Mon
Oct 12 2015
04:12 pm
Dear Greene County
By: Somebody

Dear Greene County,

I hear you are about to consider displaying a Confederate Battle Flag over the Greene County Courthouse. The stated intent for doing so suggests it is about marking Greene County's "heritage and loyalties." I strongly suggest that you look into the unique history of Greene County, Greeneville and its Courthouse. More than perhaps almost anywhere else in Tennessee or even possibly the entire South, the Confederate Battle Flag very specifically does not represent Greene County's historical loyalties and heritage.

In 1861, Greene County was the epicenter of Pro-Unionist activity in Tennessee, actively rejecting the Confederacy. Following the State of Tennessee's decision to secede from the Union, Greene County hosted, in its courthouse, The East Tennessee Convention, from June 17 to June 20. That convention produced a document petitioning to break East Tennessee away to form a new state which would remain a part of the Union. Ultimately Confederates from Middle and West Tennessee denied this petition and sent Confederate troops to occupy East Tennessee. The East Tennessee Conventions held in Greeneville and also in Knoxville represented the beginning of the establishment of the Republican Party (then the Party of Lincoln) in East Tennessee.

So you see, dear Greene County, flying the Confederate Battle Flag over the Greene County Courthouse would not represent Greene County's heritage and loyalties, but would instead represent the forced occupation of East Tennessee by Confederates from Middle and West Tennessee. Raising that flag would be a repudiation of the brave and bold actions of East Tennesseans that took place in the Greene County Courthouse back in 1861.

Please continue flying the Stars and Stripes, which represents Greene County's true heritage, and leave that other flag in the history books where it belongs.

Sincerely,
A Knoxville Unionist

Topics:
cafkia's picture

But but but that would make

Submitted by cafkia on Mon, 2015/10/12 - 6:56pm.

But but but that would make them lying sacks of shit and quite probably, racist sons of diseased vermin. Hey, maybe they should make a flag with that stuff on it and fly that one. (you know, as a symbol of their loyalties)

rog's picture

ASTROTURF LEGISLATION?

Submitted by rog (not verified) on Tue, 2015/10/13 - 5:23pm.

(link...)

Scroll down to "Southern Pride" and you will find part of GC Commission's legislation verbatim. Who on the Commission proposed this?

HB Greene Countian 's picture

confederate flag

Submitted by HB Greene Countian (not verified) on Wed, 2015/10/14 - 3:50pm.

i live in Greene County and you should know that not everyone supports this. I don't know anyone that does, but that just shows I know good people.
Signed,
Currently embarrassed and disgusted.

Somebody's picture

I don't doubt for a second

Submitted by Somebody on Wed, 2015/10/14 - 5:38pm.
(in reply to HB Greene Countian )

I don't doubt for a second that what you say is true. Please just make sure you and the other good people there light up your county commissioners' phone lines and in-boxes before the meeting, so that they know it's true as well.

Somebody's picture

Glad to see that you were

Submitted by Somebody on Tue, 2015/10/20 - 11:02am.
(in reply to HB Greene Countian )

Glad to see that you were right, and that Greene County continues to be in favor of the Union.

military parent's picture

confederate flag

Submitted by military parent (not verified) on Wed, 2015/10/14 - 5:58pm.

Maybe you people need to mind your own business, what Greene county wants to do is their business and not Knox county. Your county's got enough problems that you need to tend to and not another counties problems. They have the right to fly the flag if they want to, it is none of anyone's business. Their reason may or may not be the right one but they have the right to do it whether anyone else likes it or not. Everyone needs to STOP trying to stir up trouble. Just cause you don't like it is not a good reason for them not to put it up, they have every right in the world to fly that flag.It's people like you all that has caused so many problems now, you have the right to speak your mind and I respect that so have respect at their decision to fly the flag whether it is right or wrong.

Rachel's picture

you have the right to speak

Submitted by Rachel on Wed, 2015/10/14 - 6:11pm.
(in reply to military parent)

you have the right to speak your mind and I respect that so have respect at their decision to fly the flag whether it is right or wrong.

Umm, no. Everybody does have the right to speak his or her mind. Nobody has the right to have his/her decisions respected. Respect must be earned.

military parent's picture

And they have earned it...you

Submitted by military parent (not verified) on Wed, 2015/10/14 - 8:47pm.
(in reply to Rachel)

And they have earned it...you need to read ALL about Greene county. You only picked out what you wanted and nit the whole truth.

Rachel's picture

Well, you know, I used to

Submitted by Rachel on Wed, 2015/10/14 - 9:38pm.
(in reply to military parent)

Well, you know, I used to live in Greene County. Both of my sisters were born there. I went to school at Mosheim. So it's not like I never heard of the place, ya know.

I think, for the reasons I've already stated, that claiming the Confederate flag as Greene County "history" and "heritage" is more than a bit overblown. And I don't respect any government that is stupid enough to fly a flag that was once used by people fighting the United States.

YMMV.

