It seems that a gentleman living in has Brooklyn decided to hang a novelty Confederate flag from the balcony of his 16^th floor apartment. The man who would only give the name of “Mike” has done this because he says he opposes “Political Correctness”. Mike was quoted as saying, “People who are politically correct don’t agree with that flag – It’s my one-man protest. The left likes to say they celebrate diversity, I guess that’s what I’m doing.”

“Mike insists that when he hung the Confederate flag more than a year ago, he wasn’t trying to promote racist views, but merely to show support for Southern heritage and values in a hotbed of Yankee liberalism”

According to the original article, his Yankee neighbors are none too pleased with his actions. One resident of his apartment building had the following to say.

“I want to stay far away from those people [who have Confederate flags],” said one resident of the Towers who requested anonymity. “We’re free to fly any flag we want, but I’m not crazy about it. We won the war. You should fly the American flag. It makes me feel angry and extremely uncomfortable,”

Isn’t that just like a Yankee to tell a Southerner or someone who loves the Confederate Flag what to think and do? I guess 148 years hasn’t changed their demeanor much.

Mike countered that sentiment by saying “I see other flags flying, so if they fly their flags, I’m going to fly my flag,”

It is unfortunate that Mike chose a novelty flag to display from his apartment building instead of the real Battle Flag. I am sure we could find him a proper Confederate flag to fly from his apartment building instead of some cheap nylon thing with a football mascot on it but unfortunately he didn’t give his last name or Contact info but I’m sure glad he’s making his statement! Kudos Mike, keep that flag flying and Deo Vindice!

Webmaster – GoodOldRebel.com

     MARYLAND – Earlier tonight, The Allegany County Board of Education denied an appeal by The Cumberland Historic Cemetery Organization in which it sought to provide the district schoolchildren with a brochure educating them on the many historic Confederate flags and their meanings.  

     The organization had previously been granted approval by the county’s superintendant of schools to distribute the literature and had paid for its publication out of their own funds.  The Superintendant then reneged on his approval and refused to allow the distribution of the educational brochure after they had already been delivered to the schools.  His reason for not allowing their dispersal was they were “Covered in religious symbols”.  The Board of Education also has refused to refund the organization the money it has spent to have the brochures printed.

     I can only guess that by the Superintendant’s statement that the brochure was “Covered in religious symbols” that he must have meant the pictures of the flags themselves.  Most Confederate flags contain Christian imagery! Examples of this are the famous Saint Andrew’s Cross of the Battle flag of Northern Virginia and the Roman Crosses of the Missouri Battle Flag and the flag of the 3rd Kentucky Mounted Infantry. These flags contain Christian Imagery because they are indeed Christian Flags and were carried by the armies of a nation that had declared itself to be a “Christian Nation”! The symbols were placed upon its flags to emphasize that they were fighting against what they saw as the invasion of a Godless and heathenistic Federal army that sought to impose its will upon the South.  You might have noticed by the distinct lack of God in our schools today that they unfortunately were not successful.

                                            Missouri Battle Flag

3rd Kentucky Mounted Infantry

     It is absolutely ludicrous that the Superintendant of Schools would deny the education of the counties children on this basis.  It is no different from him refusing to educate children about art history because some of the paintings contain religious imagery.  This whole thing smacks of someone looking for any conceivable excuse to back out of something they had already agreed to do.

I implore you to contact the School Board of Allegany County Maryland to let them know your opinion on this travesty of justice. 

Contact Information

Superintendant David A. Cox can be reached at 301-759-2000 or by emailing him at ”david.cox@acps.k12.md.us”.

By Calvin E. Johnson Jr.

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Originally posted on the SCV Blog

Monday, July 13th, in the year of our Lord 2009, is the 188th birthday of American legend and Southern Hero–Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest.

President Obama continued a century-old tradition, on Memorial Day, by honoring American Servicemen and women buried at Arlington National Cemetery and sending a wreath to the Confederate and Black Union soldier’s section.

Some criticized Obama for remembering the Confederate soldiers buried at section 16 but, like his predecessors, the president did the historically-correct and Patriotic thing in remembering ‘All’ American Veterans.

Almost a century earlier, on June 4, 1914, President Woodrow Wilson spoke at Arlington National Cemetery on the occasion of the unveiling of a new Confederate Monument by the United Daughters of the Confederacy. His speech echoed praise for the Confederate soldier and he received applause from a crowd of thousands that included Confederate and Union Veterans.

