Oh Dear Lord
Y’all, here’s the problem.
While the U.S. and South Carolina state flags that fly above the South Carolina state house were lowered to half-mast today in mourning for the nine victims of last night’s shooting at a historic black church in Charleston, the Confederate flag on display outside the building is still flying high and proud. Why? Because the bizarre display of racist symbolism is so closely protected that it would be impossible to move it without a legislative vote.
I put a quote because I didn’t think you’d believe me if I explained it myself.
Holy damn. The State Flag and the US Flag are at half-mast at the capitol building in South Carolina today but the confederate flag flies victriously above both them.
The “explanation” is that the confederate flag is permanently affixed to the top of the flagpole and can’t be lowered unless there’s a vote of the legislature to do so. The reason I put the word explanation in quotation marks is because this is not an explanation – it’s a excuse.
Dylann Roof had help becoming who he is – he lived in a society who made the flag of racial oppression untouchable, flying above all others.
That flag needs to come down all the damn way.
When Jim Folsom Jr. Became governor of Alabama, after Republican Guy Hunt was convicted of ethics violations he removed the Confederate battle flag from the dome of the Alabama capital back in the early 1990’s. Of course that didn’t stop a bunch of nuts from erecting a flag pole “with the LARGEST CONFEDERATE FLAG IN THE WORLD” according to the builders on I-65 outside Montgomery.
1Let me use this opportunity to repeat my repeat of the position that it is past time to kick the rebellious states loose from the civilized states.
That said, a small Sawzall, like the one in my shop, could take down that flagpole in short order, with or without the permission of the SCarolina ruling junta.
2Never forget: This is the ONLY #ConfederateFlag that ever really mattered. #CharlestonShooting http://t.co/TcNqCw1gnt
3Agreed. The flag definitely needs to be taken down and not put up again at all. Maybe in a museum as an historical reference, but not to be flying free to continue the hatred festering amongst many deep Southern people, continuing the hate and false pride in their southern attitudes.
The racial divide seems to be getting deeper in some ways that are difficult to fathom.
4No other flag should be placed above the flag of the United States or, if on the same level, to its right.
From US Flag rules and regulations passed in 1942
South Carolina is in direct violation of US law and should be immediately nuked.
5On the other hand, it does seem weirdly appropriate that the Confederate Flag was not lowered in respect. That’s because the Confederate philosophy does not respect black lives.
Lowering the flag would not be enough anyway. It needs to be terminated with extreme prejudice.
6Today is Juneteenth.
7I’m sure that has some relevance to this.
Dylann Roof:
When the son of her friend pleaded with the shooter to stop, Johnson said the gunman replied: “‘No, you’ve raped our women, and you are taking over the country … I have to do what I have to do.’ And he shot the young man.”
Donald Trump:
“When Mexico sends its people,” Trump said during his presidential announcement, “they’re not sending the best. They’re not sending you, they’re sending people that have lots of problems and they’re bringing those problems. They’re bringing drugs, they’re bringing crime. They’re rapists and some, I assume, are good people, but I speak to border guards and they’re telling us what we’re getting.”
Yes, the rhetoric matters!
8Proud of my daughter who works at the U of SC and earned her rally badge with Wendy Davis in Austin…she’ll be at the Take It Down rally tomorrow in Columbia. May the day be peaceful and the crowd HUGE!
9Flaming crossbow bolts are your friend
10Oh dear.
11A resounding “NO” to the notion of kicking out the rebellious states. What? And then have to send them foreign aid?
12The only way to make a difference in a Democracy is for the right-thinking, but lazy, non-voters to turn out to vote. Vote out the wingnuts, and we can do that, and foreign flags and guns and hate-based initiatives will settle back into the seething muck whence they came.
The more shocking thing is that the SCOTUS has ruled that states do not need to put the CSA flag on license plates because that is not free speech, it is a state endorsement. If you want a CSA flag on your vehicle, get a damn bumper sticker. And this suit was filed by TEXAS because state officials decided that they didn’t want the state to endorse the CSA! Have these officials been booted yet, or is there actually some hope for Texas and the rest of the former traitor states?
