My fun response on the General Lee and the Confederate flag

[JohnnyRingo]

A few years ago a NASCAR team wanted to paint a car like the Dukes Of Hazzard General Lee for a single race. I think it was sponsored by the movie company that brought out the sequel that year and it caused a minor kerfuffle when the organization insisted that there be no Confederate flag on the roof.

The cries of heritage over hate were small but predictable, even here in Ohio where a sizable West Virginia population emigrated in the 50s and 60s looking for work. Now I know WV fought for the Union side, but many descendants of those workers still use the banner to identify their redneck genes. It was one of those offspring NASCAR fans who began spouting the heritage argument at a bar that Friday night, stating he didn't understand why anyone could possibly be offended, but I was prepared.

I said that as the great great nephew of an Ohio Militia soldier during the Civil War, I would like to see a competing car with the Union battle flag painted on the roof. I'd call the car The General Sherman and festoon it with flames from bumper to bumper and the slogan "burning a trail of victories all the way to Atlanta Georgia" and see if that offended any NASCAR fans in the heart of Dixie. Although the redneck didn't get it his friend stated that he "never thought of it that way" and did the job of explaining it to him for me.

Apparently history isn't that strong a suit among some of those who fly the Stars and Bars, at least not around here.

[shenmue]

1. Ha!

[HassleCat]

2. One quibble

Good post, but the battle flag design we see these days is not the "stars and bars," even though many people call it that, and it has stars, and it has bars. The starts and bars design was the first flag of the confederacy, a design with three broad bars, and a field of seven to thirteen stars, one for each state in the confederacy.

Anyway, you raise an interesting question. Southern white people often express surprise and disbelief that black people could be offended by the display of the battle flag. It would be ice to run the little experiment you suggest, really shove it their faces and see how they react. I bet there would be plenty of violence if the southern 4th of July parades were used to commemorate the birthday of the United States of America as the union that preserved itself in the face of confederate treason.

[Fumesucker]

3. Or you could just put a flame job on one of these

Great idea, BTW...

[ThoughtCriminal]

4. Top speed 30 MPH

Still wins.