Call it legal but offensive driving

Commercial Appeal ^ | February 5, 2004 | Wendi C. Thomas

[thoughtomator]

Looks pretty straightforward to me. It claims that there are things the comprehension of which is dependent on having a particular skin color. It seems pretty obvious to me that skin color plays no role in understanding ideas.

[Terry Mross]

I wonder how she would have responded to a white classmate wearing a shirt that said: "It's a white thing. You wouldn't understand."

[Freebird Forever]

It claims that there are things the comprehension of which is dependent on having a particular skin color.

I look at it differently.
I believe that there are inherent aspects unique to a person's heritage and cultural upbringing.

To me, that slogan reflects cultural identity more than melanin pigmentation.

There are portions of that culture which I don't, nor do I ever want to "get".

I'm willing to bet that many new immigrants from Africa & the Caribbean don't want to get it either.

[thoughtomator]

It represents a culture that is falsely constructed, that somehow all people with black skin have the same heritage. The truth is there is as much variation in culture with people of black skin as there are with people of any other skin color one wants to pick. The idea that there is somehow some sort of unified black culture does not confirm with my firsthand observations of reality. Its substance goes no further than being a media meme. Given that we can deduce it to be a lie, the question remains to be answered: Who does that idea serve? It does not, in my estimation, serve MLK, who, if the historical presentation of him is correct (and I have no reason to believe it is not), did not see this in his dream.

[Freebird Forever]

It represents a culture that is falsely constructed

Its substance goes no further than being a media meme.

Agreed

Who does that idea serve?

All who stand to gain from disunity; humans, elements of government and fallen spirit beings. It ultimately stems from the original deception that mortals can successfully rule themselves apart from the Supreme guidance. (IMO of course)

[WhiskeyPapa]

Although it is oft-repeated that the war was primarily about slavery, and I don't believe that is historically accurate.

Slavery and the expansion of slavery into the territories was definitely the cause of the war.

Union men cared little for slaves or slavery, but much for representative government, which is what the rebels tried to toss in the toilet.

Walt

[WhiskeyPapa]

Pennsylvania and West Virginia fought under the Union Flag, and (at least according to hatewatch-type sites), these two states had, and had to this day, KKK membership numbers that would make the average Alabama resident blush. Should we ban the Union flag on license plates? I don't know.

I'd say that since the passage of the voting rights act and the civil rights act, hate groups are using the confederate battle emblem a lot more and Old Glory a lot less.

When I say hate groups I include the Sons of Confederate Veterans and the League of the South with the KKK. They are all cut from the same cloth.

Walt

[WhiskeyPapa]

The confederate movement was made up of many ideals other that just slavery....

No it wasn't.

Lawrence Keitt, speaking in the South Carolina secession convention, said, "Our people have come to this on the question of slavery. I am willing, in that address to rest it upon that question. I think it is the great central point from which we are now proceeding, and I am not willing to divert the public attention from it."

Walt

[American_Centurion]

And while the comfort of white people wasn't and still isn't my chief concern,...

Ahem, Ms Thomas, please tell us then, why white people should care how you feel?

[Stu Cohen]

No it wasn't.

Lawrence Keitt, speaking in the South Carolina secession convention, said, "Our people have come to this on the question of slavery. I am willing, in that address to rest it upon that question. I think it is the great central point from which we are now proceeding, and I am not willing to divert the public attention from it."

Lawrence Keitt was speaking for himself, not for every Confederate in the south.

To opine that West Virginia succeeded from the Confederacy and join the union to protect the freedom of black folks is almost humourous.

The Civil War was not a one-issue war, though we usually remember it as such.

Reminds me of the Simpsons episode where Apu was taking his citizenship exam. The questioner asked "What caused the Civil War".

Apu said "Well, sir, there were many causes of the Civil War, and he went on to rattle off 5 or 6 reasons when the questioner stopped him".

"Just say Slavery" the questioner said.

"Slavery it is!" said Apu.

And he got his citizenship.

Granted it's a silly cartoon, but sometime fiction and life converge in the strangest ways.

[WhiskeyPapa]

To opine that West Virginia succeeded from the Confederacy and join the union to protect the freedom of black folks is almost humourous.

No one ever says that.

Walt

[cinFLA]

And while the comfort of white people wasn't and still isn't my chief concern,

Must be a 'black thing'.

[cinFLA]

It is real easy. If you find a photo you like, right click and view properties and copy the address. Then use the html code (keep a copy to cut and paste. Eliminate the space in the example below. It gets a little more complicated but you can make the picture an active link, etc.

< img src="http://freerepublic.com/images/frlogo.gif">

[cinFLA]

They came forward to fight for Union and progress and later, freedom.

And control of the South's agriculture market.

[WhiskeyPapa]

They came forward to fight for Union and progress and later, freedom.

And control of the South's agriculture market.

Show that in the record.

Walt

[cinFLA]

Click on the flag below

< a href="http://www.csacurrency.com/csaflag/index.htm"> < img border=0 src="http://www.csacurrency.com/csaflag/csa1flas.gif">

[cinFLA]

[xrp]

When I - and most people - see the flag, it reminds them of a time when people who looked like the Sons of Confederate Veterans could own people who looked like me.

This continues to astound me. I wonder if Jews, when they see the Egyptian pyramids, are reminded of their slavery and feel oppressed?

When I personally see Roman architecture (whether in Rome or anywhere else, such as Washington DC), I really don't feel reminded of the time when Romans held my ancestors (Germanic tribesmen) as slaves.

Sounds like a self-confidence problem to me.

[TexasCajun]

Don't forget my favorite:

Congressional Black Caucus!

[stainlessbanner]

Great analogies, xrp.