THE CONFEDERATE BATTLE FLAG WAS A SIGN OF TREASON…..RIGHT?

…The “Stars & Bars” is still seen in the Veteran’s Cemeteries of the South

 

Why has the Confederate Battle Flag been allowed to fly in US Veteran’s Cemeteries?

 

I was born in the South, but I have been interested for years in studying the War Between the States that we commonly refer to as the US Civil War.  In all that interest, I have also come to believe that the Confederate Battle Flag of that war is a flag that stands for treason. 

 

This war was started at the beginning of the great industrial revolution.  Because of it occurring during that time, it became the bloodiest and deadliest war in history.  This was the first war where thousands of soldiers were killed or maimed through the massive use of war mechanization.

 

Most Americans are not aware that as many men died during the US Civil War as were killed on both sides in the War in Vietnam.  In addition, hundreds of thousands died of disease during and after the fighting. Roughly 2% of the nation’s population, which was an estimated 620,000 men, lost their lives in the line of duty.

 

I am bringing up all this gruesome history because recently there was a debate in the US Congress about actions to restrict the display of Confederate flags at Department of Veterans Affairs cemeteries.

 

My issue with this debate was that Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA) recently offered an amendment that would ban the flying of the Confederate flag on VA cemetery flagpoles.  At the time of the debate, not one representative said one word against the amendment. This was probably due to the fact that Confederate symbols have become increasingly toxic since last year’s Charleston, S.C., massacre of nine black churchgoers.  It was then that the alleged gunman, Dylann Roof, had posed for a picture with the Confederate battle flag.

 

What is so disappointing is that even though no representative had the guts to say one word for or against the amendment, the bill did pass, but 159 House members, all Republicans but one, voted “no” on Huffman’s amendment.

 

Confederate flags currently are permitted on flagpoles in VA cemeteries on Memorial Day and on the Confederate Memorial Day. (Confederate Memorial Day is a state holiday in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina and North Carolina.)

 

Huffman’s amendment still must be approved by the Senate, so this Memorial Day, it could be the last time that rebel sympathizers can fly their “stars and bars” from flagpoles over VA graveyards. Unfortunately, Huffman’s amendment does not prohibit the small Confederate flags on individual graves as is shown above.

 

“Let’s stop pretending the Confederate flag isn’t a symbol of racism,” said Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), a strong sponsor of the bill. “The Confederate flag represents hate and intolerance and is a painful reminder of a terrible time in our history. VA cemeteries should be a place where we honor and pay tribute to American war heroes — not a place where we preserve the symbols of slavery and Jim Crow.”

 

This is all true, but the issue with the flag goes well beyond the issue of white supremacy.

 

First, when I say the flag is a sign of treason, that’s not just my opinion.

 

President Abraham Lincoln wanted the negative effects of the war to stop as soon as possible.  Therefore, Confederate soldiers were not tried for treason after the war.  However, their actions did match the constitutional definition of the crime of treason.  “Treason against the United States, shall consist in levying War against them, or in adhering to their enemies while giving them aid and comfort.”

 

Obviously, all the Confederate soldiers, and those that gave them support or aid and comfort could legally have been tried for treason.  But as I said, the president and all those in the then US Congress just wanted to get the union back to being that, “one nation under God”.  Therefore, the military was told to release the war prisoners and to just send everyone home.

 

But too many of those from the South had lost too many of their friends and family members to “live and let live” or to “forget the past”.  This has kept the Confederate Battle Flag as the absolute symbol of the treasonous deep South.

 

Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) has stated, “The Confederate battle flag is a symbol of treason.” Ellison was another sponsor of the bill.  Of Union soldiers, Ellison said, we “owe these brave Americans a solemn debt. We should ensure that the flag that their enemies carried so proudly does not fly above their graves.”

 

Rep. Huffman had added, “Confederate symbols represent opposition to the United States of America. ” Huffman also said, “Even the Southern General, Robert E. Lee recognized that all symbols of the Confederacy were symbols of treason.”

 

It must be understood that it is not only American blacks or the liberal Democrats who have a reason to oppose Confederate symbols, most American veterans do as well.

 

But I found it very interesting that the sole Democrat that voted against the amendment was a black, US Army vet, the Rep. Sanford Bishop Jr. of Georgia.

 

His comment on his “no” vote was as follows: “While as a descendant of slaves I find the Confederate flag and the history it represents deeply offensive.  I believe that the descendants of Confederate veterans should not be denied the privilege of honoring their dead ancestors two days of the year on a flagpole where their beloved are buried in mass graves.”

 

Of course, none of the Republicans contacted would comment on their “no” votes.

 

I’m sorry, but I can find no acceptance of this Representative, “descendant of slaves”, explanation for voting “no” against the Confederate Flag amendment.  The US Civil War has been over for 151 years and the union of all of the states was resumed as one union, 151 years ago.

 

And today, I find it disgusting and am appalled that Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA) has linked the opponents of the Confederate flag amendment to the Islamic State terrorist group known as ISIL.

 

Westmoreland’s legislative director had the gall to write before the vote: “You know who else supports destroying history so that they can advance their own agenda? ISIL.  Don’t be like ISIL. I urge you to vote NO.”

 

Rep. Huffman responded with, “It is shameful that two-thirds of the House Republican Caucus voted against [the amendment].  Why would anyone in Congress — let alone a majority of the governing party — still condone displays of this hateful symbol on our sacred national cemeteries?”

 

I have a very hard time in finding an appropriate answer to that question.

 

Copyright G.Ater  2016