<div id="RTEContent"> <div class="MsoNormal">I do not like the Confederate flag. I do not like it because it was adopted by hate groups like the Klu Klux Klan. Bigots have taken that flag, embraced it, and called it their own, and in doing so soiled it and damaged it beyond repair.<br> <br> To millions of Americans, when they see that flag, they think the supporters of it, and the bearers of it are necessarily bigots, racists, and KKK supporters. This is not the case most the time. Most the time, they are people that are proud of their southern culture and heritage.<br> <br> People from the southern <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">United States</st1:place></st1:country-region> have many things to be proud, mostly of course their food, music, and hospitality. However, slavery, Jim Crow laws, and the KKK are not among those things to be boastful. For individuals to think that Southern Culture is only about suppression of others are bigoted
themselves, for they are wrong. Let us also not forget that the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">US</st1:place></st1:country-region> flag has also sponsored slavery, slaughter of Native Indians, suppression of women, gays and lesbians, Asians, and Latin Americans, not to mention all of our wars and military aggression against other nations and peoples for the last two hundred years. The Christian cross has also been the symbol used for the slaughter of millions of innocents over thousands of years. Yet, we do not call foul when someone displays a cross or American flag. And in embracing them we do not say that we support the bad things of American and Christian history, we are saying we only support the good things about them. <br> <br> Like all symbols, the Confederate flag means different things to different people. I personally think that when you tell someone that opposes discrimination that hangs the Confederate flag to take it down,!
you are
telling them that their culture and heritage means nothing and they should be ashamed of who they are. But on the other hand, when someone puts it up, it implies to many people that the person supports bigotry and racism and that is offensive to others, particularly Black Americans. To say one is wrong for feeling the way they do about a flag or symbol will get people nowhere quickly. Everyone has the right to feel how they want to.<br> <br> My thinking is that both sides need to try and see the other side of the issue. It might also be wise for those that wish to show their Southern Pride without offending others should find a flag or symbol that represents southern history that has not been adopted and corrupted by hate groups. I think it does them a great injustice to associate themselves in anyway with a hate group, be it a flag, symbol or motto.<br> <br> Take Care,<br> <br> Donovan J <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Arnold</st1:place></st1:City!
></div>
<br> <br> <br><br><b><i>Ellen Roskovich <gussie443@hotmail.com></i></b> wrote:<blockquote class="replbq" style="border-left: 2px solid rgb(16, 16, 255); margin-left: 5px; padding-left: 5px;"> <div style=""><div class="RTE"> <div><strong>Did someone say it was illegal? </strong></div> <div><strong>Some people find the confederate flag offensive and in bad taste. It is viewed as a symbol that represents ideas that have about as much place in Moscow as does a swastika.</strong></div> <div><strong>Ellen Roskovich</strong></div> <div><strong></strong><br><br> </div></div> <div></div> <blockquote style="border-left: 2px solid rgb(160, 198, 229); padding-left: 5px; margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 0px;"><font style="font-size: 11px; font-family: tahoma,sans-serif;"> <hr color="#a0c6e5" size="1"> <div></div>From: <i>"Pat Kraut" <pkraut@moscow.com></i><br>To: <i>"vision2020"
<vision2020@moscow.com></i><br>Subject: <i>Re: [Vision2020] Flag Display Was Disturbing</i><br>Date: <i>Tue, 22 Nov 2005 20:36:36 -0800</i><br>>I did not realize it was illegal to display the confederate flag.<br>><br>><br>>----- Original Message -----<br>>From: "Tom Hansen" <thansen@moscow.com><br>>To: "'Tom Hansen'" <thansen@moscow.com>; "'Moscow Vision 2020'"<br>><vision2020@moscow.com><br>>Sent: Tuesday, November 22, 2005 4:00 PM<br>>Subject: RE: [Vision2020] Flag Display Was Disturbing<br>><br>><br>>And another thing, Visionaires -<br>><br>>It should also be noted that the Confederate flag has not only been on<br>>display at such events as detailed by members of the Irish music band<br>>Potatohead, it has also been proudly displayed during a lecture presented by<br>>Paul Kimmel at a Moscow Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors Annual<br>>Retreat conducted on August 5,
