Mississippi's Piece of Cloth

"But this is not about apple pie and Southern hospitality. This represents the continuation of a symbol of hate. And I think we need to call it exactly what it is. Not about Southern heritage unless you say Southern heritage is about the slaveocracy of the South."

Okay, let's call it what it is. It's a flag!  It is, without doubt, about a rich Southern heritage.  Racism and reverse-racism, on the other hand, are totally about a pervasive "slaveocracy" of which the North seems hell bent on keeping alive as much as the South is trying to shake it without losing its rich Southern heritage and culture.

"Slaveocracy" is a word someone made up. It clearly represents the ignorance, hate, and maybe even reverse racist attitudes, behind the movement to remove a symbol which this ignorance likes to link to slavery in the South. The same slavery African tribes inflicted on each other; the same slavery the northern states willingly participated in. I vote we remove the American flag, for it too, as much as this battle flag, represents slavery - in the North. But these flags to not represent slavery, our attitudes and ignorance do that well enough. Flags are simply the means to an end for the League of the Perpetually Offended that have little else to do than stir up a pot added to by racists on both sides.

Once again we see people, not of this state, fanning the flames of discontent. The racially divisive NAACP is once again on the move, and more from the North will surely follow until even the delightful southern drawl will be under fire as having subtle racist tones. The South stands together, yet there are those from without, and within, that would see it burn all over again.  Where does it end?

The people of Mississippi are very interested in education; maybe we should try educating people instead of enforcing racist philosophies of anti-racism, and blaming a piece of cloth for economic woes. Ever occur to anyone that maybe our economy is what we make it? Perhaps we need to try harder, at everything. I'll bet we find that our flag has little to do with businesses moving here. Money is money, and intelligent businessmen will move business where the bottom line takes them. If a piece of cloth gets in their way, well... you can't cure stupid. If we build it, they will come. Open door policy.  Yadda, yadda, yadda...

History is what it is. We have done ourselves a disservice by allowing other histories to be rewritten, to be forgotten. History should not be forgotten, it should be up front and in our face, daily, to remind us of where we've been and where we don't want to visit again. To do any less is inviting a repeat of the same immorality we are striving to overcome. I recommend education in an institution that actually teaches factual history, not the "truth" the winner of conflict would like you to believe. If you want to hate a flag, isn't ISIS presenting a much better target?  Don't we have real enemies to concern ourselves with than the ghosts of Mississippi?

Guns don't kill people, people kill people.  Flags don't cause racism, people do.  If there is a problem in this state with racism, let's confront the racists with a policy of no tolerance.  Let us show how our maturity outshines the cowardly actions some southern states that would buckle to ignorance instead of staying the course to defeat it. Maybe it's time to take ownership of our shortcomings instead of blaming inanimate objects, like a flag.  Let us learn how to embrace the triumphs and the mistakes, the good and the bad.  Let's learn to point to the flag for our children and recite for them a rich history of culture, overcoming adversity, the rebuilding and rebirth of a part of our nation which has given Southerners of all races their strong sense of pride.

But, then, I could be wrong.  I'm Sicilian, Choctaw, and Irish. I'm the patriotic son of a Rhode Island father and a Mississippi mother; born in Biloxi, educated in California and the military; Catholic and Baptist, Republican and Democrat, North and South, pasta and fried chicken.  Because of this diversity I could always considered myself "American by birth, Southern by the grace of God."

What the hell do I know?

Editor's Note 

(re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card) 

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so.

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and then engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning the opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we do afterward, and what we learn from the experience.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, and instructor. He is founder of the Congregation for Religious Tolerance and author/editor of the Congregation's official blog site, "The Path," which offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination.