Some of you may have seen the January 8 Letter to the Editor in the Chesterfield Observer
regarding the Chester I-95 Memorial Battle Flag.
http://www.chesterfieldobserver.com/news/2014-01-08/Opinions
Our response was printed today, along with several other excellent letters from SCV members. Here's ours...
Regarding the Jan. 8 letter “I-95 Confederate flag: legal but not wise,” I respectfully submit the following corrections and clarifications.
The flag that was raised alongside I-95 near the Old Bermuda Hundred overpass is the 3rd Bunting Issue of the battle flag of the Army of Northern Virginia, not the Stars and Bars as stated. The Stars and Bars was the name for the first national flag of the Confederacy, created in 1861, but later discontinued. The battle flag was used throughout the war and it was the flag of the Confederate soldier. The Confederate battle flag used at this location is historically accurate to honor the Confederate soldiers engaged in this area during the Bermuda Hundred Campaign.
Further, the statements made before, during and since the raising of the Chester I-95 Memorial Flag by the Virginia Flaggers made our intent and purpose perfectly clear — to pay homage to those brave Confederate veterans, who fought and died to protect Virginia’s citizens and soil. Mr. Logan’s accusations that he “knows” this to be untrue, are, at best, misguided and false, and at worse, slanderous, as he has, to my knowledge never met or known any of those who make up our group to be able to make such incendiary assumptions.
We also take exception to his claims that the Confederate battle flag is forever “tarnished” by certain hate groups that have displayed her. A cursory glance at the history of these various groups show that they have also used (and with the same frequency) the U.S. flag, the Bible and the Christian cross, just to name a few items, in their demonstrations and activities. By Mr. Logan’s logic, should these symbols also be banned, shunned and forbidden from future use? As Christians, we refuse to allow them to “hijack” our faith. As Americans, we refuse to allow them to “own” the Stars and Stripes. And as the descendants of Confederate soldiers, we will not allow them to tarnish our banner. We suggest, instead, that these people should be dealt with accordingly, based on their deeds and actions, instead of assigning blame to certain symbols they use.
Finally, Mr. Logan tosses out the inflammatory “connection” of the Confederate Battle Flag to the Nazi swastika. This analogy can only be based on ignorance or a desire to incite. At no time in its existence did the Confederate Army take part in the murder of 6 million people because of their race. Any comparison is an insult to Holocaust victims, survivors, and their families. The grandsons of the same Confederate soldiers we honor, fought and defeated the Nazi army, many of them carrying the Confederate battle flags of their grandfathers with them overseas.
Perhaps instead of lecturing us about inaccurate facts and false motives, Mr. Logan should endeavor to further his education on the War Between the States, and search his own heart for the seed of hate that would lead one to write such a letter.
Susan Hathaway
Virginia Flaggers
Read this and other letters online here: http://www.chesterfieldobserver.com/news/2014-01-29/Opinions/Blowback_on_the_Confederate_flag_issue.html
Contributions to the I-95 Memorial Battle Flag projects may be mailed to:
Va
Flaggers
Va Flaggers Upcoming Events:
Thursday, January 30th: 3:00 p.m. - Dusk, Flagging the VMFA, 200 N. Boulevard, Richmond VA
Friday, January 31st: 12:00 p.m. - Memorial Service for Va Flagger, Sgt. Cliff Troutman, Bliley's Funeral Home, 6900 Hull Street Rd., Interment 2:00 p.m., Virginia Veterans Cemetery, Amelia, VA
Saturday, February 1st: Noon - 4:00 p.m. - Flagging the VMFA, 200 N. Boulevard, Richmond VA
Tuesday, March 4th, 2014: Susan will be speaking at the March meeting of the R.E Lee Camp #1589, SCV. Dolce Vita Italian Restaurant, 2401 Colony Crossing Place, Midlothian, VA 23112. Dinner at 6:00 p.m. and meeting at 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, March 20th, 2014: Susan will be traveling to Columbia, SC to speak at the March meeting of the Lt. Gen. Wade Hampton Camp #273, SCV, Columbia SC. Seawell’s Banquet Hall, 1125 Rosewood DR. Dinner at 6:00, Meeting at 7:00.
