Battle over Confederate images still simmering as Baldwin County steps into controversy (AL)
By John Sharp
on September 17, 2015 at 6:30 AM
updated September 17, 2015 at 6:31 AM
... In Alabama, Gov. Robert Bentley ordered the withdrawal of all Confederate-era flags from the state's grounds. Various counties and cities followed suit: The city of Mobile voted in early July to eliminate images of the Confederacy from its official seal.
But there was also a smattering of hold-outs.
Baldwin County, in fact, finds itself among a few governmental entities still wrangling over the issue.
In Montgomery, a three-member ad hoc committee was formed in July to analyze the city's flag and seal, with an eye toward dropping reminders of the Confederacy. But the committee has yet to meet and likely won't take up the issue until after city elections in early October, according to the City Clerk's office ...
http://www.al.com/news/mobile/index.ssf/2015/09/battle_over_confederate_images.html
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We are, by definition, the reddest county in the state.
There is talk of replacing the Confederate battle flag with the 'stars and bars' on the county seal.
Baldwin County seal:
Six flags have flown over the county, Spanish, French, British, Alabama, Confederate, U.S.
Trivia: The county is older than the state. It was formed as part of the original Mississippi Territory.
"The flag of Great Britain was the next flag to fly over Alabama. The middle of the 18th century saw the end of the long struggle between France and England in North America. The final contest involved nearly all the nations of Europe, and was waged by land and sea in every quarter of the world. It is known in Europe as the Seven Year's War, but in America it is called the French and Indian War.
Canada was the chief seat of the French power, and in Canada and along its borders most of the battles were fought. On January 10, 1763 the final treaty of peace was made. This treaty is known as the Peace of Paris, and Great Britain, France, Spain and Portugal were the parties to it. France ceded to Great Britain all her possessions in North America east of the Mississippi, except New Orleans."
http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/us-al-7f.html
Just learned that Alabama actually had a 7th flag (number 5 in the order), the Alabama Republic flag.
This flag was adopted for only a little over a month in Jan. and Feb. of 1861 for the period when Alabama seceded from the union to when they joined the Confederate States of America.
I'm a native Alabamian.
Born and raised here.
Grew up in Birmingham in a middle class family during the Jim Crow 40s, 50s, and early 60s.
I was much influenced by my very liberal (for her time), politically active, single mom, but still accepted as the norm, not just in the south, but nation wide, that black folks were second (or third) class citizens.
As much as a 74 year old white male southerner can, I understand the current feeling about the Confederate flag.
However (there's ALWAYS a 'however') it IS a part of our history.
North and south.
It's undeniable that southern states seceded from the union and formed their own 'confederacy'. This led to a punishing (for both sides) civil war. We cannot make that go away or disappear.
I would submit that the battle flag that is so familiar to most elicits a visceral disdain. I understand.
Possibly the national Confederate flag (pictured in a post above) elicits less emotion?
I don't know.
But the fact remains that if a county or city or state wants to show their history in the various flags that have flown over their territory, why not?
For well over 200 years the U.S. flag has flown over our country.
This is the flag that represents our nation and constitution that said 'all men are created equal, except slaves who were deigned as 3/5ths of a person but had no rights, whatsoever.
OK, got my asbestos undies on.
Flame away.
