Over the last several months the Facebook group “Southern Heritage Preservation Group” has received some attention in the blogosphere. I suspect it’s because all too often it presents an easy target to ridicule, and because some of the usual characters post in the group. On the whole I think it’s better to ignore the group, because commenting on it opens the possibility of descending to its level.
That said, I was taken aback by something that appeared on the group this morning … an image of several flags, including the CSA battle flag and the United States flag, part of a color guard dressed in Confederate uniforms. The image itself seemed unexceptional, but here are some of the comments that followed:
“Why is that Yankee rag flying?” (someone “liked” that comment)
“thats a victor flag/forceing us back into the union istead of soveran states now we are property of washington dc/look up ucc fileing it explains every thing” (remember, I’m quoting)
Now, the United States flag in question is a 50-star flag, not a Civil War-era flag.
I find this anti-flag ranting offensive. Here’s a group, always protesting about the need to defend the Confederate flag, and yet they refer to the flag of their own country in such disparaging terms, and question why it is flying. I’m sure the color guard in question saw things differently, but these ranters, who repeatedly confuse “Confederate heritage” with “Southern heritage,” seem intent on mocking their own American citizenship … and their southern heritage. Of course, that’s because the South has always been a part of American heritage; one should not confuse “the South” with “the Confederacy,” even during the Civil War; southern history is so much more than the Civil War; and the 50-star US flag these fellows attack is the flag of their country (unless they are willing to renounce their citizenship).
What do you think?
Update: Here’s more from the anti-US flag crowd:
Well, I see we have some that kow tow to the Yankee Empire’s rag, that’s truly both sad and disgusting.
You can bet I’ll be working to stop the Yankee flag from being flow at any southern organizations events, it’s long past time to put a stop to that submissive behavior on the part of any REAL Southerner. SCV, LoS, or SNC events should NEVER fly the US government’s national textile.
So, stop it, stop it now!
Interesting. Remember this the next time you hear about how we should all respect the Confederate battle flag, and how it is all about heritage, not hate.
Sure.
Crossroads 