Canadian Confederates

Interesting news article from UPI.  Very disappointing headline that a high school in Ontario Canada has banned the Confederate flag from the school as it had "become (increasingly) popular over the last two years".  Ignorance prevails north of the border in the school administration as they banned students display of the Confederate Battle Flag on clothing. But, the news report responses were outstanding in defense of the Cause and the truth of heritage. From UPI.com on Feb 24th:

High school bans Confederate flag  

SUTTON, Ontario, Feb. 24 (UPI) -- A high school in Canada has banned its students from wearing depictions of the Confederate flag because of its racist symbolism, officials said.
The Confederate flag became popular at Sutton District High School in the last two years, Dawn Laliberte, the school's principal, said.
School officials explained the flag's symbolism to students this week and then implemented the ban, the Toronto Star reported.
Most students were angry at the decision and said the school was trying to control what they wear.
"It's more about the country values, we don't think of it as racist," a student said.
The president of the Ontario Black History Society, Rosemary Sadlier, told the Star the use of the symbolism shows a lack of knowledge about history.
"What it represents is the interest of people in the Deep South to maintain a way of life that fervently and significantly was built upon and included an ongoing use of Africans as enslaved people. For that very reason alone, it is inappropriate and wrong," Sadlier said.

But the first few responses were excellent:

From Bruce:

As a Canadian who like many others had family fight for the South during the War of Northern Aggression. I am appalled at the banning of the Southern flag at your School. I assume, Maybe wrongly, That you are aware that the war was fought over States rights, not Racism. (Slavery). Maryland, Kentucky and Missouri were slave states within the Union. Thus on the same theory the Stars and Stripes should be banned as well. Most Southerners did not own slaves, nor did they care about slavery as an institution. As educators I would expect you knew this. (Apparently wrongly) Abraham Lincoln's solution prior to the Emancipation Proclamation was to deport the Slaves back to Liberia. The only thing that changed his mind was keeping England and France out of the war, not any consideration for the slaves. Many Canadians fought for the South during the war and our country under the British Empire came close to joining the south as an ally. Up to 1863. Banning the Southern flag is just pandering to Political incorrectness and is very insulting to many families who had members fighting in this war. I suggest you rethink this ban or you risk losing your respect and appearing as bigots on this issue.

And from lspan:

1. I guess the last place to show anything about history would be a school (nuts!). 2. Racism is in the eye of the beholder. If there is no racist intent, but racism is felt by others, the latter are wrong, not the former. 3. Is this REALLY the biggest problem in Ontario?

 

BRAVO!