Jul 13, 2015

Confederate Flag: Where Is The Sense In A National Uproar About A Constitutional Right ?

Common Sense Commentary: So there is a big squabble over flying the Confederate flag, even by individuals and even at old Confederate cemeteries.
The truth is that it is dumb for southern cities and states to still be flying it on public buildings when the Civil War was over when the last battle was fought at Palimito Ranch, Texas, on May 13, 1865. General Robert E. Lee had surrendered to General Grant a month earlier at Appomattox Courthouse, April 9, 1865. Texans always were a hard headed, no quit in em bunch, but when that war was over for General Lee and the entire South, Texas wasn't about to pull it out of the fire, though they tried. My great grandfather Blair's family, of Georgia, was involved in the war, as were all Georgians, in some capacity. They were undoubtedly loyal Confederates because my grandfather named my father Robert Lee Blair after General Robert E. Lee. That is a clue which cannot be denied. I was named with their initials R.L. or Rayburn Lee. So I too was named after my dad and General Lee. But even though my roots are southern and many consider me a rebel, I have never flown the Confederate Flag. That, to me, is defending a lost cause by folks who were not even there, had no part in it and remind me of football fans who have the illusion they are better quarterbacks than the one on the field of battle. As Shakespeare observed, "Me thinks thou doest protest too much".  Waving the Confederate flag screams rather than reasons. When I did such things, Mother warned, "Don't be so rambunctious". True Conservatives are more convincing when we debate with right and reason rather than screams, moans and waving of hands.

All of that said, flying a Confederate Flag, Texas Flag, White or Black Flag is protected by the constitution as freedom of speech.  It is more immature and unreasonable to yell and scream and curse a piece of cloth, or the person carrying it, than it is for him to carry it on a stick down the street, fly it on his truck or in a cemetery where Confederates, Texans, whites or blacks are buried. It is not a Constitutional right to take away someone else's freedom of speech simply because you are intolerant of those who disagree with you on this tiny offence of flying a piece of cloth which means nothing 236 years too late to matter.  If its dumb to fly it, its stupid to yell about it or violate someone's Constitutional rights to stop it.  Idiots! I said that in a whisper. RB





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