Priceless Letter

[yippie]

This letter was published in the Paper today. Couldn't say it better myself!

Love it or leave
Who says Yankee-Americans don?t have a sense of humor? I couldn?t help but smile when I read a couple of letters to the editor concerning the proposed Confederate Heritage license plates.
One guy wrote that nobody ?goaded? the Confederate States of America into firing the first shot (letter, ? ?Peaceable? CSA?? March 9). That was a joke, right? The history I read reflects that Abe Lincoln was well aware that any attempt to resupply Fort Sumter, S.C., could lead to hostilities. Well, he did and it did.
Another good one (letter, ?An awful past,? March 9) was the guy who reckoned that only ?losers? would be associated with this tag, and, in a convoluted manner, equated the Confederate battle flag to the Nazi swastika, all while trying to dredge up some remorse over the worn specter of slavery.
It?s the same old story. Yankee-American interlopers migrate down to my beloved Southland, visit (or, God forbid, stay) and get sand in their shoes, and wrongfully assume they?re now ?native? and free to poke their arrogant snoots into affairs that don?t concern them.
Issues such as this tag proposal are best dealt with by locals who belong here and have a heritage that can be traced beyond Ellis Island.
I am a proud American by birth but a Southerner by the grace of Providence, and I strongly implore anyone ? Yankee-American or otherwise ? who feels uncomfortable in my beloved Florida to haul their discontented carcasses back north to whatever odious stretch of overtaxed, polluted real estate they hail from. God bless America.
? PHIL PIPPINS
Holt

 

[beachpirate]

Amen

 

[iqueequeg]

You should consider that whatever the confederate flag means to you, to black Americans, it represents an ugly stain in American history that remains extremely painful. I don?t understand why you would knowingly want to offend 10% of the population.

Ugly sentiments on the order of ?go back where you came from? aren?t helpful and don?t add anything productive, but I don?t suppose that was the intent.

 

[Mango]

This letter was published in the Paper today. Couldn't say it better myself!

I have to say that I am quite offended, surprised and disappointed Yippie that you feel that way while I sit here on my 3 acres of suburban sprawl, especially in light of the fact that this Yankee has been sympathetic to you.

 

[Teresa]

while that letter was a tad rude on several levels, I get the message. not necessarily approve it, but understand its meaning. the confederate flag car tag issue brings out many different feelings and opinions.. and has different meanings, symbolic and historic, for southern folks. I still feel if someone wants to have a confederate symbol on the back of their car, or anywhere else for that matter, well then they ought to have it.

I am sorry it will offend others. and because I am sensitive to this, I would never choose to have it on my car. but that is my choice.

 

[John R]

i could not put one on my vehicle either. I'm not sure if this plate has been approved yet, but personally I feel the state should drop it due to all the controversy associated with it. I understand it is a symbol of historical pride for some, but it represents hurt, embarrassment, and suffering for many more. It is more a negative symbol than a positive, imo.

 

[Teresa]

mangy dahling, I believe yippie was posting an interesting letter. not meant to offend anyone on either side of the issue. its a letter about having so many people from different parts of the world move into our territory and trying to change it, as if it was not perfect to start with! well, I for one can relate. But, change is inevitable as we've all learned. especially when you live in a paradise on the emerald coast that attracts so many. the folks from all over coming into our little piece of the world bring amazing diversity - and that makes it all worthwhile, imo. (but, I can relate to the letter in my own little southern rednecky way).

 

[Smiling JOe]

You should consider that whatever the confederate flag means to you, to black Americans, it represents an ugly stain in American history that remains extremely painful. I don’t understand why you would knowingly want to offend 10% of the population.

Yes, it is a sensitive subject, but seeing only the perspective of black Americans, is about as narrow focused as seeing only the southern heritage perspective. Hundreds of thousands of Southern ancestors were killed, flying that flag, so if you think these ancestors aren't offended when people tell them that the Flag is hateful toward black Americans, you have another thing coming.

I know of at least 5 of my ancestors who went off to fight in the War, and never came back. I don't fly the Flag, but I can understand why some people, other than racists or bigots, choose to fly it.

 

[ShallowsNole]

While the Confederate flag may be a hurtful symbol for some even today, many of us have ancestors who fought for, and died for, the Confederacy or, simply, "the South."

When I see the Confederate flag, that is who I think of. And the fact that while you might not agree with *all* aspects of the Civil War, part of our nation was fighting with another part of our nation - and if you made your home in a southern state, you didn't switch sides. You just didn't.

 

[sandybanks]

Yes, it is a sensitive subject, but seeing only the perspective of black Americans, is about as narrow focused as seeing only the southern heritage perspective. Hundreds of thousands of Southern ancestors were killed, flying that flag, so if you think these ancestors aren't offended when people tell them that the Flag is hateful toward black Americans, you have another thing coming.

I know of at least 5 of my ancestors who went off to fight in the War, and never came back. I don't fly the Flag, but I can understand why some people, other than racists or bigots, choose to fly it.

Sometimes it is better to say it with a song!


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