Lunelle Siegel helps her husband Bart Siegel with his tie before the beginning of the first Southern Cultural Festival, held Friday at the Channelside complex in Tampa.
Posted on 08/09/2008 9:02:39 AM PDT by Colonel Kangaroo
TEMPLE TERRACE — Bart Siegel, an outspoken advocate for the display of the giant Confederate flag near the intersection of Interstate 4 and I-75, was found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot in his Temple Terrace home Thursday.
Siegel, 50, was a Republican accountant who penned long letters to newspapers and verbally sparred with columnists.
In 2000, he announced his desire to "stir things up" by running against then-Hillsborough Clerk of the Circuit Court Richard Ake, a Democrat unopposed since 1986. Siegel lost, but kept stirring things up.
In the face of a protest, Siegel professed his love for the sport of gator hunting. He defended his boating club, the Tampa Cruis-a-Cade, amid a city lawsuit, and he often spoke out at Temple Terrace city meetings. Most recently, he became one of the loudest voices defending the Confederate flag.
Siegel wasn't even Southern.
He was born in New Jersey and raised Jewish, but married Lunelle Mizell, a fifth-generation Floridian with Confederate ancestors. He became fascinated with all things Southern, and about 10 years ago, became an associate member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans.
He lacked the lineage, said fellow member Marion Lambert. "But he had the heart and soul of a Confederate."
Siegel steadfastly maintained that the flag wasn't a racist symbol, but one of pride.
A few years ago, Siegel converted to Messianic Judaism, and attended Fowler Avenue Baptist Church. He called Lambert the day before he died, asking if he would go to church with him. Lambert couldn't make it.
The Hillsborough County medical examiner preliminarily ruled Siegel's death a suicide.
A non-political story and they put his party affiliation in the second paragraph. Gotta paint those Republicans as racists at EVERY opportunity........
Good point. His party affiliation was not relevant to this unfortunate story.
"I'm a Republican accountant."
Damn! Now I know why it wasn’t flying when I rode by there the other day.
I live in Tampa and have seen a lot of very hateful speech toward this group. I wonder what impact that had on his decision.
Very sad
Guess that makes me a Republican Systems Analyst.
Arkancide?
Link to Tampa Tribune story:
Doing that around here would guarantee smashed windows,slashed tires....and worse.
Although it might be fun driving through Harvard Square or Brookline (*proud* home of Mike Dukakis) with such a flag.
Obmacide?
Any bus tracks near his body?
RIP.
Don't ya just love the boys and girls in "the media." They really have a way with words.
It would be wrong to place Stars and Bars decals on the cars of known leftists . Funny , but so wrong .
I’m also “proud to say..”
I think Stalin called writers "engineers of human souls".
Thankfully there's still many Americans who aren't willing to be malleable metal for the "engineers" of the media.
No,I mean that if I had such a decal on *my* car I'd have my tires slashed,etc.Hell,a few years back when my Dad lived in Brookline (the *proud* home of Mike Dukakis)and I often stayed with him to help him,etc I had three Dole/Kemp bumper stickers ripped from my bumper.
“I’m a Republican accountant.”
Does that mean his numbers actually add up correctly ?
Apparent suicide, alot people disliked this man. Who is investigating????
Now that is a great point!
You should move to western Maryland/northwestern WV.
By the looks of things, we probably have more Confederate flags displayed here than Dixie did in the 1860s.
Suicide???
I’m a Republican Commercial Real Estate Broker
I have an airtight Alibi, I was hundreds of miles away at work when it happened.
I think I’m going to go with, “Hello! I’m a hard-working, Republican taxpayer.”
Sounds great but I when I introduce myself to people I need to advertise my trade so I can pay “the taxes”.
Yeah and me a Republican Professional Services consultant. lol
My thoughts exactly. We don't know it was suicide, we only know he had a gunshot wound to the temple, there are several ways that can happen without it being self inflicted.
I love the confederate flag http://cottonandsand.com/sandandcotton/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/rebel-flag-bikini.jpg
Lunelle Siegel helps her husband Bart Siegel with his tie before the beginning of the first Southern Cultural Festival, held Friday at the Channelside complex in Tampa.
If he killed himself, there is only one person responsible.
County medical examiner rules death a suicide
State Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation official Henry Marshall died of self-inflicted wounds. Mr. Marshall's bolt-action rifle was near by. Invesigators say Mr. Marshall's body had five bullet holes in his abdomen and chest, four in his back. There was blood on the side of his truck.
"He was a pretty determined fellow," said one investigator. . . .
“If he killed himself, there is only one person responsible.”
huh? they aren’t guilty of murder but your contention that they would have no impact on him is meaningless.
Yes, there is nothing that you or anyone else could do or say that would make someone kill themselves.
Oh grow up.
“County medical examiner rules death a suicide.”
This is incomplete information...was he a “Republican county medical examiner” or a “Democratic county medical examiner.” Let’s face it, medical science results can differ greatly between Republicans and Democrats. /s
Almost certainly. Western Virginia and western Maryland were Unionist strongholds.
“Yes, there is nothing that you or anyone else could do or say that would make someone kill themselves.”
That is simply not true. The seed is most likely there but there is certainly an impact by what you say to people. It can push closer or farther away.
Where are the usual comments in a story like this about how his friends say he wasn't feeling despondent, he was looking forward to some upcoming event, he didn't seem suicidal?
-PJ
Get a sense of humor pal
Obviously, Mr. Siegal had some larger problems which caused him to take his life. However, you cannot assign blame to any person or any group for his suicide.
However, if you do feel that way, you can ask the DA’s office in Tampa to file murder or manslaughter charges on the person you believe caused the suicide.
I fail to see why this man’s death is a joke.
“However, you cannot assign blame to any person or any group for his suicide.”
I wasn’t assigning blame. I said there were many hateful things said by hateful people that probably contributed to his decision.
You said that nothing anyone could say which would cause another person to take their own life. That is patently false.
I was not joking about his death. It was more of a comment about how quickly a death is determined to be suicide, i.e. many in Arkansas, or the cop, Peterson’s 3rd wife.
If you feel that way, then call the DA and ask that charges be filed.
Now, who are these hateful people that said hateful things that "contributed" to Siegel's suicide?
“If I lived in the south I’d be sure to have the Stars and Bars somewhere on my car....not because I particularly agree with the Confederacy but because it would pi$$ off commie leftists and professional victims.
Doing that around here would guarantee smashed windows,slashed tires....and worse.”
As liberal as the urban areas of the south are becoming with the influx of NE liberals there’s a good chance that would happen here as well. Then there’s the black liberation neighborhoods that take particular offense to it as well.
“If you feel that way, then call the DA and ask that charges be filed.”
You just don’t get it.
“Now, who are these hateful people that said hateful things that “contributed” to Siegel’s suicide?”
Watch the local news and you’ll see em.
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