Tuesday, March 25th: Susan will be speaking at the March meeting of the Stonewall Camp #380, SCV. Lillian's Seafood Restaurant, 1312 Geo. Washington Hwy N., Chesapeake, Virginia, 6:30 p.m. www.stonewallcamp380.com
Saturday, April 12th: Susan will be traveling to Stone Mountain, Georgia to attend the Annual Confederate Day Memorial Service.
Monday, April 14th: Susan will be the guest speaker at the April meeting of the Lt. James T. Woodward Camp #1399, Warner Robins, Georgia. Sonny's BBQ, 811 Russell Parkway, Warner Robins, GA. Supper at 6:00, meeting at 7:00.
Tuesday, April 15th: Susan will be speaking at the W. F. Jenkins Camp #690, Eatonton, Georgia. Location: Bledsoe-Greene House, located at 105 West Sumter St., Eatonton, Georgia. Dinner at 6:30, meeting at 7:00 p.m. April 19, 2014, 2014: Susan will be traveling to Quincy, FL to speak at the Confederate Memorial Day Service at the Soldier's Cemetery, sponsored by the Finley's Brigade, SCV.
Saturday, April 26th, 2014: Susan will be speaking at the Delaware Confederate Memorial Ceremony, Marvel Carriage Museum, 510 South Bedford Street, Georgetown, Delaware, Time: 11AM - 2PM
http://www.chesterfieldobserver.com/news/2014-01-08/Opinions
Our response was printed today, along with several other excellent letters from SCV members. Here's ours...
Regarding the Jan. 8 letter “I-95 Confederate flag: legal but not wise,” I respectfully submit the following corrections and clarifications.
The flag that was raised alongside I-95 near the Old Bermuda Hundred overpass is the 3rd Bunting Issue of the battle flag of the Army of Northern Virginia, not the Stars and Bars as stated. The Stars and Bars was the name for the first national flag of the Confederacy, created in 1861, but later discontinued. The battle flag was used throughout the war and it was the flag of the Confederate soldier. The Confederate battle flag used at this location is historically accurate to honor the Confederate soldiers engaged in this area during the Bermuda Hundred Campaign.
Further, the statements made before, during and since the raising of the Chester I-95 Memorial Flag by the Virginia Flaggers made our intent and purpose perfectly clear — to pay homage to those brave Confederate veterans, who fought and died to protect Virginia’s citizens and soil. Mr. Logan’s accusations that he “knows” this to be untrue, are, at best, misguided and false, and at worse, slanderous, as he has, to my knowledge never met or known any of those who make up our group to be able to make such incendiary assumptions.
We also take exception to his claims that the Confederate battle flag is forever “tarnished” by certain hate groups that have displayed her. A cursory glance at the history of these various groups show that they have also used (and with the same frequency) the U.S. flag, the Bible and the Christian cross, just to name a few items, in their demonstrations and activities. By Mr. Logan’s logic, should these symbols also be banned, shunned and forbidden from future use? As Christians, we refuse to allow them to “hijack” our faith. As Americans, we refuse to allow them to “own” the Stars and Stripes. And as the descendants of Confederate soldiers, we will not allow them to tarnish our banner. We suggest, instead, that these people should be dealt with accordingly, based on their deeds and actions, instead of assigning blame to certain symbols they use.
Finally, Mr. Logan tosses out the inflammatory “connection” of the Confederate Battle Flag to the Nazi swastika. This analogy can only be based on ignorance or a desire to incite. At no time in its existence did the Confederate Army take part in the murder of 6 million people because of their race. Any comparison is an insult to Holocaust victims, survivors, and their families. The grandsons of the same Confederate soldiers we honor, fought and defeated the Nazi army, many of them carrying the Confederate battle flags of their grandfathers with them overseas.
