Associated Press
Wednesday, January 15, 2003; Page A03
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo., Jan. 14 -- State officials took down Confederate flags at two historic sites today after Democratic presidential hopeful Richard A. Gephardt said they shouldn't be flown anywhere.
Confederate battle flags were removed at the Confederate Memorial Historic Site and the Fort Davidson Historic Site, said Sue Holst, spokeswoman for the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. The flags will still be displayed inside the sites' visitor centers.
Over the weekend, Gephardt said: "My own personal feeling is that the Confederate flag no longer has a place flying any time, anywhere in our great nation."
Mary Still, spokeswoman for Gov. Bob Holden (D), said she called Natural Resources Director Steve Mahfood after reading a news report about Gephardt's statement.
"I told Steve it seemed to me it wouldn't be appropriate to have it flying on a flagpole, but that I didn't know all of their considerations, and I left it in his lap," Still said. The Missouri leader of a Confederate heritage organization said politicians were trying to erase state history.
"They take our tax money and then they turn around and try to destroy our heritage," said Gene Dressel, state commander of Sons of Confederate Veterans.
In Atlanta, about 300 people marched to the Capitol, demanding a statewide vote on bringing back the Georgia flag with its big Confederate emblem.
The current flag, featuring a tiny image of the Confederate emblem, was adopted in 2001 at the behest of Democratic Gov. Roy Barnes.
Barnes's successor, Republican Sonny Perdue, criticized Barnes for changing the flag without public input. Today, he said he supports a nonbinding public referendum.
Gephardt waded into the flag controversy last weekend. He said the flag flying at the Confederate Soldier Monument near South Carolina's Statehouse "is a hurtful, divisive symbol and in my view has no place flying anywhere, in any state in this country."
been flying in MO??? why is Gotfart just now complaining about it??? could it be politics??? its really getting wearisome about all the fuss over the flag, and all those gutless politicians, trying to make themselves look ood to minority voters. its a living piece of history and if some one doesn't like it don't gaze upon it.
Gephardt just screwed the pooch - big time. A lot of Southern Democrats will turn on him for this dispicable act. What's next? Expunging the word "Confederate" from America's historical sites and history books?
I vote for running Gephardt up the flag pole - by his scrawny chicken neck!!
As a registered voter in Missouri, I'm surrounded by this controversy. I've been living here since 1965 and the issue was here then. So what's new?
As a border state, MO had more than it's share of civil war battles of which the "sack of Lawrence" by John Brown's forces is one of the most noted. There's numerous sites marked with historical markers in MO where various battles occured. Strong feelings on both sides still exist, as they do in the southern states. Those historical markers, in my opinion, should be taken as a show of respect for those who died in the civil war era.
Now, almost 150 years later, politicians should not attempt to erase from our cultural history what actually happened. Most likely there's a political motive behind Gephart and other's stand who try to ban flying of the Confederate flag. If it's outlawed from being flown outside buildings why is it even legal to be flown inside? That's totally inconsistant in what they say they're trying to interpret.
Personally, I am proud to fly just the current American flag, but I dont' see any harm in flying the Confederate and/or the Union flag if that's what someone wants to do.
What about banning the flying of college banners, or pro sports banners, on peoples homes? Couldn't in-state residents be restricted to flying just one college flag, too. Who would make that decision? Would that flag change, too, each time a governor changes?
This is a totally rediculous issue as far as I'm concerned.
Location: Virginia, just outside of Washington D.C.
Posts: 3,788
Speaking of Don Adams, did you know he was a Marine and fought on Guadadal Canal (yes I know I spelled in wrong) during WWII. He was badly wounded and spent the rest of the war in rehab. At least if you can believe the A and E channel Biography series.
How the "H" can a senator make the flags come down. What a frick'n joke - he's kiss'n arss, thats all these low life pieces of shinola know how to do. Kiss someone's butt because they are the flavor of the month and screw the rest of us.
