One thing I admire about America....

[MrRant 0]

I understand why it should be okay to have a Confederate flag and all, but part of me just feels icky about supporting that notion. Anyhow, I guess if you're a Southerner who takes a lot of pride in your heritage, then I guess it's permissible, but quite frankly, I don't know why I see so many Confederate flags in WISCONSIN. Those are just racist and ignorant jerks taking advantage of freedom of expression.

I kinda like the way the Confederate flag looks.....

[Vanhalen 0]

While we're banning flags, let's ban the American flag, since it represents a group of people committing treason against the United Kingdom. Sure, we're not run by the UK now, but they're still a strong ally, so we should honor them, right?

You know what, thats actually a great point, if I can tie it into something else, the German Chancellor was invited to the D-Day celebrations for the first time ever, surely we cant let symbols/events from sometime ago, continue to influence our thinking in the 21st century?(not that I'm saying that you should forget about these awful things, just try and forgive)

[Jobber of the Week 0]

I don't mind people who want to keep alive the memory of the Confederate soldiers. You want to name a building after a guy who happened to be fighting on the losing side of the civil war? Fine.

 

 

I have issues with people who want to keep alive the memory of the Confederacy itself.

[nl5xsk1 0]

You know what, thats actually a great point, if I can tie it into something else, the German Chancellor was invited to the D-Day celebrations for the first time ever, surely we cant let symbols/events from sometime ago, continue to influence our thinking in the 21st century?(not that I'm saying that you should forget about these awful things, just try and forgive)

I don't think it was the first time that they were invited, it was the first time that they accepted.

[Vanhalen 0]

Sorry, yep you are totally right, just bad wording there, but the sentiment is the same.

[Guest Olympic Slam]

Since I'm a Californian, I find flying the Mexican flag more offensive than the Confederate flag. Celebrating souther heritage is one thing, but flying the flag in support of another nation? I'm just not as cool with that.

[The Czech Republic 0]

Since I'm a Californian, I find flying the Mexican flag more offensive than the Confederate flag. Celebrating souther heritage is one thing, but flying the flag in support of another nation? I'm just not as cool with that.

If it's on a pole below the American flag it's permissible. If it's by itself, then it is offensive.

[Corey_Lazarus 0]

A flag's a flag. I'd hang the Portuguese and Scottish flags if I could find 'em.

[Jobber of the Week 0]

Since I'm a Californian, I find flying the Mexican flag more offensive than the Confederate flag. Celebrating souther heritage is one thing, but flying the flag in support of another nation? I'm just not as cool with that.

Is a Saint Patrick's Day parade support of another nation?

[MrRant 0]

No.

[Vern Gagne 0]

I kinda like the way the Confederate flag looks.....

So do I. It's too bad the flag was used by a country who was fighting to maintain slavery.

[Guest BobbyWhioux]

Also, I'm not so sure if I'd consider the Confederates to be guilty of treason. Does it not state in the US Constitution that the people have the right to revolt if they feel the government is not doing its job?

It does not.

 

Jefferson suggests early on in the Declaration of Independence that the governed have the right (and in fact the duty) to rise up against an oppressive tyrant who disregards the inalienable rights all people are endowed with by the creator (thus any government which tries to restrict or check them is illegitimate).

 

But the Declaration of Independance has no legal power or authority in American Government. It's a statement of Poltical Philosophy (and a rather radical one at that) written to justify in intellectual terms a rebellion that had already started. We just happen, in general, as a country, to be rather proud of it and ascribe a lot of symbolic importance to it (we use its publish date as our day of national independance -- July 4th -- for example).

 

It's Jefferson's theory and opinion. Separate and Distinct from the Constitution in every way, and with no legal authority.

[Firestarter 0]

no legal authority

As stated previously, several ratifications of the Constitution clearly and explicitly declare that "the powers granted under the Constitution, being derived from the people of the United States, may be resumed by them whensoever the same shall be perverted to their injury or oppression, and that every power not granted thereby remains with them and at their will." (The text is from Virginia's; New York's and Rhode Island's contain similar lines.) The fact that these states and others were accepted into the Union means that their specified conditions, including this one, were acceptable and satisfactory. Secession is not treason, and the dissolution of the Union and the establishment of the Confederacy was absolutely and inarguably both legal and honourable.

