For five of the past 240 years, some form of Confederate flag flew over 11 of 34 states. Honest historians (which are increasingly hard to find) will tell you that every black person brought to this country to be sold was brought here by Northern ships flying the Stars and Stripes not the Stars and Bars, Battle flag or the State flag of Mississippi.
Not one slave under control of the federal government was freed until after the War Between the States was ended and the 13th amendment to the Constitution was passed.
The Congress could have done it at any time during the war and even “Honest Abe” the Great Emancipator refused to do it. In other words, slavery was legal in this country from its beginnings and for the duration of the war.
The only American constitution restricting the importation of slaves to the time of the 13th amendment was the Confederate Constitution, which also had term limits and required a balanced budget (not a bad idea).
Ignorance may be an excuse for the actions of arrogant and/or misguided politicians but it cannot justify the insane social engineering in process by third-rate political hacks who seemed to have hijacked our basic freedoms and protections as citizens.
The removal of the official State flag of Mississippi from so-called “city property” is an offense to every reasonably minded citizen and, in some cases, may be a violation of the “Antiquities Act of Mississippi.”
What should be removed from city property is the insane politicians, not the flag. They have arrogantly deprived you of any say in the matter and let you know loudly and clearly that they “always know what is best for you — what you think, what you say, what you eat-and how you act.” If they were prosecutors and judges, you would never get to trial. The only difference between this country and a bona-fide “banana republic” is the number of bananas consumed.
Don’t remove the flag; remove insane and third-rate politicians. At least ask them to wait until us “know-nothings” can have some reasonable discussion and dialogue about the serious matters that affect all of us as state citizens. Just call it “Sanity in Government.”
Do it for the sake of the Constitution and founding fathers. Do it before someone is “offended” by the American flag and the cowardly politicians remove it, too, from “city” property.
I’m intrigued by the vigorous discussion going on about the sale of black people 175 years ago and the lack of any serious discussion over the ongoing sale of aborted black baby parts by Planned “unParenthood.” Could it be that the most innocent black lives really don’t matter and that the flag flap is a diversion? Maybe we could compromise and place the state flag at half-staff in memory of them.
D. Presley Hutchens
Brooksville
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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