Flag Flap: Confederate Flag Controversy Keeps Students From Attending Commencement
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Karla Hult, KARE11-TV (Minneapolis), June 5, 2008
They say they’re just “good ol’ boys” who, like the song goes, were “never meaning no harm.” But three Bloomington Kennedy seniors were not allowed to attend their commencement Wednesday night after bringing a Confederate flag to school on Tuesday.
“We’re all big fans of the Dukes of Hazard,” said Dan Fredin, who was suspended, along with Joe Snyder and Justin Thompson. “It’s just us showing we have our own style and we aren’t going to conform to whatever anyone else thinks.”
{snip}
The boys argue they never took the flags off their trucks, but they admit they brought them to the school.
Officials asked the students to remove the flags. Eventually, all three students were suspended for three days—which, in this case, included graduation.
Officials say a Student Code of Conduct prohibits behavior that may provoke or offend other students.
“We are very clear that the Confederate flag is a symbol of hatred, bigotry and racism,” said Rick Kaufman, the Executive Director of Community Relations at Bloomington Kennedy High School.
{snip}
But the students argue the punishment doesn’t fit the crime. They say they show the flag as a sign of rebellion, not racism.
“The confederate army was in rebellion to the U.S. Army who were about money and power,” Fredin said. “We never took it as racial or anything like that.”
Meantime, the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota said the students would likely not have a case in court.
{snip}
The three students will still receive their diplomas. Already they have plans for next year, which for two of them, includes serving in the U.S. military.
(Posted on June 6, 2008)
Comments
They should contact SLRC ,Black Mountain NC I believe . Oh yes they do have a case and one worth fighting for . The ACLU has an anti-Southern agenda (your taxes help support this organization) . Our local ACLU lawyer never tires of attacking the South .
Posted by at 6:08 PM on June 6
“Officials say a Student Code of Conduct prohibits behavior that may provoke or offend other students.”
Unless they’re white, then it’s o.k.
Posted by Robert Kelly at 6:23 PM on June 6
Seems to me these kids have got their heads on straight. They didn’t lose anything by not going to the commencement ceremonies. they graduated anyway. The two joining the service will get good weapons training.
Tom Iron…
Posted by Tom Iron at 6:34 PM on June 6
Why is it so hard to understand that southern folks have the right to fly the Stars and Bars? Nobody has the right to infringe upon their rights. I live in the north and I fly the Confederate battle flag myself. Anybody doesn’t like it? TOUGH!!
Posted by at 7:11 PM on June 6
As we all know, the War Between the States was fought over state’s rights, not slavery. And this “Rebel Flag” is not even the full Confederate flag. So the problem is…?
Posted by gg at 7:19 PM on June 6
Somehow, I think this policy on “offensive” symbols is a single-edged sword. As far as the ACLU, if it were black power symbols, I wonder if they would be so hesitant?
Also, I think the school administrators have an ulterior motive for being mad at these students — after 13 years of matriculating through their public school system, the anti-white and anti-Southern brainwashing didn’t work on them.
Posted by Question Diversity at 9:04 PM on June 6
Isn’t it interesting that the American Civil Liberties Union, which defends every kind of prohibited behavior under the sun, quickly washed its hands of the three high school boys and their Confederate Battle Flags? And if we are going to prohibit any behavior or display that might conceivably offend someone in public, doesn’t that mean that freedom of speech is dead in this country? After all, the old saying is, “Your freedom of speech ends where my nose begins.” It’s not, “Your freedom of speech ends whenever and wherever you are within view or hearing of me.”
Posted by Wayne Engle at 10:21 PM on June 6
I hope those kids that wanted to join the military are careful what they say as they could well be denied entrance to the armed services if someone decides to push the issue. The sooner they are out of the news the better for them as the Federal government is not known for its tolerance of whites who express any loyalty or pride in their own race.
Posted by Enough at 10:37 PM on June 6
“We are very clear that the Confederate flag is a symbol of hatred, bigotry and racism,” said Rick Kaufman, the Executive Director of Community Relations at Bloomington Kennedy High School.