 

In the instant that any government is imposed by force, that government ceases forthwith to be a democracy. The will of the people is supralegal, and the Declaration of Independence has a far greater authority than any mere statutory instrument.

[Guest MikeSC]

I'm shocked nobody used the Supreme Court decision in a case involving Texas that stated that secession was unconstitutional.

-=Mike

[Firestarter 0]

Just finished watching The Blue & The Gray again. Good movie overall, but Robert Symonds is absolutely perfect as General Lee. Only appears in two scenes, but still, it was great casting for the portrayal of one of the finest men in history.

[Highland 0]

I'm shocked nobody used the Supreme Court decision in a case involving Texas that stated that secession was unconstitutional.

-=Mike

I heard about that case, wasn't it over someone claiming the US annexation of Texas was illegal and therefore was never part of the Union should be independant? Or something along those lines.

[Guest MikeSC]

I'm shocked nobody used the Supreme Court decision in a case involving Texas that stated that secession was unconstitutional.

                              -=Mike

I heard about that case, wasn't it over someone claiming the US annexation of Texas was illegal and therefore was never part of the Union should be independant? Or something along those lines.

I honestly don't remember. I heard it in a history class at college years ago.

-=Mike

[Corey_Lazarus 0]

Also, I'm not so sure if I'd consider the Confederates to be guilty of treason. Does it not state in the US Constitution that the people have the right to revolt if they feel the government is not doing its job?

It does not.

 

Jefferson suggests early on in the Declaration of Independence that the governed have the right (and in fact the duty) to rise up against an oppressive tyrant who disregards the inalienable rights all people are endowed with by the creator (thus any government which tries to restrict or check them is illegitimate).

 

But the Declaration of Independance has no legal power or authority in American Government. It's a statement of Poltical Philosophy (and a rather radical one at that) written to justify in intellectual terms a rebellion that had already started. We just happen, in general, as a country, to be rather proud of it and ascribe a lot of symbolic importance to it (we use its publish date as our day of national independance -- July 4th -- for example).

 

It's Jefferson's theory and opinion. Separate and Distinct from the Constitution in every way, and with no legal authority.

Ah, that's what I'm confusing it with. I knew it was in one of them. Picked the wrong one.

[Firestarter 0]

The Constitution does, however, make a reference to "the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Eighty seven," which could possibly be seen as offensive by the American Atheists, Moslems, and adherents of the CSEI millenial cult, so we might want to dab a bit of white-out over that part. Oh my goodness, did I just say "white-out?" I must be a racist fundamentalist Christian, and thus on the same level as Al Qaeda...

[Jobber of the Week 0]

Well, that's just life in our Anti-Christian America

[Guest MikeSC]

The Constitution does, however, make a reference to "the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Eighty seven," which could possibly be seen as offensive by the American Atheists, Moslems, and adherents of the CSEI millenial cult, so we might want to dab a bit of white-out over that part. Oh my goodness, did I just say "white-out?" I must be a racist fundamentalist Christian, and thus on the same level as Al Qaeda...

You're gonna burn for that one, Marney.

-=Mike

[Guest BDC]

The Constitution does, however, make a reference to "the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Eighty seven," which could possibly be seen as offensive by the American Atheists, Moslems, and adherents of the CSEI millenial cult, so we might want to dab a bit of white-out over that part. Oh my goodness, did I just say "white-out?" I must be a racist fundamentalist Christian, and thus on the same level as Al Qaeda...

You can have a cell next to mine. I got busted for ordering a vanilla milkshake and therefore, workin' for da' man.

[The Czech Republic 0]

Just finished watching The Blue & The Gray again. Good movie overall, but Robert Symonds is absolutely perfect as General Lee. Only appears in two scenes, but still, it was great casting for the portrayal of one of the finest men in history.

Is it true that he never got a single demerit at West Point?

[Firestarter 0]

Yep. AFAIK he's the only man in the history of the Academy to ever manage that.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

The Constitution does, however, make a reference to "the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Eighty seven,"

Was there an "omg" or "lol" anywhere nearby or were these phrases blacked out?

 

kkk -- making sure all colors get to cover up text...