[Colonel Kangaroo]

But even for East Tennessee, Blount County was a strong Union county, voting over 4 to 1 to remain in the Union in the rubber-stamp secession election after Gov. Harris and the legislature took it upon themselves to align with the CSA.

After the war Blount County was very Republican, having one of the strongest Union Leagues and even voting several black men into elected positions which was usually unheard of in the 19th century. Blount County was very progressive and non-Confederate. It's too bad that it seems like many of the kids are ignorant of the proud history of their home county.

[puroresu]

All true, and there's nothing wrong with respecting the Union. I just don't see any problem with kids respecting Confederate heritage. It may indeed be the heritage of the individual students in question.

The war against Confederate symbols is just an opening wedge issue for an eventual leftist war against the U.S. Flag and Bill of Rights. Why people are so blind to that, I don't know. But if the Confederate Flag is an evil and offensive symbol, so is Old Glory, which flew over the institution of slavery for almost a century. So is the Bill of Rights, conceptualized by "slave owners" such as Madison and Jefferson.

The time will come when George Washington and Christopher Columbus get the Politically Correct purge from our heritage as well. The only way to stop this nonsense is to nip it in the bud, and that means not letting the hard left set a precedent that "slave owners" are inherently an ugly and offensive part of our heritage in need of eradication.

[Theodore R.]

This is also Senator Lamar Alexander's home county.

[NJ_gent]

"It's too bad that it seems like many of the kids are ignorant of the proud history of their home county."

Even at 4:1 against, that leaves a great deal of Confederate support. That their ancestors' views were in the local minority doesn't change the fact that the views were held and that support was far higher throughout the rest of the state. It seems that some would like to narrow the scope from which "heritage" can be drawn such that it suits their interests. I was born in Virginia. Were there Union supporters in Virginia? Sure. Was the county, town, or 1-square block radius where I was born pro-Union? I have no idea. What I do know is that my state was a member of the Confederate States of America, and that it held the Capital of that nation. That is my heritage, and that is what I choose to celebrate; not what 3 people down the block voted for 150 years ago.