I’m sorry to say that Maryland is among the states that have a CSA flag option, but it’s being reconsidered now that it’s not legally required if a group demands it.
13Permanently affixed to the top of the pole? “Sergeant, remove that flagpole.” (Anyone ever in the military will get that one.)
“And destroy that flag.”
Given the right USMC sergeant, it would be gone real fast.
14if they do not take it down, I support anyone who sets it on fire. I will contribute to their defense fund.
15I don’t think the flag was in violation of US law because from pictures I saw its pole was on the ground in front of the capital, while the state and US flags were on the dome high above. It was in violation of decency, common sense and was a total disrespect to the victims and those outraged by the incident. It should be removed. Years ago.
16Talking with a person yesterday, his reason they is so much racism is that ” blacks can’t forget they were slaves. ” nobody alive now was a slave”. Asked him why do whites still think they are masters, he disagrees with me. So I point out that lynchings have been happening till recent times, the KKK is having an upsurge in membership and the , what is it, Sons of Confederate Soliders is even a thing. Like who wants to tell the world their grandpas were traitors!!! I hope I made him think a little, he did look confused.
17Flaming crossbow bolts, check. Sawzall, check (but measure or calculate w/trig height of flagpole so you don’t bring it down on top of your car over there in a parking space…) Squad of Marines, check. Large crowd of determined people with sledgehammers beating on the pole until the metal’s fatigued enough…maybe…blowtorch would also work.
18A tank and chains were good enough to topple Saddam’s statue in Iraq.
19Flying the confederate flag is a good thing as it informs one of where the bigots are.
20How about two drones? One with lighter fluid, one with a match?
21“South Carolina is too small for a republic and too large for an insane asylum.”
– James L. Petigru, 1860
Not much has changed since then.
22Give them a 3 count to fly the proper flag, then send in the drones.
https://s.yimg.com/fz/api/res/1.2/tcqIUKvT7yXFY9PLT7sRfw–/YXBwaWQ9c3JjaGRkO2g9MzA4O3E9OTU7dz0yMzY-/http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/236x/90/7d/a9/907da9cc3185ba829964bf8b3d1c868e.jpg
23Permanently affixed??? MY DONKEY! The life of a flying flag is measured in weeks at best! What a p-poor excuse! The high quality US Guidons we display on our local historical sites last 2 months at best.
24I know he’s a bit raw for most of you here, but Rude Pundit has said it the best today. He’s from the deep south (LA) so he knows his people. Worth a look. http://www.rudepundit.com
25Lightening strike. That might send a message they will actually understand.
26Oops. Try: http://www.rudepundit.blospot.com
27Typing on your phone sucks.
http://www.rudepundit.blogspot.com
Got it this time!
28Roof is a monster, but I have to wonder what potential has been lost in his case too. He wasn’t born a hater. I don’t know what made him that way, but it was something just as deadly as a gun: racism as practiced and taught in this country.
29That flag represents a group that wanted to destroy the United States of America. It is a symbol of treason and should not be flying anywhere in this country. Period.
30The Mayor of Columbia is calling for the flag to be removed
31http://www.politico.com/story/2015/06/south-carolina-confederate-flag-mayor-columbia-steve-benjamin-remove-119232.html
I saw that garbage on CNN. That flag needs to be down permanently.
32If it’s affixed firmly to the top of the flagpole, then take down the damn flagpole.
33Maybe it is because the nine slain people were the only true Americans … the rest, represented by that rebel flag are not.
34Leave the flag up but hang all those legislators opposed to removing it at half mast.
35The most incredible thing about the SCOTUS ruling? JUSTICE CLARENCE THOMAS was the defector from the RW bloc! Maybe the world is gonna end…anybody checked out the weather in Hell lately??
36I read this morning that one of the state senators has called for the flag – and the flagpole – to be removed. I guess that’s so that nobody will run that bit of toilet paper up after the trial is over.
37