——————
Another so called “educator” who is apparently not only clueless about American history, but also has partaken in marxist kool aid known as multiculturalism.
The entire outcome would have been totally different if those kids were black and brought african flags or even communist flags to school. You wouldn’t have heard anything about it because it would not have been an issue at all.
The military of this nation does not deserve these boys. Why fight for a country that hates you?
Posted by at 10:44 PM on June 6
“We are very clear that the Confederate flag is a symbol of hatred, bigotry and racism,” said Rick Kaufman, the Executive Director of Community Relations at Bloomington Kennedy High School.
Is this some sort of sardonic bad joke?
A high school actually has its own Grand High Inquisitor of Thought Police.
I would not be surprised if this neo-Gestapo agent makes a cool $75,000 per annum courtesy of the taxpayers.
Posted by Sissy White at 11:04 PM on June 6
The students got off scott free. Not being able to attend graduation is nothing compared to the persecution I expected them to receive. If everyone was this impervious to punishment for not behaving PC, the USA would be a lot more fun place to live.
Posted by Lost in Paradise at 12:06 AM on June 7
“Meantime, the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota said the students would likely not have a case in court.”
Of course not! That was a given.
“Already they have plans for next year, which for two of them, includes serving in the U.S. military.”
Isn’t that ironic. Two of these boys are willing to make what is certainly nowadays a Life Threatening decision to go join - of all things - the U.S. Military! The military descendant of the very army which ILLEGALLY invaded and destroyed the South and is now ILLEGALLY in Iraq and planning on ILLEGALLY attacking Iran! It would seem their initial bravery has now taken a back seat to sheer stupidity!
Posted by at 12:09 AM on June 7
I would think they had a case if it was based on the truth and the schools evidense that the flag is a symbol of hatred,bigotry and racism since the truth is the flag was never about any of those things. It has been through anti-southern propaganda for the last 100 yrs. As far as the aclu they are nothing but a communist front like many others like the splc and adl. Another case of change/take away all their past and they will have no future!
Posted by Billy at 12:45 AM on June 7
I would be willing to bet that there are other flags of other countries displayed in this school as I have seen in any school mu sons attended in the past. And the Muslim attire in schools may be considered offensive to Christians for that matter, so what to do? what to do?
Posted by Skip at 3:52 AM on June 7
“We are very clear that the Confederate flag is a symbol of hatred, bigotry and racism”
Wow.
Great.
Can we buy these in England?
Posted by Geoff Miller at 4:59 AM on June 7
The Confederate flag was a symbol for hatred and racism?
For the record, the Confederate flag was the symbol of a perfectly legitimate secession movement, ignited by fears of coming states rights violations by the Federal government, fears which were confirmed by the Emancipation Proclamation. There is no prohibition in the constitution against secession, and in fact a number of states joined the union with the specific proviso that if they didn’t like the arrangement they were free to reclaim their independence. New York, for example, that hotbed of slavery, insisted upon that condition when joining.
It’s doubtful that one in a hundred, perhaps one in five hundred, Johnnie Rebs owned slaves. It also seems doubtful that they were fighting for the right of their more moneyed and genteel fellow southerners to own slaves. If so, they fought mighty well and effectively for four years. One might speculate that they were fighting for their homes, their towns, their states, and most of all their families, to remain free of a distant and tyrannical northern government.
Sounds like a re-run of the whole thing might be a good idea today.
Posted by john at 10:57 AM on June 7
“We are very clear that the Confederate flag is a symbol of hatred, bigotry and racism”
I live in Georgia. Many Minnesotans were in the army which invaded my state in 1864. These foreign invaders waged war against the civilian population. They burned, pillaged and plundered.
When this Minnesotan lectures about hatred, I think about the Stars and Stripes, the flag carried by his people when they were committing war crimes against mine.
Comment on a comment:
“Why is it so hard to understand that southern folks have the right to fly the Stars and Bars? Nobody has the right to infringe upon their rights. I live in the north and I fly the Confederate battle flag myself. Anybody doesn’t like it? TOUGH!!
Posted by at 7:11 PM on June 6”
If this person is displaying the Battle Flag he is not displaying the Stars and Bars. These are different anf quite distinct flags.
