06-23-2015, 12:47 PM
I think the only question currently under legislative consideration in South Carolina is whether or not the Confederate flag should continue to be flown on the grounds of the State Capitol, in any capacity, because the ideals behind its creation conflict with the ideals of South Carolina today.
But, I understand your point Jimbone. Personally, I don't think the Confederate flag should be removed from designated Civil War memorials on private, state or federal lands which don't also host activities that represent the state's present and (stated) future ideals.
If the memorial in question wasn't on State Capitol grounds (along with several other memorials, including the Revolutionary War Memorial and the African American Memorial), I don't think there would be a movement to remove the Confederate flag from it. But it is, so there's a trade-off, and it's a controversial one. This debate and call for removal didn't start with last week's mass murder at the church, not by a long shot. But, the mass murder certainly escalated the debate and put the issue on the front burner in a big way.
Anyway, attempting to erase history or diminish memory of those who lost their lives in war isn't the goal, and I don't think flying the US Flag or the South Carolina flag instead of the Confederate Flag is disrespectful to veterans or their surviving family members. However, I understand that some of those family members may well feel differently, regardless of their current political and social beliefs, and I can respect that.
But, I understand your point Jimbone. Personally, I don't think the Confederate flag should be removed from designated Civil War memorials on private, state or federal lands which don't also host activities that represent the state's present and (stated) future ideals.
If the memorial in question wasn't on State Capitol grounds (along with several other memorials, including the Revolutionary War Memorial and the African American Memorial), I don't think there would be a movement to remove the Confederate flag from it. But it is, so there's a trade-off, and it's a controversial one. This debate and call for removal didn't start with last week's mass murder at the church, not by a long shot. But, the mass murder certainly escalated the debate and put the issue on the front burner in a big way.
Anyway, attempting to erase history or diminish memory of those who lost their lives in war isn't the goal, and I don't think flying the US Flag or the South Carolina flag instead of the Confederate Flag is disrespectful to veterans or their surviving family members. However, I understand that some of those family members may well feel differently, regardless of their current political and social beliefs, and I can respect that.