Just wish'n a whole boat load of congresspeople sinks - now that would be a good start!
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They should have stopped at "Congress shall make no law"
OK Papa G, but only because you asked for me by name.
The Confederate Battle Flag is a symbol of southern rebellion, ignorance, and hatred. The south wanted to secede due to "states rights" - in other words they didn't want to be told by the legitimate government that they couldn't have slaves. If anyone here beleives that slavery should not have been abolished, please stand up and be heard. Everything happens for a reason...and tehre's a **** good reason taht the south lost the war.
There is no longer a Mason Dixon line, there is no longer a southern rebellion, there is no longer a confederacy. If people want to remember the "good old days', let them put whatever **** flag they want in their yard out by their rusted out packard on blocks. Lets not fly a flag, that represents ignorance and hatred, in public that is not our state or national flag. We have a perfectly good national flag that represents everything good about our country. Why ruin that pride?
I am not saying to forget what happened. I'm saying show pride in the flag that represents a united states, not a divided states.
<----- Hmmm....don't know how I feel about a minority telling an entire southern race of people to throw away their flag just because they tell them too...really, I don't.
__________________ U.S. Army
1976-1979
237th Combat Engineers
Heilbronn, Germany
No slaves were ever brought to this country under the Confederate flag,only the union flag. Robert E Lee did not own slaves,Useless Grant did. (spelled correctly)
The Union and the Democratic Party were no friend to the Negro.
Many willingly served under arms to protect their land from the Northern invaders.
The States Rights issue was about far more than Slavery - actually the slaves would have been free as quickly if the war hadn't happened.
There are always two sides to the story. We Southerners see the Battle Flag as a symbol of our heritage and history. We bow up when some well-meaning but naive person or group attempts to stifle our pride in our heritage. I give no apologies - that's simply the way it is.
My flag continues to fly, alongside and just below the Stars&Stripes - as it should.
As for the Minorities - they have their "X", we have ours. 'Nuff said.
just fly plain white flags so that no-one ever gets their little feelings hurt....no wait that might be misconstrued as racist and supportive of the Klan...Can't we all just....GROW UP
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When white man found this land, Indians were running it.
No Taxes...
No Debt...
Plenty Buffalo...
Plenty beaver!
Women did most of the work.
Medicine Man free!
Indian men hunted and fished all the time!
White man dumb enough to think he could improve system like that.
"The constitutions of most of our States assert that all power is inherent in the people; that... it is their right and duty to be at all times armed." --Thomas Jefferson to John Cartwright, 1824.
I am currently reading a very good book titled America Patriots. This is a book that probably a lot more Americans should read because it covers a lot of historical events omitted from the history books. Without going into a long history lesson one of the larger issues was slavery. The southern states that existed (particularly South Carolina) even during the 1700's threatened succession from the colonies due to differences between the North’s views on all slaves being freed.
That aside, personally each individual has the right to display whatever flag he or she wants. Those who want to honor the heritage of their ancestors should be able to do so. I do however agree with the state's decision to not endorse or fly a flag that is not representative of all the citizens of the state or country. Oxford made a good point; we have a perfectly good flag which all American's can stand under, The American Flag. In fact it is the Civil War which ensured that this would be the one.
I don't feel that everyone who I see display the confederate flag is racist, but the fact is that for some it is very representative of the old South ideas on Segregation and slavery and at that point shouldn't have state endorsement. The origin of the swastika was originally not tied to hatred of the Jews but actually was a symbol of friendship or luck. It became associated with hatred during Hitler's rule of Germany. I don't think that anyone would argue that displaying that symbol to Jews or many others for that matter would evoke anything other than very negative feelings.
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"You can sleep well at night because rough men are willing to commit violent acts on your behalf" George Orwell
Confederate Flags Pulled At Historic Sites in Mo. 
HOW MANY YEARS HAS THE FLAG.... 
MORE SLAVES.................. 
