Seems that perhaps the real plain talk on the Confederate flag is not so much that it is a defining symbol of racism (though i do think it is) or that the war was about 'state's rights'. The war was about and the flag was the emblem of a group of Americans who supported slavery. (as in, 'my state wants to keep the right to own other humans, to use, abuse, store, trade, and dispose of these humans any way i deem fit.')

A swaddling of the defense of slavery in a flag or other 'historical' contexts does not improve the concepts.

The flag wasn't just a statement of the right of states to legalize slavery. It was also a symbol of high treason - armed insurrection against the United States government. Now, treason is one of those things where if you win, you're a successful revolutionary. But if you lose, you really are a traitor. The greatest mistake the Union government ever made was allowing anybody ever associated with the Confederate rebellion to ever hold political office again. In fact, the wealthiest bankrollers and highest politicians should have been permanently exiled or imprisoned. In most countries the price of high treason is death. But this didn't happen because part of the Unionist bargain was to include a hideous East Tennessee racist named Andrew Johnson as Lincoln's VP in 1864. And by May 1865 President Andrew Johnson decided that he'd rather make nice with all those planters he once hated because nothing scared him more than "negro equality." By the time the Radical Republicans took an overwhelming majority in Congress in 1867, even their military reconstruction act was not enough to stem the return of ex-Confederates to power. With terrorism and fraud, ex-Confederates forced their way back into office across the South (starting here in TN in 1869). The Confederate Battle Flag symbolizes these terrorists, traitors, slaveholders and white supremacists.

The Confederate Battle Flag symbolizes these terrorists, traitors, slaveholders and white supremacists.

Sounds like the Ron Paul campaign...

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With the possible exception of things like box scores, race results, and stock market tabulations, there is no such thing as Objective Journalism. The phrase itself is a pompous contradiction in terms.

You are the TERRORISTS

ATTACKING SYMBOLS is Terrorism in the 21st Century around the world.

Clearly, the White House is the ultimate symbol. Bin Laden's people are very interested in attacking symbols of the United States government

Symbols of government."They were attacking symbols of government." It's clear the terrorists were targeting symbols of power. (A terrorist motivation not often discussed in the ...

An Orange Hall attacked in Portadown (the 2nd such attack in the area in 24 hours... they were attacking symbols of British culture, heritage and identity…

French Symbols Under Attack In Worst-Ever Race Crisis - November 2, 2006 - The New York Sun.Terrorism | Visions of Osama bin Laden | Economist.com

It has so far concentrated on attacking symbols of the Algerian state and foreign workers. If it exploits links to the large North African diaspora in ...

WHEN YOU ATTACK A SYMBOL you attack everything of value it stands for.

Help stop terrorism of our Southern symbols in the USA, Ask your Senator to Add Confederate Southern American and the Confederate Battle Flag to the hate crime bill.

I got news for you CONFEDERATE SOUTHERN AMERICANS have rights too!

I find it very alarming to read this blog and hope that my comments get to this page because it seems to be a very one sided issue. We should allow this liscence plate to be inacted and I will tell you why. Our society has lossed discipline, become ignorant, is uneducated, and generally basis decisions on emotion rather than rational thinking. We are a victim of our prosperity and the hard work that our forefathers put in to making this country great. Our heritage should be a basis for learning and understanding. I believe that the old saying "if you do not know your history, it is bound to repeat itself," is a strong testimony as to knowing where you came from. I do not believe that every southerner should be made to feel guilty about slavery because these were the decisions of our forefathers, not ours, and they have since changed- primarily due to the actions of white America. Forgiveness is one of the hardest things in the world to grant and I think that it is high time for the black community to accept America's apology for what happened over 100 years ago. Yes, this is not politically correct- but neither is it for all of white America to feel guilty for decisions that were not our own. Let the liscence plate be inacted and hopefully we will continue to grow as a UNIFIED country through understanding our past and not letting the shortcomings of before happen again. I do not feel guilty for having Southern Heritage- not everyone in the south was evil, owned slaves, and is a racist- a consistent misconception of the confederate flag.

The Confederate flags symbolize racism and human bondage, and no official state enactment should endorse any of them.

No one in my lineage ever owned anything, much less slaves.

I used to hear this a lot, not so much any more. I think it's made up out of hope instead of fact. In the 1850s, my great-great-grandfather freed the two slaves he had inherited from his father, but I didn't learn about that until recently. It wasn't something we talked about. Most Southerners are as much in denial as I was.

Think about the sheer number of ancestors you have. It's highly unlikely that none of them owned slaves - unless they were slaves.

Liberty and justice for all.

My home

I like the idea of the plate. It gives you an easy way to identify the type of person you are dealing with.

1) They paid extra for the plate.
2) It belies both their intelligence and beliefs.

