Posted on 08/04/2008 3:47:13 PM PDT by LAforme2008
Chip Witte doesn't consider himself a Rebel. He doesn't hang Dixie battle flags in his living room, nor does he wear one on the back of his leather jacket.
Yet when the Tampa motorcycle mechanic saw the world's largest Confederate battle flag unfurl above the intersection of I-10 and I-4 in June, he felt a jolt of solidarity with the lost cause and lost rights that he says the battle flag represents. "I think it's great that they're allowed to fly it," says Mr. Witte.
Despite years of boycotts, schoolyard bans, and banishment from capitol domes, the Southern battle colors are flying, higher than ever.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
As it should! It burns me that some try and say it's some how a symbol of racism.
Many who fought for the South in the CivilWar were too poor to own slaves.
No, it’s a symbol of stupidity.
“More recently, a Florida newspaper poll revealed that few drivers found the Tampa flag offensive, which surprised many officials”.
It’s a “Battle Flag”.Never know , a new one might spring up,for the same cause,”States Rights”.
Fly it high!!
These stupid people down here are fighting this war.Along with some others.
How is it a symbol of stupidity?
It’s a bit interesting since I-10 and I-4 do not intersect...
It wasn’t about slavery. It was about the rights of states versus a powerful Government having all the rights. Abraham Lincoln brought slavery into the forefront in order to get more Union troops to fight. The South was right...look at what is going on now....Mercy!!...the states lose more rights every day as the Federal government takes more. That Confederate flag represents freedom from government oppression...not slavery. My folks were dirt farmers. They owned no slaves but they fought for the Confederate States of America because they believed in the reason for succession. You can rip that flag from view but it will forever fly in my soul.
Prabably meant 95, very interesting.
The overwhelming proportion of Confederate enlisted men owned no slaves.
sometimes an “o” sounds like an “a”.”i” before “e”,except after “c”.
the Southern battle colors are flying, higher than ever.
If some people don’t want to offend any of their neighbors,they can just fly a replica of the Bonnie Blue Flag...most people don’t know what the heck it is.
I should be more specific. It’s not a symbol of stupidity, rather it just happens to be flown by stupid people for all the wrong reasons.
It is a symbol representing the rights of States flown by men unwilling to bow down to the tyranny of neither the Union nor Lincoln. It is being flown imbeciles who live on their knees and suck at the tit of federal government but pretend to be otherwise.
I've been away from FL for some time now and just to make sure that I was not forgetting some detail, I checked. You are correct sir. I-10 runs west from Jacksonville and I-4 runs SW from Daytona Beach ... Never the two to meet.
I believe that just about everyone today is proud of both sides. The Rebel flag is part of our history and should be able to be flown in the south. There are those here in this country that hate the American flag but we never take it down.
I'd imagine some 30-35% of our Freepers have direct confederate heritage. Why would you so easily insult them over their heritage? People will stand by their families much faster than embrace they PC BS...
Find some democrats to pick a fight with. Insulting fellow FReepers is hardly a worthwhile pursuit.
And well you should be. As a Northerner, I have no problem with the confederate flag. I consider it a historic symbol.
However, I do have a problem with all the Mexican flags that I see flying in California. I am proud of the history of this country.
My ancestor are mostly from Germany. I do not fly the German flag. I live in this country.
Then, the same people say that the only valid meaning of the Confederate Battle Flag is the one they have invented and believe in.
They preach tolerance yet have no tolerance for those that are different than they and their clique.
They preach diversity but are aghast when others think differently or conduct themselves differently than they.
Never flew that flag.
I have a rebel plate on the front of my truck. Screw em.
The Confederates surrendering to the Republic certainly has not benefited you or your children or your children’s children. When the Confederates surrendered, your rights were given over to the federal government. What has that gotten you? You should be shouting thank yous to the ones that tried to change how our country is governed...not insulting them because they were not successful in their attempt.
You can bite my rebel di_k.
Secession.
Never claimed to be a rocket scientist.
