An Actual History Lesson

I have seen this ridiculous meme countless times in the last month. I know that anyone who demands its history of pride and heritage has either been conditioned to believe that or is desperate to be seen as something other than racist trash. I also know, for certain, that the person who posted it is in desperate need of many history lessons. The kind of history lessons that won't be found in the new books Regressive Party politicians across the country are trying to rewrite to create this exceptionalism they try to force feed those who don't think for themselves. The kind of history lessons that don't come from memes, the most common means of far right dissemination of 'facts.' And the kind of history lessons that won't be found in a book written by Bill O'Reilly, a man who calls himself a historian but who the intelligent among us call a propagandist.

I always end any debate regarding that flag with the same question, "Would you expect to see the Nazi flag flying in Germany today?" It is the exact same thing. Nazi descendants live today. They don't leave a Nazi flag on the tombstones of their ancestors. No state or official buildings fly the Nazi flag. In fact, the flag is illegal in Germany as it is such a source of shame. Why demand that American society be less than that of the Germans?

As with all aspirations of the Confederacy, Nazis built their new society by kidnapping, forced labor and genocide. They both had the same agenda: Define, create and maintain a master race. Hitler was actually inspired by Americas treatment of its slaves and the Native Americans when he created his plans. Hitler believed innovation was a marked feature of a leading world power. He used the ideas of free labor to build German industries and believed that The Long Walk of the Navajo was a brilliant means of weeding out the Jews who would be useless to him as they could march to their prisons and if they were unhealthy, they would just die along the way.  His intent to build his ideal society drew directly from the shames America tries to forget.

The Confederate Congress initially adopted a flag which ended up creating a lot of controversy because many believed it looked too similar to the American flag, so it was promptly replaced. The second and third flags adopted both had the symbol we now associate as the Confederate flag as part of the design where only the number of stars would increase based on states joining the Confederacy. The second flag adopted had an entirely white background and the 'X' was where todays American flag has its stars. The man who designed it, William T. Thompson, called it the "White Man's Flag" because it symbolized the "supremacy of the white man." He wrote for Savannah's Daily Morning News in 1863:

"As a people we are fighting [to] maintain the Heaven-ordained supremacy of the white man over the inferior or colored race; a white flag would thus be emblematical of our cause.

The third flag was barely seen because the war ended as it was being introduced. Debating over which flag was put to use is a wasted exercise in semantics, however, as the objective of its creation was pretty much encapsulated in the quote above. (and in the fucking war itself for Christ's sake)

Hitler proudly designed the Nazi flag himself. He decided to use the traditional colors of Germany because:

"As National Socialists, we see our program in our flag. In red, we see the social idea of the movement; in white, the nationalistic idea; in the swastika, the mission of the struggle for the victory of the Aryan man, and, by the same token, the victory of the idea of creative work. (from Mein Kampf)

The swastika was meant to represent an Aryan objective to have a racial 'cleansing.' Beginning in the early 20th century German nationalists determined the Aryans of India (many hundreds of years BC) depicted a glorious tradition of superiority and, basically, rewrote their own version of history to support this premise based on Nordicism disturbingly embraced and defined by British psychologist, William McDougall, explaining a 'master race' in 1920:

"Among all the disputes and uncertainties of the ethnographers about the races of Europe, one fact stands out clearly—namely, that we can distinguish a race of northerly distribution and origin, characterised physically by fair colour of hair and skin and eyes, by tall stature and dolichocephaly (i.e. long shape of head), and mentally by great independence of character, individual initiative and tenacity of will.

The invasion was profoundly misinterpreted by Germans to define the glories of Aryan invasion where the intimidating symbol of the swastika would also serve as reminder of the dangers of spiritual and racial mixing due to close proximity of the races.

Both the Confederate flag and the Nazi flag are used today by white supremacist groups all over the world as a means of glorification and intimidation. It is not a coincidence that they have both been adopted by those with such mentalities. The flags are symbols which represent times and places where white supremacy was given a voice and an opportunity to thrive. Germany spends none of its time celebrating either that history or its soldiers. Remembrances of ours should also be left to (actual) history books.

