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DEL.ICIO.USTalking Confederate one day, and civil rights the next
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Just got off the phone with Merle Black, the Emory University political scientist, who pointed out the dilemma that Republican candidate Mike Huckabee has found himself in over Southern symbolism.
On Thursday, Huckabee declared that flying the Confederate battle flag on the grounds of its capitol was South Carolina’s business — and no one else’s. (Rival John McCain has been taking heat from S.C. flaggers on the issue.)
“You don’t like people from outside the state coming in and telling you what to do with your flag,” Huckabee said. “In fact, if somebody came to Arkansas and told us what to do with our flag, we’d tell them what to do with the pole, that’s what we’d do.”
On Monday, Huckabee will be in Atlanta at the Martin Luther King Day ceremonies, the only Republican presidential candidate to attend.
That’s a juxtaposition worthy of Southern politics. You have to wonder what he’ll say.
Comments
By Lee
January 18, 2008 12:01 PM | Link to this
Actually, this is one of the few things Huckaby has said that I agree with. It is up the the citizens of SC what flag they want and the federal government and president should not try to influence that decision.
By Warrior Woman
January 18, 2008 2:12 PM | Link to this
Huckabee is right on this one. It’s a shame Georgia’s governors have bowed to outside pressure instead of letting the citizens of GA choose their flag.
By Rae
January 18, 2008 2:30 PM | Link to this
Though Huckabee’s wording leaves much to be desired, I must say I agree with the sentiment. Also, too many people put a negative connotation on the Confederate flag when it isn’t about racism or prejudice. It’s simply a memento of important American history and history should always be respected.
By GodHatesTrash
January 18, 2008 3:11 PM | Link to this
The rebel rag is for Klan trash. Since the KKK is the most successful terrorist organization in history, people that fly it ought to be sent to Gitmo.
Trash.
By Rae
January 18, 2008 3:35 PM | Link to this
Trash:
That just makes you sound ignorant. I’m half black and I’m in no way offended by the Confederate flag. Just because Klan members may have waved it, doesn’t mean that everyone who raised the flag agrees with the KKK’s aberrant values.
By Rae
January 18, 2008 3:36 PM | Link to this
Trash:
That just makes you sound ignorant. I’m half black and I’m in no way offended by the Confederate flag. Just because Klan members may have waved it, doesn’t mean that everyone who raises the flag in present day agrees with the KKK’s aberrant values.
By Dan USMC
January 19, 2008 1:38 AM | Link to this
* 640 Thousand Americans died because of it! South Carolina started it.* I, a Republican, would never vote for huckabee.
Sempre Fi Dan
By Churchill
January 19, 2008 3:17 AM | Link to this
Really, the war…really????
By James
January 19, 2008 3:35 AM | Link to this
Does anyone realize that the Confederacy was not standing up for slavery but the de-centralizing of our government and giving power to individual states! That is why I fly the confederate flag, and I don’t consider it to have anything to do with race.
By John
January 19, 2008 9:20 AM | Link to this
And when the North tried to tell us what to do with our slaves…
This is a shame. I guess his God is a white God.
Lots of racist preacher types out there….I think he is one of them.
-john in SC
p.s. - states right is a cop out for lack of moral conviction and clarity.
By beki
January 19, 2008 11:39 AM | Link to this
The St. Andrews cross Confederate flag is historical;otherwise, the flag is not worth the fuss.It belongs to the past and does not define who I am: an American who just happened to have been born in the Deep South. My loyalty is to America.
By GodHatesTrash
January 19, 2008 1:01 PM | Link to this
Let’s face it - only the lowest form of white trash flies the rebel rag. Filthy toothless drunken slime loves that filthy treasonous rag.
Trash.
By James Belk
January 23, 2008 1:32 AM | Link to this
When this country was formed, 13 states with the help of Betsy Ross adopted a common flag against the tyranny of the English crown. There were 9 northern states and 4 southern states. South Carolina was one of these. Later every state that entered the Union pledged allegiance to this flag as another star was added.
The confederate flag was not formed as an adoption of states rights, but rather an attempt to overthrow the very government South Carolina helped formed and to maintain an agrarian slave supported economy just as King George wanted to maintain control over the colonies.
JB, Atlanta