They may as well have. Here are your heroes, conceding defeat.
Some people beg to differ....
Read your history.
there is no Confederate flag flying at I-4 and I-95...of this I can assure you...twice per day...
A good man settin’ there.Reckon Pelosi is what you want.?
Who knows where it’s at , if it’s there at all.
Pelosi? No way. And she is relevant to the civil war how? I suppose you want the US to be two countries then. Treasonous.
Save your Confederate money - it may be the ONLY thing worth saving.
Looks like pictures of my kin from back then.
>>It’s a bit interesting since I-10 and I-4 do not intersect...<<
Only at infinity and in the minds of stupid liberals.
It was a long path.Pelosi is what you got.
It’s a free country. Anyone should be able to fly any flag they wish. It’s called free speech.
But, for the life of me, I can’t understand why people insist on intentionally alienating and offending their neighbors.
Rights do not trump good manners.
Original @ Christian Science Monitor correctly identifies the intersection as I-75 and I-10.
To me, it represents some folks who lost a war big time, and can’t get over it. ;-)
But some of us also have Union blood in our veins. Mine may have helped to take Vicksburg.
I respect the right to fly the Sucessionist battle flag, ot any of the three national flags. However, in the end they lost, and rightly so.
The Battle Cry of Freedom, by George F. Root, 1862
We are marching to the field, boys,
We're going to the fight,
Shouting the Battle Cry of Freedom
And we bear the glorious stars
For the Union and the right,
Shouting the Battle Cry of Freedom.
Chorus:
The Union forever!
Hurrah boys hurrah!
Down with the traitor, up with the star,
For we're marching to the field, boys,
Going to the fight,
Shouting the Battle Cry of Freedom!
2. We will meet the Rebel host, boys,
With fearless heart and true,
Shouting the Battle Cry of Freedom,
And we'll show what Uncle Sam has
For loyal men to do,
Shouting the Battle Cry of Freedom.
Chorus:
The Union forever!
Hurrah boys hurrah!
Down with the traitor, up with the star,
For we're marching to the field, boys,
Going to the fight,
Shouting the Battle Cry of Freedom!
3. If we fall amid the fray, boys,
We'll face them to the last,
Shouting the Battle Cry of Freedom.
And our comrades brave shall hear us
As they go rushing past,
Shouting the Battle Cry of Freedom.
Chorus:
The Union forever!
Hurrah boys hurrah!
Down with the traitor, up with the star,
For we're marching to the field, boys,
Going to the fight,
Shouting the Battle Cry of Freedom!
4. Yes, for Liberty and Union
We're springing to the fight,
Shouting the Battle Cry of Freedom.
And the vict'ry shall be ours
For we're rising in our might,
Shouting the Battle Cry of Freedom.
Chorus:
The Union forever!
Hurrah boys hurrah!
Down with the traitor, up with the star,
For we're marching to the field, boys,
Going to the fight,
Shouting the Battle Cry of Freedom!
The Confederacy is dead, your social security number is testament enough that you owe your money and allegiance to the Union. Rebel my left foot.
The flag has become a symbol of those who use race as a way to make a living. Rather than try to cure the real problems in the black community, they get all hot and bothered about a flag. Symbolism over substance. Tear a flag down, ban Dixie, and you can make people happy for a few days. Try solving drugs, gangs, teenage pregnancy, low school scores etc... that would be some real work that needs to be done. No one is speaking out save for the brave Bill Cosby and he as paid a price for his stand.
Yes, but not before the Confederates killed 360,000 of the Yankeee sons-of-bitches. Also you should remember that it took four years to defeat the southern armies. They had virtually no manufacturing capacity as opposed to the industrialized North. They had no navy and the coastline was blockaded for the majority of the war thus limiting trade and suppressing the economy. And yet they fought brilliantly for the most part and for the first three years repeatedly engaged and then defeated vastly superior Union armies. I can only hope in my lifetime that North and South will dance once more.
Live and learn.
:-)
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