No rational or thoughtful individual would take time with this argument and explain to me the pride they have in their ancestor who fought to enslave people and commit treason. Those who demand otherwise are free to fly that flag in their homes or in their lawns and silently tell the rest of society who they are, as any German would if they projected pride over the Holocaust. And the rest of society will shun them and diminish their voices, as we should. We are the 'land of the free and the home of the brave.' As such, we have no business glorifying those who meant to enslave others and, in a cowardly fashion, tried to secede rather than give up an entitlement to continued atrocities.

Bill O'Reilly Fanboy Gets His Turn

Sometimes I like to record the Fox cable channel with the word 'news' in its title when big things happen in politics. Maybe I'm a sadist? Or a masochist? Since I don't know the difference, maybe not. But because Obamacare was upheld by the Supreme Court yesterday I just had to see what O'Reilly had to say about it. But he wasn't on. Apparently the night before Bill O'Reilly lost his shit. He went off on the idea that the right are racists and said that America is not racist. Basically, the problem with the black community is ... the blacks. They don't have normal family units and they have shitty neighborhoods and they have shitty schools. He is not a racist by pointing that out. The left have "the gall" to point out that America is a white supremacist nation? He kept saying that. I don't remember ever having heard anyone saying that the entire nation was filled with white supremacists. I remember hearing a lot of talk about our history. Our actual history. But then, we know that Bill rewrites history for a living, so maybe he is just confused by now about which are actually the facts.

Bill had a tirade about racism so crazy that made it in the news (the point, if I am not mistaken). And then he was not at work last night. So maybe he needed a little cooling off period? Maybe he is on suspension? Maybe he is getting fired? OOOHhhh let us all start rumors, shall we? That is what he would do. Or maybe he finally got arrested for domestic violence? Who knows.

Anyway, in his absence a little mongrel named Jesse Watters filled in. He has no charisma. And he is an asshole. He talks straight out of his ass. He is perfect for this channel. In his defense for America not being a racist country he talked about a childhood memory playing with a toy of the car from the Dukes of Hazzard. He waxed poetic about his memories of the show he loved when he was growing up. He then shows a picture and says, "What is this? The General. The Robert Lee. The Robert E Lee." Right. Having been an actual fan of the show I can tell you it is called none of those. He was born in 1978. The show started in 79 and ended when he was 5. I'll bet he doesn't have too many fond memories of the show. But whatever. I just needed that moment because I hate when people bastardize childhood memories and don't know what they're talking about. Sorry. I am easily distracted.

In the first segment this asshole, Watters, speaks to Clay Cane, editor from Bet.com, and introduces him by reminding him the night before O'Reilly determined the disintegration of the black family here in America, "I know you would agree that is one of the biggest problems, if not the biggest problem. How does white supremacy create out of wedlock births in the black community?" Just take that in for a moment. Asshole.

Poor Cane tried to answer respectfully and say that there is a lot more to it and began explaining that we have a history of laws and policy that are supposed to undo the centuries of racism, slavery and Jim Crow, however all of the damage done to the community won't be miraculously erased in 50 years and by saying racism is no longer an issue while the fact of its history and maintenance are negated. Which, to all thinking people would then be answered by a, "Duh." But Watters is obviously not one of us. He replied, "You didn't answer the question of whether or not white supremacy causes African American men to not get married to women they have babies with." And then he offered him no time to respond. Again. Take a moment with that. He dismissed the man telling him that the reason we are dealing with racism is because we dismiss the discussion. This guy is perfect for this channel.

The interview then goes to the other black man on the panel, Jason Riley, a Washington Post columnist and Fox News Contributor. Watters confirms the talking points about the left scaring blacks into believing that the right are racists so they won't vote for them. (Apparently, having missed the entire discussion he just had with Mr. Cane), Riley agreed and said that racism is used by the left as a weapon to shut down debate. Again. While sitting next to the man who tried to just have a thoughtful debate.

Watters cut back into the conversation to remind Cane that we have made a lot of progress because "we have Obama and Oprah. And we gave 'them' affirmative action, the welfare state, Obamacare; all of these programs to make sure the sins of slavery have been eradicated." Cane tried to come back with discussions about gentrification but neither Watters nor Riley were letting him have it.