Posted by GB at 11:32 AM on June 7
Yes, Geoff Miller; you can mail-order them from the United States Flag Store’s website. The correct page is http://www.united-states-flag.com/hifl.html
A quick Google search led me to the site; doubtlss there are many others.
Posted by Michael C. Scott at 12:22 PM on June 7
The Principal is BLACK.
The State is liberal to the point of worshiping Obama.
It is also 95% Caucasian, but liberal Lutherans and Episcopalians.
Not two days earlier, Obama had his ‘victory party’ in Minneapolis, and the idiots here were falling all over themselves.
So, NO. This was never a part of the South, the boys were seeing the stars and bars as a ‘rebellion’ thing, and the Administration, in true Bolshevik fashion, has done EVERYTHING they could to MUZZLE free speech.
The bigots in the School Admin. should lose their jobs.
This is Fascism of the Left, pure and simple. and it is prevalent from Kindergarten on up. We should know. We took our kids OUT of this district!
Posted by Fr. John at 1:11 PM on June 7
Rick Kaufman: How intolerant of you,if it had be a Mexican or Zimbabwean flag you would have celebrated their diversity.
Posted by S at 3:34 PM on June 7
I checked the school’s website (Bloomington Kennedy High School in Bloomington Minnesota)and the principal who suspended the the young men is a dumb, black, ex-pro-football player named Ron Simmons, who apparently isn’t smart enough to be trusted to speak to the media on his own, so this Kaufman character does all the talking for him, while Simmons does the dirty work in the back office. I say Simmons is dumb because of what he writes about himself in the website, pay attention to the last sentence:
“For the previous four years I served as the principal of North High School. Prior to that, I was an administrator at both suburban and alternative schools, and played football in the NFL. I am a husband and proud father of two beautiful young ladies.”
I guess he married his two daughters!! That’s very wrong of you Principal Simmons—who let you you graduate from high school with grammar (or morals!)like that?
Ignorant recycled pro football player’s picture can be viewed at:
http://www.bloomington.k12.mn.us/indschool/jfk/administration.htm
The Confederate Flag is a symbol of Freedom and Support for the Constitution, those three students know more about history than this dunce principal, see their statements in CNN report online at: http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2008/06/05/hult.confederate.flag.kare?iref=videosearch
Posted by John Dougherty at 4:07 PM on June 7
Malcome X was a big racist and I see black kids wearing his shirt to school. DOUBLE STANDARD
Posted by at 4:37 PM on June 7
They should have flown a Tricolor Northwest American Republic flag. When people ask what country that flag represents, we get a chance to explain the realities of demographic warfare, i.e “it’s where the White people are moving.”
Posted by Wild Eyed Charlie at 4:52 PM on June 7
The whites in the United States are now a minority group, when one considers the upcoming generation of young people these three students are a part of. Up to now, “white bashing” in the form of trashing our past and traditions has been accepted because there was seen to be “white privilege”, not only by minority groups but by most whites themselves, thus it was easy to brainwash most of them into feeling guilty and ashamed about their past, especially the Confederate past in the South.
But if all are now minorities in the U.S., as is the case of the most recent generation of youngsters, then the whites are going to have to start thinking as a minority group, as the other minority groups do. This will mean having political leaders and organizations ready to defend them and organize protests. We need to start playing “hardball” just as the other minority groups do, and in the case of this incident it should have meant protests on the part of white parents, letters to the school board, and finally some white politicians to give a news conference to defend the right of these students to have free speech.
When will that day come, since it obviously hasn’t arrived yet?
-when the economic situation gets bad enough to allow many more whites to “see the writing on the wall” as far as their endangered future, and I think such a situation may result when an attack on Iran is arranged by the “powers that be” in the upcoming months and gasoline prices hit the stratosphere so as to trigger a deep recession or even depression.
Posted by Paul Jones at 4:59 PM on June 7
Two of these fine young people have joined the military and are planning on “fighting for our freedom” yet they are treated like this? The treatment of what WAS considered to be First Amendment protected activity by the local PC commissars is a disgrace and abomination. If this innocent action by these kids causes them “problems” with military recruiters eager to give waivers to felons and gangstas, then they should elect NOT to join.
