The letter writer, Lorian Miles, said in a June 29 letter she was offended by the ads, which show a Confederate battle flag in scenes from a music video by country artist Mark Wills. "While some view the Confederate flag as a symbol of Southern pride, the vast majority of people view it as a symbol of the South's racist past," she wrote.
In the video, Wills climbs out of the car driven by the Dukes of Hazard, which has the flag painted on its roof. Eager to avoid the perennial controversy that surrounds the Southern Cross, organizers blurred it from view in commercials that aired after Wednesday.
"We thought it was the easiest way to solve the situation and move forward," said Celebrate America executive director Billy Holder, who said the letter was the only complaint he'd heard. "I think everybody will be happy with the event overall," he said.
Tallahassee city officials said the ad was changed to ensure everyone would feel welcome at the festival. For more on this story, read tomorrow's Tallahassee Democrat.
Ridiculous. censorship...we can do without it.
Florida Dixie Bump
I'm sorry, the confederate flag is not the Southern Cross; a beautiful constellation not viewable in the northern latitudes.
DTOM
Similar to Gov Jeb removimg the 2nd National from a historical flag display in Tallahassee.
Judge C.W. Tyler of Clarksville, Tenn. in 1898 wrote the following:
"A land that could forget its own sons who once took up arms and sacrificed their lives in response to its call is a land whose people must be intrinsically base; and if the cause was lost for which these sons contended, the failure to cherish their memories becomes doubly dishonorable, for their good name, having no favoring government to uphold it, must rest alone in the keeping of the men who shared their convictions and suffered defeat with them.
Upon these it devolves as a sacred duty to defend the "lost cause" against transducers, to uphold the motives of their fallen comrades, and to transmit to posterity, as worthy of emulation, the story of their virtue, their courage, and their sacrifices."
For this, as stated above, we must never forget those whom gave all for a cause they deemed honorable. And I say, "may God forever bless the Stars and Bars battle flag and those who fought beneath its banner."
The St. Andrews Cross on the Confederate Battle Flag is a beautiful symbol of gallantry, courage and honor and it will NOT be forgotten by descendants of those who fought under it.