Perhaps instead of lecturing us about inaccurate facts and false motives, Mr. Logan should endeavor to further his education on the War Between the States, and search his own heart for the seed of hate that would lead one to write such a letter.
Susan Hathaway
Virginia Flaggers
Read this and other letters online here: http://www.chesterfieldobserver.com/news/2014-01-29/Opinions/Blowback_on_the_Confederate_flag_issue.html
Contributions to the I-95 Memorial Battle Flag projects may be mailed to:
Va
Flaggers
P.O. Box 547
Sandston VA 23150
Payable to Va Flaggers
or through
PayPal:
http://www.vaflaggers.com/i95flagdonate.html
Va Flaggers Upcoming Events:
Thursday, January 30th: 3:00 p.m. - Dusk, Flagging the VMFA, 200 N. Boulevard, Richmond VA
Friday, January 31st: 12:00 p.m. - Memorial Service for Va Flagger, Sgt. Cliff Troutman, Bliley's Funeral Home, 6900 Hull Street Rd., Interment 2:00 p.m., Virginia Veterans Cemetery, Amelia, VA
Saturday, February 1st: Noon - 4:00 p.m. - Flagging the VMFA, 200 N. Boulevard, Richmond VA
Saturday, February 1st, 2014:
Susan will travel to Statesboro, GA to speak at the Lee-Jackson Banquet, held by
the Ogeechee Rifles, Camp #941, SCV. RJ's Restaurant,
454 South Main St. (US 301 S.) @ 6 pm for the meal, preliminaries @ 7 pm and the
program immediately following. Seating limited to 125. Ticket information
forthcoming at a later
date.
Thursday, February 13th,
2014: Susan will be speaking at the February meeting of the
Armistead-Hill-Goode, Camp #749
SCV, Lois's Kitchen on Hwy 92, Chase City, VA at 6:30 pm.
Saturday, February 22nd,
2014: Susan will be speaking at the February meeting of the Rev.
Beverly Tucker Lacy Camp #2141, SCV, Fredericksburg, VA. 4:00 p.m., Perkins
Restaurant, 10 Simpson Rd.Tuesday, March 4th, 2014: Susan will be speaking at the March meeting of the R.E Lee Camp #1589, SCV. Dolce Vita Italian Restaurant, 2401 Colony Crossing Place, Midlothian, VA 23112. Dinner at 6:00 p.m. and meeting at 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, March 20th, 2014: Susan will be traveling to Columbia, SC to speak at the March meeting of the Lt. Gen. Wade Hampton Camp #273, SCV, Columbia SC. Seawell’s Banquet Hall, 1125 Rosewood DR. Dinner at 6:00, Meeting at 7:00.
Tuesday, March 25th: Susan will be speaking at the March meeting of the Stonewall Camp #380, SCV. Lillian's Seafood Restaurant, 1312 Geo. Washington Hwy N., Chesapeake, Virginia, 6:30 p.m. www.stonewallcamp380.com
Saturday, April 12th: Susan will be traveling to Stone Mountain, Georgia to attend the Annual Confederate Day Memorial Service.
Monday, April 14th: Susan will be the guest speaker at the April meeting of the Lt. James T. Woodward Camp #1399, Warner Robins, Georgia. Sonny's BBQ, 811 Russell Parkway, Warner Robins, GA. Supper at 6:00, meeting at 7:00.
Tuesday, April 15th: Susan will be speaking at the W. F. Jenkins Camp #690, Eatonton, Georgia. Location: Bledsoe-Greene House, located at 105 West Sumter St., Eatonton, Georgia. Dinner at 6:30, meeting at 7:00 p.m. April 19, 2014, 2014: Susan will be traveling to Quincy, FL to speak at the Confederate Memorial Day Service at the Soldier's Cemetery, sponsored by the Finley's Brigade, SCV.
Saturday, April 26th, 2014: Susan will be speaking at the Delaware Confederate Memorial Ceremony, Marvel Carriage Museum, 510 South Bedford Street, Georgetown, Delaware, Time: 11AM - 2PM
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