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I am a Southerner and a Georgian by birth. I petitioned for and supported the flag change from the incorrect 1954 flag that was being touted as a Confederate flag. I am not a redneck nor am I a hillbilly and never will be.

Both are derisive terms and I personally do not wish to be a part of it.

Shucks

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As for the confederate flag, that too, has been deemed by some to be derogatory. To me, it's not hate, it's history. It is a symbol of a war that was fought on our soil. It is a symbol of the soldiers, both Union and Confederate, who fought for what they believed in. It is a symbol of all the women who lost husbands, brothers, fathers and sons.
It is a symbol reminding us that even though Georgia was ravaged by the war, it has rebuilt itself into quite a prosperous state to be proud of. I am directly descended from Civil War soldiers, just as I am directly descended from Revolutionary soldiers.
Abraham Lincoln, who was the Republican candidate for president in 1860, had been described as the one who would destroy the institution of slavery, and place the south in an inferior position in the Union. Actually, Lincoln and the Republican party only wanted to prohibit slavery in new territories. On August 22, 1862, then President Lincoln wrote a letter to a New York publisher named Horace Greeley. It said, in part: “If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves, I would do it; and if I could do it by freeing some and leaving others alone, I would also do that.” The Emancipation Proclamation did, in fact, declare free only those slaves living in territory actively rebelling against the Union. The complete abolition of slavery did not come about until the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, which came at the end of the war.

Just because a person does not agree with a war or its cause, does not mean they can change the fact that it happened. Would we allow the Viet Nam Memorial to be destroyed because so many disagreed with the war itself? If we destroy the Holocaust Memeorial, will it make it like it never happened? If we take away all the markers on the Trail Of Tears, will that bring the Cherokee people back to their lands? I think not. Just because you hide or change or remove something doesn't make it all disappear, but as I stated before, history is written by the victors. Just because the Georgia State flag has been changed, does not change the fact that the Civil War happened.

Also, since I supported leaving the flag as it was, and before I am accused of being a racist or prejudiced person, let me assure you that I am not. The best friend I have in the whole world is a black man that I went to school with. He was a pall-bearer at my fathers funeral, and he stuck by me during my time of loss better than my own blood brother. He is like a brother to me and I am in no way ashamed to be seen with him, regardless of where, or to give him a sisterly hug in the middle of a South Georgia crowd.His kids call me Aunt Scooter and he is Uncle Herk to my kids. Funny thing is, he has a Confederate Flag sticker on the back window of his Pick-up truck. He says it is there to remember his GGG Grandfather ....who fought for the Confederacy!

I SUPPORT THE TROUPS, MOURN THE LOSS OF SO MANY WHO HAVE GIVEN THEIR LIVES FOR OUR COUNTRY. THE MEMORIALS ARE SETUP AND DISPLAYED IN HONOR OF THE TROUPS WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES, NOT IN SUPPORT OF OR IN LACK OF SUPPORT OF THE WAR OR CONFLICT THAT IT REPRESENTS.
JMT DD

I moved to the south because of the history and richness of the people. I love southern ways, humor and character. including the Confederate Flag.

I can't believe how a topic can get so twisted to mold people's political agendas. Just wow!

I am a firm believer in the Confederate cause and my Condederate roots. What I get upset about is the State of Georgia Legislature adopting a bogus Condederate flag and passing it of as a Confederate flag over the Statehouse. I get equally incensed at the current group that keeps complaining about the "Condederate Battle" flag being removed in favor of the new flag which more accurately portrays our true heritage.

My Southern heritage, of which I am intensly proud, in no way makes me a redneck or hillbilly.

Rhetoric concerning what makes a redneck or hillbilly is absurd and the continuing battle over a bogus "Confederate battle flag" is equally absurd.

Shucks

I agree! But you forgot that we can run a trot line!

People in Florida have been so used to different kinds of people that they don't blink.

The only really big issue I remember was criticism of the Cubans, but only for the "I don't speak English" issue. Other than that, no one complained about their lifestyle or them wanting to change things.

The feeling that they should speak English was the big thing. Most of them did, it's just the few who didn't that made people frustrated.

I had my share of Cuban friends. By and large they are very devoted to family, value education, and are usually successful.

Wildflower

I was born in south Miami, I grew up with people from many different cultures...I see it as a gift.
I feel, Any term...used in the negative...bothers me. I don't like either of these terms if they are used in a negative way. The same as the worst word a white person can say, in my opinion,...the N word. For to me, it shows such ingnorance, and arrogance, that word makes me be ashamed to be Caucasian.

All terms are just words...It's the intent behind the term (when negative) bothers me.

I respect all people..and expect the same.

wu

Blairsville, Georgia - home in the North GA Mountains

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