What flag in America hasn't been used at some point or another as a symbol of racism?
Throughout the history of the KKK, the most commonly used flag by far has been Old Glory.
Posted on 05/02/2008 8:56:18 AM PDT by stainlessbanner
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A Central Florida man's Confederate flag prompted a free-speech battle with his employer, who doesn't want it displayed on company property.
The flag is attached to Bobby Tillett's pickup truck, which he drives to work every day, WJXT reported. Because his employer has banned the flag from his parking lot, Tillett is forced to park far from his job.
"If I take it down, that means you know the politically correct people would have won, and that's wrong," Bobby Tillett said. "If you believe in something that strong (you) should have no problem whatsoever to fly it."
Tillett said the flag flap began when he showed up for work at BJ's Wholesale off Pritchard Road.
"Management confronts me and tells me, politely, if I would take my flag off my truck," Tillett said. "I said, 'No, I will not.'"
Tillett said his managers told him if he did not remove the flag, he couldn't park in the employee lot.
"I'm a firm believer it's not about winning or losing, it's about right and wrong," Tillett told WJXT's Dan Leveton.
So Tillett decided to park on public property about a half-mile away and walk to work.
He says it takes him about 10 minutes to walk to the job, but it's worth it.
"It's about heritage; it's about pride," Tillett said. "I don't look at it much different than the American flag. There's been a lot of blood spilled over that flag, too, and I love that flag, and I'll fly it 'till the day I die."
No one at BJ's would comment about the controversy, but they did issue a statement saying it is about the rights of other employees:
"Like all employers, we have guidelines of appropriate personal behavior and expression at work. While the policy does not identify any specific type of expression, it generally prohibits expression that is rude, abusive, hostile or intimidating. Under these guidelines, we asked this team member to not display the confederate flag in our parking lot. We are confident that we have struck the right balance for all of our team members and their work environment."
Tillett said none of his co-workers has told him they dislike the flag. He said most people support him and he plans to keep on flying his Confederate flag, even if it costs him the job.
"I'm standing by my guns ... or my flag," Tillett said.
“Private companies have always been free to restrict activities on their private property.”
Wait until someone says “you can’t park here with that bumper sticker on your car.”
And the bosses better move those vehicles...
2 Convicted in Killing Over Confederate Flag
Two black teen-agers were found guilty of murder today and sentenced to life in prison in the shooting of a white man who was flying a Confederate flag on his pickup truck. A third black teen-ager was acquitted.
The two convicted men, Freddie Morrow and Damien Darden, both 18, were found guilty of murder, civil rights intimidation and the kidnapping of Michael Westerman, 19, who was killed on Jan. 14, 1995.
The men were convicted and sentenced by Judge Robert Wedemeyer, who presided at the nonjury trial.
A third suspect, Marcus Merriweather, 16, was found not guilty of the same charges. A fourth, Tony Andrews, had faced the same charges as the others but pleaded guilty and testified in return for two years' probation.
All four are from Guthrie, Ky., near the Tennessee line.
The prosecutors said the teen-agers had been angered by the Confederate banner flying from Mr. Westerman's pickup when it stopped at a convenience store.
According to testimony, the teen-agers rounded up two other cars and followed Mr. Westerman and his wife, Hannah, 21. Mr. Westerman, of Elkton, Ky., was shot when the car driven by Mr. Darden drew even with the truck. Mr. Morrow admitted firing the shots.
"What was done that day was stupid, stupid on the part of all these individuals," Mr. Morrow's lawyer, Carlton Lewis, said in closing arguments. "I submit to this court that Freddie Morrow is guilty of criminally negligent homicide and no other offense."
Three other defendants, accused of boxing in Mr. Westerman's truck, face trial later.
Using that arbitrary and vague definition, anything qualifies if a loser simply says it does: an American Flag, a cross, a fish, a Rotary sticker, a naked woman silhouette...
I don't know if this place of business is run by the bottom of the gene pool, of if it is just the a couple of losers. Good luck to their business.
Ahhhh, that right found in the penumbra to not be offended or annoyed.
Yesssss, I remember that right. </sarc>
Some people seem to believe by continuing Reconstruction forever, none will ever question the pre 1850’s slavery in the US.
I have no problem with the employer doing this so long as the employer also forces employees who drive cars with offensive bumper stickers such as “My body, my choice” or “Doing my part to piss off the religious right” park off premises as well.
Many groups stood up in the 50s and 60s and declared that the Confederate battle flag was not a racist symbol. Not only the re-enactors and the Sons of Confederate Veterans, but quite a number of just ordinary folks. They were condemning the Klan at the same time. But that's all gone down the memory hole.
Moreover, the KKKers were far more likely to fly the United States flag than the Confederate flag. Stone Mountain was Klan Central, for some reason best known to them. Any Klan function, you saw Old Glory all over the place, multiple flags - very rarely a Confederate battle flag (or naval jack if you want to get technical).
Nobody contends that the United States flag has been rendered somehow unwelcome or unusable by the activities of the Klan.
To an extent, I'm afraid you've allowed your view of the situation to be colored by the liberals and race-baiters who decided to make the Confederate battle flag an issue. They are the ones who decreed that "no one stood up for it," even though people did, and they are the ones who decreed that everyone must be offended by it.
Don't know about you, but I don't let the liberals and the haters drive my opinions.
And if "here" is that "someone's" private property I would respect that.
Is English your second language?
Putting up a flag is an activity; taking down a flag is an activity; having a flag on your vehicle is not an activity.
On the other hand, that PC management team would have their heads explode if he drove in flying the "Gay Pride" flag. Or the raised fist of "Black Power"...
Just Saying...
I wonder if they would kick out customers with the confederate flag on their t-shirts.
Perhaps you need to return to your ESL classes. Parking your car on someone else's private property is an activity. Whoever owns that property can set just about any rules they like regarding the conduct of individuals on said property.
Thanks.
I guess these days it's okay for some symbols but not others.
The company didn't open that can. They can be sued for fostering or allowing a hostile work environment.
If the truck owner is willing to walk a half-mile a day in all weather to uphold his right to be rude, I'd have to conclude that he's the one with nothing better to do.
Post of the Day!
I'll second that!
Sorry Pedro, but you lose.
He is not being harrassed for parking his car.
What flag in America hasn't been used at some point or another as a symbol of racism?
Throughout the history of the KKK, the most commonly used flag by far has been Old Glory.
If he flew the rainbow fag, er flag, he’d get a reserved space up front.
And the stars and bars is the symbol of treason.
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