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Raising Flag Raises Concerns

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 11, 2008

One of the most-read stories last week at TBO.com also drew a flurry of comments. The Sons of Confederate Veterans erected a 30-by-50-foot Confederate flag at the junction of Interstate 75 and U.S. 92 in Eureka Springs on June 3. Black county residents, for whom the flag represents slavery and racism, vowed it would come down. After discovering they have no legal means to prohibit the flag, county commissioners pleaded with the Sons group to voluntarily not fly it and avoid fracturing the community along racial lines. The flag was down as of Monday. Readers at TBO.com shared their opinions on the controversy. Here are some excerpts. To read more about the controversy, view more comments or add your own, go to TBO.com and search for "Confederate."

I consider this flag to be a battle flag and nothing to do with racism. Use of the race card is really getting old.

Posted by DLK

Looks like freedom of speech to me. Both the people honoring their ancestors and the people complaining are enjoying that freedom. I have no problem with someone flying their national colors, be it the American, Canadian, Russian, Chinese or African flag. This is much ado about nothing. The complainants should find a better use of their resources, in my opinion.

Posted by Someone_closer

_than_you_think

The Civil War is over the south lost. Can they get over it! We live in America, we are one nation, one flag, and that is it. If you need to fly that flag, be like everyone else and place it on your car. We are Americans, we fly Old Glory!

Posted by GotchaNow

As an African American, I don't care about the stupid flag. The meaning behind the flag means nothing to me. I hope they just take the thing down because it's useless putting it up.

Posted by Lang0308

To fly a flag that is symbolic of an enemy of the United States is abhorrent, especially in war time. Many thousands of American citizens died in that war to keep our great nation united. Flying the flag of their enemy is despicable and disrespectful to every veteran who died defending America and America only.

Posted by Wizardry82

The group that put that flag up there knew exactly what the impact would be. If they truly wanted to honor the soldiers, they should document their stories and publicize them. Tell how most on both sides were drafted and forced to fight when they would much rather stay at home and raise their families and not fight in the name of some piece of cloth.

Posted by Mymanners

They have a right to fly their flag. This is America. We all have the right to express ourselves. Some people may think it is offensive, but they do not have the right to push how they feel on other groups who do not share the same ideas. The flag is on private property and meets all the local laws for its display.

Posted by Powerbear

Personally, I see nothing wrong with it legally. This still is America. But to make it more historically correct, I think they should be required to fly a surrender flag underneath it.

Posted by GF

We all know what this flag represents in this day and age. Who cares what people 100 years ago thought it meant. This is wrong to hang this flag. We all know that this flag means racism. People who hung my great, great, great, great grandparents flew this flag as a representation of themselves. Save that talk about "oh, it's our history."

Posted by Seminolesfan

I can understand and appreciate why some people are offended by the raising of the flag. I am a descendant of three family members who fought for the Confederacy and feel the flag is a way to honor those long-deceased brave men who fought for their country, when called, the same way we honor all war veterans. It is not meant to be racist or offend anyone, but merely to remind us of our all-too-forgotten past, where there was a tremendous loss of life and suffering.

Posted by Annm

I don't doubt that the flag represents history. However, it's a shame that this is acceptable so close to the interstates. I agree the flag should be flown, but the proportion and location is outrageous.

Posted by Accg00

... Let's improve our future. That's where the real fight is. Racism and bigotry are wrong, but so is losing sight of what needs to be done. The only way to improve racism and bigotry in this country is educate our young people on why it is wrong. It started with my father teaching me to judge a man by his character, not by the color of his skin, and now I am teaching my children the same thing. Isn't it about time we look to improving this country instead of being distracted by a piece of cloth?

Posted by Longball

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