If you think about the comic statement "here's your sign....".
Well.... these people have a sign, and they even paid for it themselves.

wow where to begin,
once again you people that are against this confederate heritage license plate need to learn real history about the civil war not the naacp version.I do not have time to educate you communist liberals on here but I am sick and tired of of you supposed "tolerant" people putting down my heritage. lets see it's ok to have black,hispanic,cuban,or whatever heritage but because I happen to be white and from the south according to some of you I am automatically racist.It just goes to prove that the "tolerant" pinko commie liberals posting on here are only tolerant of people with their views. I will close with if you do not like what we do here in the south stay out we do not want you here anyway.

If freedom of speech doesn't include the rights of those we most strongly disagree with, it's not exactly a freedom, is it? I know the argument is that this is a government license plate and the people have a right to protest against allowing certain kinds of plates to be issued.

I agree partially. The people have a right to protest whatever they darn well please. But in this case, I'd disagree with the protesters. The states opened up this pandora's box by allowing non-profit groups to sell their advertising on state license plates to people who support their cause. Once that box is open, everything comes spilling out. I believe the states are in a situation where they need to either allow every NPO out there have access to the license plates or close that door altogether. A license plate is public property - same as a town square or sidwalk. It's already been established the government would be infringing on free speech to claim the authority to decide who is and who is not allowed to make use of public space for free speech purposes. What makes a vehicle license plate special?

The door's open: Confederate Flags, Hammers and Sicles, Swastikas, silhouettes of Che, Peace Signs, or big yellow smiley faces... come one come all or shut the blamed door and take all the advertising down off the tags. I'd love to see the ACLU get involved in this one. Just who does the state think it is trying to be the arbiter of which organizations are and are not deserving of making the same use of the same public property for the same overall purpose?

I imagine many contributors here are focused on the fact we're talking about a Confederate Battle Flag in this particular case. Where would you stand if the State of Tennesse permitted the National Right to Life Foundation to have a plate but refused one to Planned Parenthood? Oh yeah, they already tried to do that, right?

Put a confederat flag sticker on your car, send some money to the sons of confederate veterans or whoever. Problem solved, no government intervention or involvement required, freedom of speech protected.

If you do not like our flag go back up north. We are tired of hearing you whine about it. Southern pride is all it is about. It has nothing to do with issues that happened 150 years ago.
You have all your little clubs, organizations, and what not promoting all your issues. This counrty is going to hell in a hand basket because of all you morons that have no idea what it is about. Shut up and go home. We do not move up north and whine about the way things are.

The Confederate Flag symbolizes the South much the same way that Indiana State Flag symbolizes the Hoosier state or the Big Orange "T" flag symbolizes the Vols. People are proud of their heritage. The Confederate Flag symbolizes slavery no more than the Stars and Bars do. After all, at one time slavery was legal in the USA and slaves were owned (and bred) by some of our early presidents.

Nathan Bedford Forrest was credited with trying to get the KKK disbanded by a Congressional investigation and that there was no evidence that he founded or led the Klan. He disagreed with the increasingly violent ways of the Klan and ordered it disbanded. He was also a feared General - probably THE most feard - in the CSA, even by Grant. William Sherman was quoted as saying that Forrest was "the most remarkable man our civil war produced on either side." (Quote taken from the book April 1865 by Jay Winik.)

Soooooooo, Gonzo, I know you're big on facts. Thought you might want to know even if it's coming from a so-called ignorant, stupid racist.

He led the CSA troops at Ft. Pillow. He was cleared of war crimes.

So T. Cup says I've made errors concerning NBF and the founding of the KKK. Even if that is so, the gist of this topic is that the "stars and bars" now known at the "confederate flag" had it's current popularity originate with the racist KKK, who adopted it as their banner. Anyone dispute that?

"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro."
Hunter S. Thompson

Nobody is disputing that the KKK is (and has been) a racist and hateful organization. I've seen pictures of the KKK carrying the confederate flag. I've seen pictures of them carrying the stars and stripes also. I'm not comfortable damning the confederate flag simply because of the KKK. I don't think it's right to damn the Old South because racism existed there (and still does). It exists quite freely in places like Ohio and New York too, I can assure you.

I do think it's important to get facts straight here. NBF did lead the attack on Ft. Pillow. The union troops, numbering many blacks along with whites - taunted and dared NBF and his troops to attack. They did and they massacred the union defenders. They were equal opportunity sadists though - they executed whites and blacks. There is plenty of evidence that NBF did not order this and, in fact, stopped it.

Regarding his Klan activity, no less than the U.S. Congressional record itself in 1871 states that NBF did not start the KKK or lead it. He was given a ceremonial title but that was before it took on the ugly, racist, terrorist role. NBF - a brilliant CSA General - disowned the KKK when it turned in this direction and demanded its dismantling (which did not completely happen obviously).