Posted on 01/17/2006 9:16:08 AM PST by Colonel Kangaroo
Maryville, Blount County (WVLT) - The issue involving the confederate flag is coming back in Blount County after students at a local high school were ordered to cover up their shirts on Friday with the confederate flag on it.
WVLT Volunteer TV's Blount County Bureau Chief Stephen McLamb has the latest.
More than 150 students at William Blount High School have signed a petition seeking support for the right to wear confederate symbols on shirts and other clothing items.
But students who wore the emblem on Friday say they were threatened with suspension if they didn't cover up.
Some students say they support the right to express their confederate heritage that the school has taken away.
Many students came to school on Friday wearing a confederate symbol but say school officials then threatened them.
"If we didn't they said that they were going to suspend us, but my friend Bruce, they threatened my friend Bruce that if he didn't turn his shirt inside out, they were going to take him to juvenile," says Derek Barr, who started the flag petition.
Barr says he hopes to seek more signatures for his petition but says he's concerned about retaliation from school officials.
Attempts to contact Principal Steve Lafon or Superintendent Alvin Hord were unsuccessful.
The policy may be facing legal action, local Sons of Confederates Camp Commander Ron Jones says they will be assisting the students should a suit be filed against the school system.
>>>The "rebel flags" that are probably being worn here are a political statement as much as a rainbow.
But if their statement is about heritage, shouldn't these kids be wearing their state flag instead of the "rebel flag". After all, the Confederate soldiers were fighting for the cause of states rights.
any pictures?
ping
I think we're supposed to believe in a Democrat state this wouldn't happen because we'd all be "free" to express ourselves all over each other...
The Confederate flag which so many people protest was not even around when SLAVERY began in this country .
Wrong flag !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Um, Right, but wasn't it the flag of the KKK? I think everybody's got a right to wear what they want, but let's not kid ourselves about what it means. If they want the heritage flag, get the CSA flag. Guess it's not as cool-looking.
The use of the "Rebel" flag by the Klan is an invention of the Hollywood propaganda machine.
Hmm--I did not know that!
Modern "klan" and "neo-nazi" groups do indeed use the Battle Flag as their symbol, but this is something which was inspired by the dramatic Hollywood films about the Klan from the late '60s and early '70s. Needless to say, Hollywood had a reputation for "embellishing" stories of the Klan's activities even that far back.
(Keep in mind that I am not suggesting that Bobby "Sheets" Bird's social club was all that honorable...)
Maybe you should stop hanging out with uneducated people. It's rubbing off.
What, it ain't PC to describe oneself as "white" anymore?
Should I find someone else to stand on the sidelines and describe me as white, therefore removing my ego from the equation?
Okay, then I'll try it your way: "Somebody told me I am a white man who has no problem with displays of the Confederate Battle Flag and Naval Jack or the Bonnie Blue, as well as the Flag of the United States."
Guess I'm now a racist, since I obviously can't "feel their pain", whatever that means and I've known for over 50 years that I am white. And it generates no guilt in me whatever.
But the blood my ancestors shed for the defense of the Confederate Flag (rightly or wrongly) is the same color as the blood I shed for the Flag of the United States. And I have had a moment or two of wondering if that was for the right reasons, also.
Oh, yeah, I assure you, I'm very well educated, but I don't travel in the company of like minded "flaggers" or at least I don't think I do; but then, I have no idea what a "flagger" is.
I wonder what they would do if someone were to tattoo a Rebel Flag on their forehead?
Well, most likely there would be one hell of an ass-whooping if someone tried.
And just what does a festering sewer-hole like Oakland got to do with anything?
My experience with the Confederate Flag folks...
It appears your experience may be just a little limited.
####I did not know that!####
But the Political Correctness stormtroopers do. Once Confederate symbols are banned and declared to be the evil representation of slavery and racism, attention will be turned to banishing the U.S. Flag, the Bill of Rights, renaming the city of Washington, purging Jefferson, Madison, Columbus, etc.
That's our future circa 2025 unless this PC nonsense is stopped now.
I can't believe so many Southerners still want to defend the right for their kids to wear the flag of the treasonous Confederacy to school. How can one call oneself an American patriot and wave that flag? Waving that flag to show Southern heritage is no better than waving a Soviet flag to show ones Russian heritage.
Actually I meant voluntary tattooing. You see, then they wouldn't be subject to a 'dress code' and it would really push the envelope regarding Free Speech. I'm not surprised to find 'Confederates' in NJ, I live in way Upstate NY and there are even some around here that display the Rebel Flag. My categories do reflect my experience with these folks. I think the claim of 'heritage' here is pretty weak as these people probably couldn't remember past one generation anyway. I think it is more of a "Hey, I'm a Redneck" type of pride.
The laws of probability would likely prove my educational assumption, but I'll admit that my analysis lacks objective measures. Also, there is nothing wrong with being dirty or a racist. Even being stupid is fine with me. Sometimes I think I'm a racist since I do notice people's race and make assumptions based on their color, appearance, and behavior. I would never make a normative judgement until evidence is presented. You Confederate Flaggers sure get defensive, I thought this was something you'd do irregardless of what others think?
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