Posted on 12/01/2008 11:13:21 AM PST by fella
Motel's choice of flag upsetting to some
by Kyle Mooty Madison County Record Editor
The owners of a Huntsville motel insist their decision to replace the United States flag with a Confederate flag following Barack Obama's victory last week in the Presidential election had nothing to do with race.
In a written statement to The Record, the owners of the Faubus Motel did say that the reason for the change in flags was politically driven.
The motel is not associated with its former owner, Alta Faubus, who sold the motel in the 1980's. It has been owned by James and Linda Vandiver since 1996.
Ellen Kreth and Fara Faubus, Alta Faubus' grandchildren and owners of The Madison County Record, stated that they have no association with the Faubus Motel and do not agree with the Vandivers' political views or the flying of the Confederate flag at the motel.
A Fayetteville television station reported the motel's choice of flags following Obama's victory. The station inserted interviews from Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and former Secretary of State Colin Powell into the story, talking about the historical significance of Obama being elected.
Some neighbors of the motel have complained to The Record and to the TV station of what the flag symbolizes.
James Vandiver said he had flown the flag before and that he had not heard any negative comments, then said he would only respond to questions in a written statement. The Vandivers issued the following statement to The Record on Tuesday morning:
"On election night, we lowered Old Glory from our flag pole because we are no longer the land of the free and the home of the brave (except for our military)," the letter stated. "The sound principals for which Old Glory stood have been abandoned. We raised the rebel flag of the Old South in protest. Since political correctness forces people into a limited frame of reference, we wish to say this loud and clear, this was not about race. We resent having a Marxist in the White House no matter color he is. If Mr. Obama had tried to enter the White House as an ordinary citizen, he would not qualify for a security clearance because of his past associations. We decided if Obama can refuse to properly salute the flag and his buddy, Bill Ayers, could stand on the American flag in a trash-filled alley, then we could take Old Glory down in honor and respect.
"We are angry with a biased, agenda-driven media. We are angry that for the past eight years President Bush and the Republican Party have been blamed by the Democrats and their cohorts in the media for the incomplete and irresponsible way that the group A.C.O.R.N. let down potential voters in the state of Florida in 2000. A.C.O.R.N. has used our tax dollars to carry out, contrary to the law, a partisan "get out the vote" effort of scandalous proportions. The other arm of this nefarious organization bullies and harasses banks and lending institutions to make the risky loans that have jeopardized our nation's financial security. We are outraged that the Democrats, who portray themselves as the great defenders of the night to vote, did not feel compelled to ensure the rights of our military to be guaranteed their full privileges during the election.
"Old Glory is still displayed on our American owned and operated sign. So far, the response from our clientele has been supportive and positive."
Huntsville Mayor Larry Bates had not heard of the motel's choice in flags until Monday.
"I don't have any comment other than to each his own," Bates said. "I wouldn't tell Jim not to do it. It's strictly up to him. It's on his property. The city won't be flying (a Confederate flag)." The motel, located next to Pizza Hut, has a standing sign in front of its offices that reads "American Owned and Operated."
Jessie Bryant, an African-American from Fayetteville who is ending a 14-year run as a member of the Washington County Quorum Court, grew up through the segregation era. Bryant, born in 1926, was asked about her reaction to the Confederate flag being flown at the Huntsville motel.
"It's just his way of expressing his dislike for what happened. If that's his way of protesting what happened, he has the right," Bryant said. "He has the privilege of changing the flag. It's his way of expressing how he feels. It's obviously a dilemma with him. He feels a little bit of his heritage has been taken away, which is not true at all. In America, he still has the same privileges of anybody else. There is nothing we can say or do about it."
Bryant's son, Arkansas State Trooper Louis Bryant, was killed by Wayne Snell during a traffic stop in 1984 on U.S. Highway 71 between De Queen and Texarkana. That stretch of highway is now known as the Trooper Louis Bryant Highway.
what the north east will never succeed and join Quebec
shucks
“...espouse whatever message they like.”
