Confederate Flag Controversy

[Snusdog]

And since I am a Native South Carolinian let me add just one more detail to our history lesson.

There has been a lot of talk about the Rebel flag (Flag of the Army of Northern VA) that flies over our state Capital building. Here is how it got there

General Wade Hampton was a native of SC and a brilliant Cavalry Commander. He replaced J.E.B. Stewart as Lee's chief cavalry commander after Stewart's death. As the war drew to a close and Sherman headed into SC on a rampage. Hampton asked Lee for permission to return home and defend the Capital (the very state house upon which the flag flies still has cannon balls lodged in its walls from Sherman's guns). When Hampton arrived from Virginia to defend the city he was carrying his regimental flag (the flag of the Northern VA). It was under this flag that the city was defended until it fell.

So my point here is that the reason the flag has flown over the capital has nothing to do with hate nor was it arbitrarily placed there for any sort of white racist pride. It was put there by those who gave their lives to defend their home. It was the flag they fought, bled, and lost under.

And that's how the flag of the Army of Northern VA got on top of the SC state house.

Should it stay there? Well that is entirely another question

[Snusdog]

Ok.....just a quick history lesson

this is notthe confederate flag..........




it is the battle flag of the Army of Northern Virginia (Lee's Army).


The Flag of the Confederacy for the majority of the war was the "Stars and Bars"




It was changed later to the "Stainless Banner" because it was hard to distinguish on the battlefield from the Union (American) flag. In turn the "Stainless Banner looked too much like a surrender flag on the battle field and so was replaced at the very end of the war with the "Blood Stained Banner"

The so called "rebel flag" (Lee's Flag) that most call the confederate flag was based on the St. Andrew's Cross of the Scottish flag with the stars inside the cross representing the confederate states.

The Bonnie Blue flag was was the flag flown on the Battery in Charleston by the SC forces when Fort Sumter was fired upon and taken (which started the war)



My point is that for all this talk of heritage.......very few seem to actually know the heritage.......

In turn there are several flag options (much more historically accurate and far less upsetting to others) by which to remember that heritage.

Wave the Bonnie Blue....or the National Flag of the Confederacy .........and not one person will take offence.....because not one person will know what it is

Peace
dog

[wa3zrm]

EBay bans sales of Confederate flag on its site (And Etsy,Amazon, too)

Calling it a "contemporary symbol of divisiveness and racism," eBay said Tuesday that it will ban the sale of Confederate flags and similarly themed merchandise.
"This decision is consistent with our long-standing policy that prohibits items that promote or glorify hatred, violence and racial intolerance," said eBay spokeswoman Johnna Hoff.
The e-commerce company is the latest to prohibit the sale of Confederate merchandise following Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Sears Holdings Corp.

(Excerpt) Read more at bigstory.ap.org ...

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