decided that they didn't, went after the secessionists and defeated them.
End of story.
I'm sure there are some folks who want to try again. Really? Seriously? Exactly what are you fighting for?
That war ended 150 years ago.
I get the whole fight against tyranny thing. Really, I do.
If you wish, The Skipper has a pretty good post over at his place you should read. Some fair comments too. I don't agree with everything being said over there but the folks are at least being civil with each other.
Which is more than I can say for some folks.
Just wanted to chime in on this topic. FWIW.
One thing I will say, the Federal government is out of control. The Congress is useless and the Administration borders on the criminally negligent.
The Supreme Court?
Don't get me started.
There's days it just don't pay to get out of bed.
Another circus for the masses.
Old AF Sarge sends...
US Flag Law and the Constitution are pretty clear. The First Amendment trumps Flag Law, making it official but advisory. End of story when sovereign humans are having thoughtful and reasoned discourse.
ReplyDeleteThat thoughtful and reasoned stuff doesn't happen much any more. Many, many, many of my fellows operate mainly at the emotional level, and most of their emotions have been crafted by skilled propagandists. Thoughtful and reasoned just ain't in the cards.
I like the Skipper's pure and raw thoughts, however, his argument is, in the main, that others shouldn't fly that flag because of what it symbolizes to him. So, here's a trick I learned in kindergarten. As Miss Mazel would ask, "Is that right or is that selfish?" Universalize the argument and look at it from 180 out.
Which makes the "don't fly because icky" argument exactly the same as the progressive argument against flying the US flag. "I think it's icky, YOU shouldn't do it."
In a nation of sovereign citizens the fundamental rule must be respect of other sovereign citizens unless they directly imperil ones life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. When they do that, you shoot them. And by the way, there are people who do that, and who should be shot, as the precipitating event in this flag controversy illustrates. For the pre-K crowd out there, that flag did not murder those worshipers.
So the operative principle here, IMO, should be this. Respect the sovereignty of your fellows. That must come first. Disagree by all means, but first respect their sovereign and natural rights as you would have them respect yours. And be prepared to defend your rights against real (as opposed to perceived or contrived) attack.
Hey, it's Big Boy rules.
Well said Shaun.
DeleteSpot on Sarge. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThanks Cap'n.
DeleteHmmm...gotta think about this.
ReplyDeleteI disagree that any mention of the Nazi symbol invalidates an argument, so I guess the rest of my opinion should just be ignored.
I understand the flag has different meanings to different people. If to me it meant "I hate You," I would appreciate knowing that when I saw the flag flying on a car antennae that that person hated me...it is nice to know who your enemies are. I think I would be bothered to see that symbol flying over my State Capitol building, If the flag represents different things to different people, it should not be displayed as if it represented the opinions of everyone.
My remark regarding comparisons of the Confederate Battle Flag to the Nazi flag was a rather clumsy attempt to preempt a Godwin's Law situtation.
DeleteYou didn't go down that path, what's more you make some good points, Joe.
But I respectfully stand by my objection to the comparison.
You are always respectful Sarge. My position tomorrow.
DeleteExcellent! I look forward to reading the thoughts of my respected colleague from the great state of New Jersey on the subject.
DeleteThe left, and the gun grabbers (yes, I'm redundant) are desperate for a victory, any victory to energize their base IMO.
ReplyDeleteThese are indeed, desperate times.
DeleteSarge/
ReplyDeleteWhen I first enrolled @LSU in the Fall, 1962, Jim Crow was the norm in the South and LSU was all -white. (although technically was "integrated" because the grad school was--and I witnessed all that [separate drinking fountains, etc] disappear by the time I graduated in '66, thus witnessing history in the making) As a son of the Prairie State and more particularly of one of the sites of the Lincoln-Douglas debates (of which I was a participant in the re-enactment as a teenager on its 100th anniv) I steadfastly refused to stand when the band played Dixie at the start of each football game on general principles alone. However after two years of listening to smug know-nothing critics deride all southerners as knuckle-dragging
troglodytes I reflexively reversed course and fiercely defended my school and region of choice (I could have gone anywhere as I was a Nat Merit Scholarship winner, but didn't need an Ivy league degree behind my name to tell me how smart I was--I already knew that..) and elected to sing along with the rest proudly and loudly when the Band played Dixie.
(Sort of the same sort of psychology at play involving a Squadron-mate of mine in the UK. He was married and his wife would drop him off at the Squadron in the am and pick him up at the end of the day, so he was stuck otherwise. I used to give him a ride down to the O-Club for lunch [if neither of us was on the flying sched] and check mail along the way at our little Quonset-hut P.O. Never ONCE did either of us take a short-cut across the grass to the mail room. Finally, after all the grass had been trampled by others the RAF re-seeded and put up a small sign that said: "Please don't step on the grass." Well, the very next time we checked mail together Mike very ostentatiously stepped over the restraining string and walked on the newly re-seeded grass going and coming. When we got back in the car I said: "Mike, we've been doing this mail-call bit for the better part of two years and you've NEVER walked on the grass, how come, how come, how come now?" "Well, you see it's this way" he replied, "I never felt like stepping on the grass until somebody put up a sign that said: 'Don't step on the grass' " ........THAT's the way I feel about the current Confederate Battle Flag bit..)
Want me to do something? Tell me I can't.
DeleteIt's the American way.