2004.<br>><br>>http://www.tomandrodna.com/notonthepalouse/Kimmell/Index.htm<br>><br>>Take care,<br>><br>>Tom Hansen<br>><br>> "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving<br>>safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in<br>>sideways, chocolate in one hand, a drink in the other, body thoroughly used<br>>up, totally worn out and screaming 'WOO HOO. What a ride!'"<br>><br>>-----Original Message-----<br>><br>>From: vision2020-bounces@moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-bounces@moscow.com]<br>>On Behalf Of Tom Hansen<br>>Sent: Tuesday, November 22, 2005 3:53 PM<br>>To: Moscow Vision 2020<br>>Subject: [Vision2020] Flag Display Was Disturbing<br>><br>> >From today's (November 22, 2005) Moscow-Pullman Daily News with a special<br>>thanks to Paul Smith (Palouse), Lisa O'Leary (Moscow), and John
Watkinson<br>>(Moscow).<br>><br>>--------------------------------------------------<br>><br>>Flag display was disturbing<br>><br>>We are members of a local traditional Irish music band, Potatohead. Though<br>>it was never entirely clear whether we were hired by Christ Church or New<br>>Saint Andrews College, we performed for dances held by some combination of<br>>these organizations for several years in the late 1990s.<br>>Twice we were hired to provide music for Fourth of July picnic/dances held<br>>in public parks, and these events included people from Christ Church, New<br>>Saint Andrews College, and Logos School.<br>><br>>In every respect, these events were precisely the sort of "social event"<br>>discussed by the recent letters to the editor by Nick Gier (Opinion, Oct.<br>>20) and Superintendent Tom Garfield of Logos School (Opinion, Nov. 9). In<br>>light of this debate, we felt that we must make public our experi!
ence at
the<br>>Fourth of July picnic held in 2000 at Ghormley Park in Moscow.<br>><br>>When we arrived at the park, the stage on which we were to play had a huge<br>>Confederate battle flag as its backdrop. We insisted that the Confederate<br>>flag be removed and received passionate arguments why this flag belonged in<br>>this event, from both adults and students. It was not until we gave them the<br>>ultimatum they could have either their Confederate flag or live music, but<br>>not both, that they agreed to remove the Confederate flag from the stage.<br>><br>>We resolved never to play for these organizations again, nor have they asked<br>>us. Contrary to Garfield's assertion in his letter that the Confederate flag<br>>is not displayed in any social occasions by these organizations, this is at<br>>least one occasion when this disturbing symbol was prominently displayed and<br>>defended.<br>><br>>Paul Smith, Palouse<br>><br>>L!
isa
O'Leary, Moscow<br>><br>>John Watkinson, Moscow.<br>><br>>Two other people also signed this letter.<br>><br>>-------------------------------------------------------------<br>><br>>Thanks again, Paul, Lisa, and John.<br>><br>>Footnote: The Confederate flag is obsolete and so is the philosophy it<br>>represents. Let's take it down and leave it on Doug Wilson's keyboard where<br>>it belongs, ok?<br>><br>>Take care, Moscow.<br>><br>>Tom Hansen<br>>Moscow, Idaho<br>><br>>"If not us, who?<br>>If not now, when?"<br>><br>>- Unknown<br>><br>><br>><br>>_____________________________________________________<br>> List services made available by First Step Internet,<br>> serving the communities of the Palouse since
1994.<br>> http://www.fsr.net<br>> mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com<br>>/////////////////////////////////////////////////////<br>><br>><br>><br>>_____________________________________________________<br>> List services made available by First Step Internet,<br>> serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.<br>> http://www.fsr.net<br>> mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com<br>>ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ<br>><br>>_____________________________________________________<br>> List services made available by First Step Internet,<br>> serving the communities of the Pa!
louse
since 1994.<br>> http://www.fsr.net<br>> mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com<br>>ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ<br></font></blockquote></div>_____________________________________________________<br> List services made available by First Step Internet, <br> serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994. <br> http://www.fsr.net <br> mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com<br>ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ<br></blockquote><br></div><p>
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