There’s nothing sinister about use of flag
For the past 30 years, Sullivan South students and alumni have proudly displayed the Confederate battle flag during sports contests involving their school. They are and always have been the Sullivan South Rebels, so carrying the Southern Cross to support their team has always been the natural and logical thing to do. They do it to support their team, not because they are racists, not because they support the institution of slavery, not because they despise people of color, but just because they support their team. They have no hidden agendas, no sinister plots, no secret pacts with any outside hate organization. The only thing they hate is to lose on the field of athletics. It is not their fault the Confederate battle flag has been hijacked in years past by those who have twisted and corrupted its true meaning. Hate organizations such as the Ku Klux Klan, Neo-Nazis, and others have stolen the flag owned by the common Confederate soldier, the vast majority of which never owned any slaves and only fought in the Civil War because their homeland was being invaded and trampled under the boot heels of Yankee aggressors.
If the battle flag offends you, you need a history lesson. Just because there has been one single complaint about Sullivan South’s use of the common Confederate soldiers’ flag at sporting events, Jack Barnes proposes to hold trial on its right to even exist. With such politically correct knee-jerk reactions, it’s no wonder Barnes finds himself a lame duck. Support South before it’s too late.
Robert R. Wilhelm
Kingsport
Rebel flag belongs at South
It amazes me that one person or group can be disturbed about something and people fall apart. Just like taking prayer out of schools. The rebel flag should be at South along with the U.S. flag. It is a symbol of our heritage. Lots of people lost lives fighting for their rights. If someone doesn’t like it, they can go home or look the other way. They probably have something in their lives everyone else might not appreciate. I’m 67, born and raised in Ohio. My mother is from Rogersville, and I’ve been here 44 years. I love the rebel flag and what it stands for. I also love the American flag and Christian flag. I agree with your editorial about the fans who embrace the rebel flag as a positive symbol. This is my feeling about the rebel flag as well.
Sandra Martin
Rogersville
‘Pride’ is used to mask prejudice
The rebel flag does not represent pride. It tells me that there are still a lot of things going on that some folks don’t want to admit, but it still exists, and we use words like “pride” to cover for it. Let’s call it what it is: prejudice. I would not like to see a black child exposed to the rebel flag because to them it represents a time when they were in bondage without a voice. Why can’t we live our lives in a way that the Almighty intended and forget who is at the top? For one day, we will all be as one — in one place or the other.
Cecilia Henderson
Kingsport
