I am a white Tennessean and Missourian who is proud if his own African-American, American Indian and Scots-Irish forebears from the South.
I am not proud of what most white Tennesseans and Missourians did in the civil war.
I hate the memory of some of the South’s strongest warriors in my home states. I hate what Missouri bushwhackers and terrorists led by Quantrill’s raiders did to innocent Kansans, because Kansas was against slavery. I hate what brutal Tennessee guerrilla and terrorist General Forrest did.
And I hate the terrorism and treason slavery of the Confederate army.
And I hate the stars and bars that are still used to symbolize that slavery, terrorism, and treason.
Any serious amateur historian can tell you that flag was carried to protect and advance slavery. Confederate Vice President Alexander Stephens of Georgia admitted that the cornerstone of the Confederacy was that the natural state of Black people was as slaves to the superior white race.
The bumper sticker and buttons that defenders of that flag wear, “Heritage Not Hate” is bullshit… It was and is heritage of hate.
I know something about this debate. As President of the Atlanta AFL-CIO I helped lead the fight to take the stars and bars out of the Georgia flag. I suffered a backlash.
But led by determined African-American legislators, we carried on that fight.
Finally, we elected the best governor in Georgia history, Roy Barnes, who drastically changed the flag. For his decision and courage to do the right thing, he was defeated for a second term.
The Confederate Battle flag is a symbol of racism and hatred to anyone who gives it half a thought.
It is a huge disgrace that the Confederate flag flies at full mast right now on the South Carolina Capitol grounds.
Image source: @NatUrbanLeague