Watters concluded the interview by telling Cane, "people come to America from all over the world, not because its racist, but because its a great nation." Exactly. He said that to a black man who is here because his ancestors were brought to be slaves while denying both any racism in our history or our present. In the next segment he invited a nice young white woman to come on and determine whether or not she thought America was a racist society. Surprisingly, she only thinks there are racists on the left. They told us that the entire thing about Charleston was spun by the President wanting to use the race card.

And this is why my country is in the place it is. These assholes have a voice. And an audience.

A Plan to Have the Flag Down By Monday

From every interview of the Governor of South Carolina, Nikki Haley, it is clear that she has no compassion or understanding about the pain perpetuated by flying the Confederate flag atop the state house.

From this debate, her interest in removing the flag would only be compelled by the CEOs of the major corporations which call South Carolina home.

These are the top 22 large corporations in America which have a a major presence in South Carolina with a copy of their Twitter handles. You can also go to their Facebook page. You can send them a message or you can write them a letter. If enough people compel them to act they will do so. Their only interest is in maintaining their good name. And, apparently, Nikki Haley's only interest is in making these corporations happy.

If you want to forward a letter to Nikki Haley there is one here you are welcome to use.

By Monday, if these corporations are threatened by enough customers of a boycott, they will become involved. 

Please help in the effort.

Mean Progressive

Please also take a moment to sign this petition which is nearing 500,000 signatures if you have not already. The voices of Americans can be heard here.

Dear Nikki Haley: It Is Time

Dear Governor Haley:


It is common knowledge for all Americans that the Confederate flag is a symbol for racist groups. As such, one would think that it would be an embarrassment for it to be displayed publicly at a government building. Please ask yourself what the difference is, historically and emotionally, between the Confederate flag and this swastika flag. Both flags have been adopted by countless racist hate groups because of their commonalities. If that does not make sense to you, I insist you should not be representing any state or its citizens. You raised the question of your capacity to lead when you  answered in debates that removing the flag was not important to the CEOs of corporations in South Carolina. Do their opinions still hold the same weight?

State Representative Doug Brannon means to propose a bill to have the Confederate flag come down in November. That really is too long to wait. The healing cannot begin until the flag is removed from your statehouse and November is many months away.

You had a massacre in your state. Members of your community were murdered while they were praying in their church. The objective, per the assailant, was to start a race war. The hatred and racism from the time of slavery has never been addressed properly and is still a very important issue for all Americans to contend with. You dismiss the lives lost this week when you allow the very symbol adopted by racists as their flag to fly over the state house.

The insult is so much more profound when you realize that not only was one of the people who was killed, the Reverend Clementa Pinckney, the pastor of that church who had just spent an hour praying with his killer, but he was a member of the House of Representatives for the state of South Carolina. He must have had every ounce of the grace attributed to him by so many to have entered that building every day and pass that flag which represented so much pain and hate to then offer the respect to all inside. Every person inside the state house that he paid respect to had the power to return the favor by taking the flag down. It is unimaginable that they will allow it to fly now.

When you dismiss all pleas for the flags removal you disassociate yourself from a profound opportunity to begin the healing that our country has been in such desperate need to find. If it remains after the slaughter of these human beings in an event that we know to have been only an issue of race, you are perpetuating the problem and condoning not only the actions, but the mentalities behind the racist actors in our society today. They want that flag to stay up. The good-hearted and loving among us what an empathetic, thoughtful reflection to offer revelation to those with the authority to declare it time to take the flag down and respect those who were lost.

At present, your town is full of monuments and reminders to those who led the battles in attempts to maintain the ownership of other human beings. Can you not allow this massacre to be the event that makes you understand what type of pain that causes? I hear interviews of those defending their ancestors who fought in the war who demand the flag is an important reminder of their sacrifices. Would it not be prudent, at this time specifically, to consider the sacrifices of the ancestors whose lives they were fighting to remain enslaved?

The black community, too, are your citizens. And you perpetuate their suffering when you tell them that the struggles of their family are irrelevant. You condone the hatred when you fly a flag that all know is a symbol of hate in America. It is time to take it down. Today.

Most Sincerely,

All Patriotic Americans

This number of signatures on this national petition will continue to grow. I urge you to keep an eye on it. It will help document how many people are beginning to associate racism with a Republican leader who refuses to understand the importance of their role in perpetuating racism.