Posted by fire eater at 5:14 PM on June 7
Kaufman-a name with an interesting history. During WW2,
there was the Kaufman Plan to castrate all German men so as to
wipe the German people out of existence. Now this isn’t as bad,
but Rick Kaufman did psychologically castrate those three young
men by excluding them from their graduation-an act of petty and
wanton cruelty by anyone’s estimation.
Posted by Eric the Red at 7:12 PM on June 7
Hey….I think I’ll buy me a nice big confederate flag shirt….I already have one that is in the colors of Italy it says ” FBI and under that it says full blooded Italian…hummm think I should go to that school with that shirt on???? I might get deported to Italy and save some money, I’ll go on taxpayers money.
Posted by lydia at 10:13 PM on June 7
At my house, we proudly fly the Stars and Bars.
Although I am a dyed in the wool Southerner, I was brought up to respect my country and “Old Glory” as well. That respect wanes a little more every day, as more and more stories like this are published.
Posted by Aunt Bea at 1:22 AM on June 8
The basic problem is that the MSM, along with other anti-white groups have transformed our symbols into “hate symbols”. To do this they have violated every cannon of scholarship and objectivity for the confederate flag, and the confederate battle flag historically were never used as symbols of anti-black racism. At the time of its creation, the vast majority of whites in both the North and South regarded blacks as an inferior race with many northern states banning them entirely. The confederate flag represented the government of the Confederacy. The government of the Confederacy was one with a constitution superior to the US constitution which was much more faithful to the original US constitution than the federal constitution as perverted by Lincoln and his cronies. What did it stand for? It stood for states rights, the constitutional right of the states to leave the union when it became a threat to their existence, and for the rights delineated in the original US constitution.
If you wish to destroy a group, one of the most effective means is to make that group’s symbols illegitimate. As far as the South is concerned, this has been accomplished with amazing speed during the last 20 years. The effect is to stifle discussion, since those who wish to honor their ancestors by preserving their history are immediately stripped of the right to do so. The manipulation and distortion of symbols of the Confederacy is simply a means of falsifying history and insuring that an entire section of the country and its white inhabitants are branded as evil racists. Those who dare to oppose the enforced orthodoxy are immediately punished and held up to public scorn. Do not expect help from organizations like the ACLU which are essentially anti-white in nature. One might just as well depend upon the Southern Poverty Law Center to defend free speech.
The only solution that I can see, is to continue displaying symbols of the confederacy, and its battle flag as this serves two purposes: firstly it is a rightful recognition of a great cause and secondly it forces those who oppose such symbols to attempt to explain the grounds for their opposition which may in some cases lead to a real discussion of issues which the Left would rather not address.
One should never forget, that the contemporary attack on the confederate flag is really an attack on all of white America, both North and South, and it should always be understood in those terms.
Posted by at 10:22 AM on June 8
“the contemporary attack on the confederate flag is really an attack on all of white America, both North and South, and it should always be understood in those terms.”
This is not true. It’s simply about creating a hate-free zone. They spend just as much time castigating expressions whites find offensive in order that whites could never be intimidated either.
Posted by Mr. Pibb at 11:32 AM on June 8
One of the White bus-girls I work with here in Minneapolis is a Senior at Kennedy High Scrool. I asked her what things were like there after the flag incident.
She said that they usually spend the last few days in thier classes having study time for final exams. This time however, instead of being allowed to study for exams, all thier class time was devoted to “discussions” on race in America. From what she told me it sounds like these “discussions” were the usual one-sided Black=Good, White=Bad indoctrination.
She says she stood up for the boys in class, was called racial ephitets by some black girls and nearly got suspended herself for the privledge.
She says now none of the black kids will even speak to any of the White kids (except to hurl rascist insults) and it is the White kids, and Only the White kids being admonished for the hostility. This seems to have riled a lot of the White kids that had previously been pretty neutral when it came to blacks.
Sounds like a few young White minds were awakened by the brave actions of these Three young men, or rather, the Re-action of the blacks and the school administration.
Maybe there is hope for this generation yet?