Will the circle, of remembering our American family, be unbroken?

Some, today, seek to ban the Confederate Battle flag, the blood-stained soldier’s banner of many hard fought battles, from Veterans Day events and the soldier’s monument at South Carolina’s State Capitol. There is also a push to ban the Confederate flag at all NASCAR races.

Some groups claim the Southern flag is offensive to Black people.

But, what do they say to Black folks who call the Confederate flag a symbol of Southern Pride like Nelson Winbush of Florida who is a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans—www.scv.org? Mr. Winbush speaks truthfully and from the heart about the War for Southern Independence, 1861-65, and of his grandfather who fought for the South. He may even ‘proudly’ show you a picture of himself, as a child, with his Grandfather, Louis Napoleon Nelson, who rode with Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest in Company M of the 7th Tennessee Cavalry and was buried with his Confederate uniform and Confederate flag draped casket.

Gen. Forrest said of the Black men who rode with him, “These boys stayed with me … and better Confederates did not live.”

You might also ask Black Southern-Historian H.K. Edgerton who marched across Dixie from North Carolina to Texas attired in Confederate uniform, carrying the Confederate flag and educating many Black and White people along the way about their Southern Heritage. Edgerton is also past president of the local NAACP Chapter in Asheville, North Carolina.

Was Gen. Forrest an early advocate for Civil Rights?

Forrest’s speech during a meeting of the Jubilee of Pole Bearers is a story that needs to be told. Gen. Forrest was the first white man to be invited by this group which was a forerunner of today’s Civil Right’s group. A reporter of the Memphis Avalanche newspaper was sent to cover the event.

Miss Lou Lewis, daughter of a Pole Bearer member, was introduced to Forrest and she presented the former general a bouquet of flowers as a token of reconciliation, peace and good will. On July 5, 1875, Nathan Bedford Forrest delivered this speech.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, I accept the flowers as a memento of reconciliation between the white and colored races of the Southern states. I accept it more particularly as it comes from a colored lady, for if there is any one on God’s earth who loves the ladies I believe it is myself. (Immense applause and laughter.) I came here with the jeers of some white people, who think that I am doing wrong. I believe I can exert some influence, and do much to assist the people in strengthening fraternal relations, and shall do all in my power to elevate every man, to depress none. (Applause.)

I want to elevate you to take positions in law offices, in stores, on farms, and wherever you are capable of going. I have not said anything about politics today. I don’t propose to say anything about politics. You have a right to elect whom you please; vote for the man you think best, and I think, when that is done, you and I are freemen. Do as you consider right and honest in electing men for office. I did not come here to make you a long speech, although invited to do so by you. I am not much of a speaker, and my business prevented me from preparing myself. I came to meet you as friends, and welcome you to the white people. I want you to come nearer to us.

When I can serve you I will do so. We have but one flag, one country; let us stand together. We may differ in color, but not in sentiment. Many things have been said about me which are wrong, and which white and black persons here, who stood by me through the war, can contradict. Go to work, be industrious, live honestly and act truly, and when you are oppressed I’ll come to your relief. I thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for this opportunity you have afforded me to be with you, and to assure you that I am with you in heart and in hand.” (Prolonged applause.) End of speech.

Nathan Bedford Forrest again thanked Miss Lewis for the bouquet and then gave her a kiss on the cheek. Such a kiss was unheard of in the society of those days, in 1875, but it showed a token of respect and friendship between the general and the black community and did much to promote harmony among the citizens of Memphis, Tennessee.

Some people have claimed that Forrest was associated with the Ku Klux Klan but he officially denied participation. He encouraged the friendly reunion of North and South and the remembrance of both the Confederate and Union Dead.

Forrest died on October 29, 1877, in Memphis, Tennessee and is buried with his wife at Forrest Park.

Lest We Forget!!

A native of Georgia, Calvin Johnson, Chairman of the National and Georgia Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans, Confederate History Month Committee—Scv.org lives near the historic town of Kennesaw and he’s a member of the Chattahoochee Guards Camp, Sons of Confederate Veterans. He is the author of the book ”When America Stood for God, Family and Country.” Calvin can be reached at: cjohnson1861@bellsouth.net