Somebody's picture

Please rest assured that,

Submitted by Somebody on Wed, 2015/10/14 - 6:49pm.
(in reply to military parent)

Please rest assured that, should the Greene County Commission vote to display an anachronistic confederate flag at their courthouse, I will not send an occupying army to deny their will.

Just remember that when a vote in the Greene County Courthouse was held in 1861, they voted to break East Tennessee away and remain part of the Union (you know, the United States of America). The response from Nashville was to send in an occupying army.

If you are indeed a military parent, your adult child wears an American flag on his or her uniform. That's the flag I choose to honor, and this other flag is one that was raised against it. As I understand it, even Robert E. Lee said after the Civil War that things like the confederate flag should be put away and left behind. So while I promise you I won't send in an occupying army, I will still excercise my right (regonized in the United States Constitution) to take offense if the Greene County Commission chooses to display that flag in defiance of their own honorable history.

military parent's picture

I am indeed a military parent

Submitted by military parent (not verified) on Wed, 2015/10/14 - 8:53pm.
(in reply to Somebody)

I am indeed a military parent I honor both the United States flag and the Confederate flag as well as the Christian flag. And I take offense to all who put down any of those three flags. So I exercise my rights also.

Rachel's picture

I honor both the United

Submitted by Rachel on Wed, 2015/10/14 - 9:37pm.
(in reply to military parent)

I honor both the United States flag and the Confederate flag

Just curious - which one of those would you have been honoring in 1863?

Stick's picture

Hmmm...

Submitted by Stick on Thu, 2015/10/15 - 7:45am.
(in reply to military parent)

Nothing says patriotism and Christian values like treason in defense of slavery.

Dahlia's picture

As a military parent

Submitted by Dahlia (not verified) on Thu, 2015/10/15 - 7:57pm.
(in reply to military parent)

how do you justify being in favor of waving a flag that stands for succession from the United States of America? Shame on you.

Somebody's picture

Everyone needs to STOP trying

Submitted by Somebody on Thu, 2015/10/15 - 7:36am.
(in reply to military parent)

Everyone needs to STOP trying to stir up trouble.

P.S. You know, I've always found this sort of comment humorously befuddling. Greene County has survived for a century and a half without flying a confederate flag over their courthouse. Now, in 2015, a commissioner proposes putting one up. Others then object, because of the provocative, nonsensical nature of it all. Then who do you tell to "stop trying to stir up trouble"?

It reminds me of the playground bully who walks right up to some kid who had been minding his own business, pokes him and says, "Who you lookin' at? You want a piece of this?"

Stop stirring up trouble, indeed.

Sheila's picture

Greene County Resident

Submitted by Sheila (not verified) on Thu, 2015/10/15 - 7:03pm.
(in reply to military parent)

Fine. As a resident if Greene County, please believe ME when I tell you that we are not a hive mind in this county. Thousands of us are disgusted with the ridiculous and historically inaccurate claims about our "confederate heritage." And I support the writer's right, nay his responsibility, to stand up to ignorance and misinformation. If the learned do not do so, then ignorance flourishes. And I'm tired of living side by side with the worst sort of ignorance--that that is both willful and malicious. Signed, a representative of good sense that still exists even in Greene County.

Dahlia's picture

I live in Tennessee

Submitted by Dahlia (not verified) on Thu, 2015/10/15 - 7:42pm.
(in reply to military parent)

and YES, it is my business. You're not a bubble.

Ron-Anonymous's picture

Self-refuting Argument?

Submitted by Ron-Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 2015/10/16 - 6:50pm.
(in reply to military parent)

If it's nobody's business but theirs, why are you involved?

Ash Nonymous's picture

I was born and raised in

Submitted by Ash Nonymous (not verified) on Wed, 2015/10/14 - 7:50pm.

I was born and raised in Greeneville, TN and moved to Colorado as an adult. I am (up until very lately, anyway) proud of my hometown and brag about it's history for having also been the birthplace of Andrew Johnson (you might remember him as having been ol'honest Abe's VP, who later served as Presedent of these United States of America). I understand wanting to be true to our heritage, but this Knoxvillian has the right idea. That flag does not represent us. Just don't don't do it.

DisgustedAmerican's picture

only one flag

Submitted by DisgustedAmerican (not verified) on Wed, 2015/10/14 - 9:35pm.

you cannot be a patriot and a rebel. Period.

cafkia's picture

I'm not a military parent but

Submitted by cafkia on Thu, 2015/10/15 - 9:21pm.

I'm not a military parent but I am a veteran of 10 years. Normally I would appreciate traitors identifying themselves to the respectable people but, I know that a good salesman can make the worst product seem like something you want.

The Confederate simply one more misrepresented product being foisted off on an incurious public.

redmondkr's picture

Informative Map

Submitted by redmondkr on Fri, 2015/10/16 - 2:58pm.

Mello's picture

vote is in.......

Submitted by Mello on Mon, 2015/10/19 - 6:06pm.

Vote fails.......

R. Neal's picture

Yes! 20 to 1 against.

Submitted by R. Neal on Mon, 2015/10/19 - 6:31pm.
(in reply to Mello)

Yes! 20 to 1 against.

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