Posted on May 24, 2020
Opinion | Why Does the U.S. Military Celebrate White Supremacy?
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MY COMMENT
Although my personal belief is that the Confederate Battle flag belongs only in a museum, thank God we have freedom of speech in these United States, which protects even the hate speech of a New York Times opinion piece. Consider the words of Gen. Ulysses S. Grant after the surrender of Confederate forces by Gen. Robert E. Lee, on April 9, 1865. He told his troops to "refrain from celebrations in the field," and that the rebels "are our countrymen again." "Our countrymen again." What a powerful and stoic statement of fact. In a war that sometimes saw brother against brother and emancipated slaves in Yankee Uniforms, effectively fighting for their lives AND their freedom, the reality was, there were no more "sides" in a conflict. We were ONE again; whole, though mending. The names Baeuregard, Benning, Bragg, Gordon, Hill, Hood, Lee, Pickett, Polk and Rucker all adorn US military installations in the UNITED States, and all appropriately so, as each of these names belong to an American. Not traitors, but true to their convictions, patriots of their day. And our countrymen again. No one said you had to forgive them should you feel personally assaulted, but none of us have the right to question their loyalty or brilliance just because they were rebels. They are not present to defend their good name against PC pirates like the New York Times. As our countrymen, they are as American as any of us. What we shouldn't tolerate is social, historical or political revisionism.
Although my personal belief is that the Confederate Battle flag belongs only in a museum, thank God we have freedom of speech in these United States, which protects even the hate speech of a New York Times opinion piece. Consider the words of Gen. Ulysses S. Grant after the surrender of Confederate forces by Gen. Robert E. Lee, on April 9, 1865. He told his troops to "refrain from celebrations in the field," and that the rebels "are our countrymen again." "Our countrymen again." What a powerful and stoic statement of fact. In a war that sometimes saw brother against brother and emancipated slaves in Yankee Uniforms, effectively fighting for their lives AND their freedom, the reality was, there were no more "sides" in a conflict. We were ONE again; whole, though mending. The names Baeuregard, Benning, Bragg, Gordon, Hill, Hood, Lee, Pickett, Polk and Rucker all adorn US military installations in the UNITED States, and all appropriately so, as each of these names belong to an American. Not traitors, but true to their convictions, patriots of their day. And our countrymen again. No one said you had to forgive them should you feel personally assaulted, but none of us have the right to question their loyalty or brilliance just because they were rebels. They are not present to defend their good name against PC pirates like the New York Times. As our countrymen, they are as American as any of us. What we shouldn't tolerate is social, historical or political revisionism.
Opinion | Why Does the U.S. Military Celebrate White Supremacy?
Posted from nytimes.comPosted in these groups: 
Confederate Flag
Confederate Flag
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 2
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I agree. Wheeler @nd other confederate officers served in the SpanishAmerican war
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I was stationed at Ramstein , West Germany from 1985 to 1989 and this is the flag that hung in my room . At one time I had 3 roommates in what was supposed to be a 2 man room . Anyway , I had at one time my roommates as follows : Black from Michigan , Mexican from El Paso , Texas and White also from Michigan . We all partied together and were brothers . We had an inspection once with the new Colonel and our Sgt Major who was from Tennessee . The Colonel told me I had to take down the flag .
My roommate from Texas had the Mexican flag over his bed and nothing was said to him . The Sgt Major turns to my Black roommate and says does the flag offend you ? He said no , Tracy and I go to the Number One Club all the time which was a predominately Black club and he is cool and can even Rap like crazy . He asked the Mexican and he said no he has his flag and I have mine , we are both cool with each other and we are on the same squad . He asked the white guy from Michigan and he said no problem , Tracy likes everyone , he is proud of his heritage and had several ancestors in the Civil War . I have 5 that fought in regiments in S.C. and N.C.
The Sgt Major looks at the Colonel and says Colonel the boy can keep his flag up , next room ! This is a picture of me and one of my friends who was from N.J. and he was half Black and half Puerto Rican . He knew more about the KKK than anyone I had ever met and he knew I was not like that and he took this picture to show his support of me and my flag . He said show this to anyone who doesn't think a Black man doesn't support your right to fly your flag ! I still keep in contact with lots of my Army brothers and miss them all .
My roommate from Texas had the Mexican flag over his bed and nothing was said to him . The Sgt Major turns to my Black roommate and says does the flag offend you ? He said no , Tracy and I go to the Number One Club all the time which was a predominately Black club and he is cool and can even Rap like crazy . He asked the Mexican and he said no he has his flag and I have mine , we are both cool with each other and we are on the same squad . He asked the white guy from Michigan and he said no problem , Tracy likes everyone , he is proud of his heritage and had several ancestors in the Civil War . I have 5 that fought in regiments in S.C. and N.C.
The Sgt Major looks at the Colonel and says Colonel the boy can keep his flag up , next room ! This is a picture of me and one of my friends who was from N.J. and he was half Black and half Puerto Rican . He knew more about the KKK than anyone I had ever met and he knew I was not like that and he took this picture to show his support of me and my flag . He said show this to anyone who doesn't think a Black man doesn't support your right to fly your flag ! I still keep in contact with lots of my Army brothers and miss them all .
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MAJ Montgomery Granger
Thank you for this amazing story. I agree with the Sgt Major - Next room! This is the beauty of America, even the colonel was not willing to be tyrannical if there was no issue. The problem is, if one of the roommates had had a problem with it, how would they have been able to safely express that? Your right to display needs to be balanced with another's right not to be offended. A commander MUST prevent anything from going on that could disrupt the units' morale. I am glad this had a happy ending!
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