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An 18-year-old high schools student from Tennessee was suspended more than 40 times for wearing a T-shirt and belt buckle and other items of clothing bearing the Confederate flag. He attends Anderson High School (with only one black student), which has banned the wearing or displaying of the flag not because they believe it's racist, but because it stirs up tension. The student, Tommy Defoe, sued the school district because he says his right to free speech was violated. A mistrial was declared last week when the jury failed to reach a unanimous decision. A new trial is pending. "I am fighting for my heritage and my rights as a Southerner and an American," said DeFoe, whose great-great uncle served in the Confederate army and "died for the South" in the Civil War. In this country we are allowed to burn the American flag. People may not like it, but it's true. In this country, people wave the flag of their native country (when they aren't from America) at parades and sporting events. So if Southern whites want to wave the Confederate flag, how does it hurt black folks? It's just a flag. Or is it? Maybe for this teen, he has no connection to the meaning behind it at all. Maybe he's just being rebellious, doing it just because they say he can't. Or maybe it's a symptom of real hate. But wouldn't you rather know who your enemies are? I wish every racist would wave a Confederate flag or have some sort of mark so that I would know who I'm dealing with. What do you think? Should the flag be banned? And will banning the flag change the mentality behind it?
Posted By: Karen Hunter
Sunday, August 17th 2008 at 12:14AM
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Karen, maybe someone should EXPLAIN the meaning to him. It's a symbol of hate. If he's allowed to do this, what's next? A tee shirt with a noose on it or a swastika tatooed on someone else's forehead? Wait...how about coming to school on Halloween as a member of the KKK? Can the black student wear a tee shirt representing the Black Panthers or something that says, "Black Power" or "Fight the Power"?
It will stir up something if he gets his way. He especially shouldn't be allowed to wear it because after 40 times, there's a deep seeded connection to something dastardly there. And perhaps it HAS been explained to him and that's why he insists on wearing it.
Who knows?
Blessings...
Sunday, August 17th 2008 at 12:20AM
Dee Gray
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Is the swastika or the flag the issue? Those are just manifestations of a deeper ill. But i do agree that symbols are powerful. They do evoke emotion and they do move people. Barack's run for president has stirred up much. And I'm glad people are revealing themselves. Smoke 'em out!
Sunday, August 17th 2008 at 12:28AM
Karen Hunter
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No, Karen, what they REPRESENT is the issue (but I know you know that). LOL. Smoke 'em out indeed.
Sunday, August 17th 2008 at 12:29AM
Dee Gray
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That was a symbol of an armed attempt by a group of separatists to destroy The United States of America, the constitution and the Bill of Rights. That separation caused the death of at least 500,000 Americans, the destruction of countless cities and modes of commerce and the displacement of 6 million refugee beasts of burden(African Slaves)-.
In todays language that is the greatest Terrorist Organization ever known to the heartland of USA.
Let us as a free people express Truth; if we do we can change the World-had we talked like Muhammad Ali, 1 Million people may have been saved from destruction in Southeast Asia; and in the USA advancement into the Muslim world, if we stand up and convey the Truth, more destruction could be spared.
Let us, the beneficiaries of the Defeat of that confederated flag--give back to the Constitution and Bill of Rights our sweat and thought.
Sunday, August 17th 2008 at 9:25AM
robert powell
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Dr. Larry and Clark, way to drop the science1 Brilliant!
Sunday, August 17th 2008 at 7:38PM
Karen Hunter
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Free speech in America really isn’t all that free. You can’t yell fire or bomb in a crowed place. You can’t make subversive speak. You cannot advocate overthrow of the government.
Often, folks are allowed to claim free speech because that is an easy answer that no one calls you on. I agree that post 9/11, wearing the flag of a group that attempted to overthrow the government should be seen as harmful to the goodwill of the nation. Maybe as a people, we should start to sound the terrorist alarm bell when we are confronted with images, symbols, ideas that are harmful to use…and our nation’s goodwill.
I would suspect that the numerous terrorist monitoring law enforcement groups in America would be very interested in the activities of any person or group that was proud of the attempted downfall of America. It may take a wake-up call to get folks to see that their behaviors could be construed are hostile to the nation…and not just a symbol of rebel pride.
Sunday, August 17th 2008 at 7:57PM
Dr. Ahmad Glover
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In my opinion, I believe that the flag is offensive, however there is the right to believe in anything that you want in this country. It may not be appropriate in the classroom nor school, should the school ban the red, black and green flag or more recent the American flag in red, black and green? People like this are going to hate and cause disruption in society anyway love this person and ask God to show them the way of forgiveness and peace.
Monday, August 18th 2008 at 10:01AM
Alton Clark
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The American flag is just as racist. Yeah, I said it. The Confederate flag was the flag that the south flew during the civil war. The American flag was flown by the north. I know some of you are thinking, so how is it racist. There is a common misconception that Abraham Lincoln is a hero to blacks because he freed the slaves. That's how the history books portray it. The simple fact is when Lincoln originally freed the slaves, he only freed the slaves in the south. The civil war was not about slavery, it was about money and power. Lincoln freed the slaves in the south to try and cripple the south so it would lose the war. The Emancipation Proclamation said that the slaves in "rebellious states" were free. That did not include the northern states, and yes there were slaves in the north. If you truly look at the history of this country and its flag then you would see that it is just as bad as the confederate. The American flag is just as bad as the confederate; it's just its history is swept under the rug.
Monday, August 18th 2008 at 12:32PM
Ebone Evans
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Frankly, I disagree with this kid being able to wear this t-shirt in school, but a part of me would rather he DID wear it. At least he's being up front. THAT I CAN appeciate. At least I'll know HE hates me. (...maybe not 'hate'...just making a point).
Monday, August 18th 2008 at 12:54PM
Dee Gray
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For years and years our people have faced many discriminatory issues from racial slurs, cross-burnings, N-word, symbols, and the silent issues such as "my best friend is black" as long as you don't marry into the family..... Things like this should no longer effect us. A sign or symbol can not hurt you unless you allow it to hurt you. You have a choice in the matter of allowing things like this you upset you or hurt you. When we say we have "overcome" then act like it. How can you overcome something when it still causes an effect on you? The individuals who are really affected by this are the people who feel they have to demean, dehumanize other people by wearing it, saying it or show it in one way or the other their comments or how they feel towards another group. They are the ones with the identity problem, and they are hurting more than you with their words, symbols or actions. Realize this, you are no longer slaves, you do not work in the fields, we have gotten past the lunch counters and sitting in the back of the bus. There are other things we still have to deal with, but we have the tools (set by those before us) to handle them, and more important we have the tools to educate our young people regarding these matters. These things are history and are in the past and what is in the past does not define who we are today.
Monday, August 18th 2008 at 12:56PM
Cheryl Hendrix
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Wow... interesting. I do not believe the confederate flag should be removed. My reason for this being that this is America. He's right about his freedom of speech. Asking him to silence his opinion won't solve anything. Two wrongs don't make a right. However, there is a time and place for everything. The place and time was not taken into account by this young man and for that yes he should be punished. In closing, a person who is racist has no power over our lives; they only acquire the power we give them. They have no heaven or hell to put any one in, nor does anyone who decides to speak negativity over another individual's life. The Bible says we are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood a holy nation. We were handpicked by God. So if he thinks that we are important in his divine plan. What does it matter what man thinks?
Monday, August 25th 2008 at 9:13PM
Jenne Patterson
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