Your heritage makes me sad

Recently, while driving down 27, not far outside of Oxford, I noticed the truck in front of me was sporting a “Kerry lost – get over it” bumper sticker. Also featured in the back window of this rusted out monster was a Confederate flag.

Is anyone else picking up on the irony?

Now, I’ll confess, I haven’t taken a history class for quite some time now, but I did see Gettysburg, and I am pretty sure that those states south of the Ohio River (the Mason-Dixon Line) are still part of the Union. I’m also pretty sure that the Confederacy lost the war. So, Mr. Truck Driver, maybe you should take your own advice.

Get over it.

Of course, the fact that the confederacy lost should be the least of your reasons for not displaying the Navy Jack. These reasons should be similar to those that explain why it’s generally considered socially unacceptable to go out lynching “coloreds” these days.

Mr. Truck Driver would probably say something along the lines of, “That flag doesn’t represent hate – it’s part of my heritage. My great grandpappy died fighting for that flag.”

Well, good for him – your “great grandpappy” was racist.

The Civil War, no matter how you slice it, revolved around the issue of slavery. When Abraham Lincoln and the Republican Party – the first major party committed to end the expansion of slavery – took control of the executive branch in 1861, seven states seceded. What did they all have in common? Each one was chock-full of plantations operated by slaves.

So, anyone who says they wave that flag to honor their southern heritage, or that of their ancestors, is either confused, naïve, or an idiot – or, more than likely, a combination of all three.

There are plenty of people in Germany that fought, or are related to those who fought in the German military during World War II. But do you see Hans putting around in his Volkswagen with a swastika in the back window?

Of course not, the swastika is a symbol of hate and most rational people, aside from a few lunatics, do their best to avoid association with it.

So, next time you’re thinking about slapping a Confederate flag on the tail of your car, maybe you should take it all the way. I mean, why stop there? You could hang your Klan hood from the rear view mirror and maybe even sport a chromed out burning cross hood ornament.

But then again, the South lost – so get over it.