I saw some Civil War movie off and on last week - “Riding with the Devil” or something, just saw bits and pieces. I think it was about Cantrell’s (sp?) Raiders which I think was after the war had ended??
ANYWAY - in one scene the younger guys with the Raiders are eating dinner with an older Southern Gentleman that is leaving the fight and moving to Texas. He tells the young raiders something like:
“The Northerners built a school up in Lawerenceville. They teach the children what to think, and to think like them. We’ve lost because we don’t try to tell others how to think. They can do whatever they want.”
One young raider ready to lash out scowls “You tryin’ to say what we’re fightin’ for ain’t worth it?”
“No - we’ve already lost what we are fighting for.”
It went something like that anyway. A defeatist attitude I guess from the older gentleman, but accurate for the Civil War era. I hope it is not accurate for our times, but I fear it is.
That and the Rebel flag (as I've read and heard Southerners call it) was a flag that was used in battle and from what brief research I've done, never flew over any Confederate government offices.
“never flew over any Confederate government offices.”
Hey, I didn’t know that! Thanks.
Amazing how many people get the battle flag and stars and bars confused.
My flag is still up. He hasn’t been inaugurated yet.
I plan on flying the Stars and Bars on January 20th.
You should mind ypur own damned business! It’s his flag flying on his property. You don’t get to tell him to take it down.
Of course, none other than the vice president of the Confederacy would disagree with you quite vehemently. Are you familiar with Stephens' Cornerstone Speech? Here's a link for your reading pleasure.
http://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/index.asp?documentprint=76
A couple of nice quotes:
"The new constitution has put at rest, forever, all the agitating questions relating to our peculiar institution—African slavery as it exists amongst us—the proper status of the negro in our form of civilization. ", and
"Our new government is founded upon exactly the opposite idea; its foundations are laid, its corner- stone rests, upon the great truth that the negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery—subordination to the superior race—is his natural and normal condition. This, our new government, is the first, in the history of the world, based upon this great physical, philosophical, and moral truth. "
Yea, nothing to do with racism.
Well, they only had four years, and they were kinda busy the whole time.
Given time, I'm sure they would have gotten around to a little Indian killing.
“I plan on flying the Stars and Bars on January 20th.”
Correction - it will be the Battle Flag.
I need to put out the Confederate First National in my front yard on Jan 20. I wonder if anyone will get it?
“The Confederate flag should come down. That flag and what it stood for resulted in 618,000 soldier deaths and thousands more injured by hideous wounds and losses of limbs.”
Exactly what, in your opinion, did the Confederate flag ‘stand for?’
You have a good point, even if you used a fictional movie to make it. I’d just like to say that I find the following hilarious...
“The Northerners built a school up in Lawerenceville....”
Yes, brothers, it is true, Southerners had no concept of learnin’ until we were invaded and Yankees forcibly built schools. That is the implication, of course, straight from hollywood to your brain. All of the North was urban, and sophisticated, while the entire South was rural, and backwards. Just like today, as a matter of fact.
The rest of the quote I pretty much agree with, which leads me to believe the screenwriter stole and modified a quote from somewhere.
“BTW, to those who cry “racism”, the Dixie flag has nothing to do with racism. It is about the South’s wishes to be autonomous.”
As a point of historical fact, the word ‘racism’ didn’t even exist when the Confederacy did...not until almost 70 years later.
I took down Old Glory and put up a Gadsden Flag the day our socialist frat boy Yankee started talking about amnesty and a “comprehensive” immigration plan.
I know I used to get them confused all the time. One of those many things my publick skool teacherz didn't tell me. :)
You are correct, sir. What people think of as “the Confederate flag” today actually never existed in the CSA—it’s a post-war combination of the coloration of the Army of Northern Virginia battle flag, with the configuration of the Confederate Navy’s second naval jack.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flags_of_the_Confederacy
}:-)4
“Morons perpetuating a stereotype that accomplishes nothing”
A false stereotype that has been perpetuated by liberals. The whole meaning behind the various Southern flags was State rights, something that has all but been abolished with the Northern liberals.
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