James.
Posted by Formerly (James from NOLA) at 1:15 PM on June 8
Malcom ” X ” hats were the black racist student’s hat-red of choice and schools everywhere allowed this ” hate crime ” message to go on unabated ; as mentioned by someone else earlier, ” double standards ” against original Americans, aka, white Europeans.
Posted by Michigan Patriot at 7:18 AM on June 9
“…They spend just as much time castigating expressions whites find offensive in order that whites could never be intimidated either….”
Posted by Mr. Pibb at 11:32 AM on June 8
Give some examples.
In the school district I work for, I constantly see T-shirt proclaiming ‘Brown Power.’ And no one says a word, ever.
How long do you think I would retain my job and pension were I to show up in a shirt that proclaimed ‘White Power’?
I also saw a teacher in a shirt that said ‘I’m Proud to Be Black.’
Again, how fast would I lose my professional licenses if I were to wear a shirt proclaiming ‘I’m Proud to Be White’?
I also see see, every day, racist La Raza posters, Black ‘Nation’ flags, Malcolm X paraphanalia, along with the ridiculous ‘It’s a Black Thing: You Wouldn’t Understand.’ These things are inside the schools, everywhere.
How long would a White kid live were he to wear a shirt with a picture of Isaac Newton procaliming: ‘It’s a White Thing: You Wouldn’t Understand’?
I have never, not once seen any pro-White messages or action anywhere, in fact, it is quite the opposite—anti- and White-hatred is the order of the educational-industrial complex.
So again, give examples of what you proclaim.
Bon
Posted by BonBon at 9:41 AM on June 9
Maybe we should ALL follow the example of these courageous teens and stop letting a minority of sociopathic, psychopathic misfits dictate to us what is and is not acceptable.
Let’s have some come up with a bumper sticker of the Stars ‘n’ Bars and the caption: WE HONOR THE HEROES WHO FOUGHT UNDER THIS FLAG. NOR DO WE THEREBY DISHONOR THOSE WHO FOUGHT UNDER THE UNION FLAG! Then diplay it with pride on our cars, and everywhere. Let the miserable whining Black losers find something new to cry about.
Posted by Fed Up at 2:59 PM on June 9
the contemporary attack on the confederate flag is really an attack on all of white America, both North and South, and it should always be understood in those terms.”
This is not true. It’s simply about creating a hate-free zone. They spend just as much time castigating expressions whites find offensive in order that whites could never be intimidated either.
Posted by Mr. Pibb at 11:32 AM on June 8
Who exactly are “they”? If you mean the MSM, as in my post, then you are simply wrong. The MSM is ultra-sensitive about any expression or symbol that might in any way offend the sensitivity of blacks, such as nooses, confederate symbols, you name it, if there is a way to possibly construe it as demeaning to blacks, the MSM will do so. They do not act in the same manner when it comes to symbols which whites may find offensive. I personally as a white personal find the Nation of Islam and all its symbols offensive. In the same way I find the NAACP and all of its symbols offensive. I personally find it offensive when blacks write and see songs which make explicit reference to murdering whites. In none of these cases, and there are a great deal more that could be stated, has the MSM ever attempted to sanctions such groups and their symbols because they may cause offense to whites. In fact the active principle of the MSM is that anything which does cause offense to whites, is ipso facto good and should be promoted. There is no symmetry here and you are simply very wrong.
Posted by at 5:57 PM on June 9
The tragedy here is that we as a people keep condoning the idea that sending our best and bravest to the military is somehow honorable.
Lets see…
We’ll stick to the Civil War and after.
The Civil War,
Over 600,000 white males killed. For what?
World War 1,
Over 10,000,000 white males killed. For what?
World War 2,
Over 20,000,000 white males killed. For what?
Korean War,
Over 33,000 white males killed. For what?
Vietnam war,
Over 58,000 white males killed. For what?
In not one of these wars were the interests of white people advanced.
All of these wars were for either the destruction of white civilization directly or for the sacrifice of whites for enemy civilizations.
Mothers, please stop sending your babies off to die for our enemies!!!
The battle is here, in our lands.
Posted by mderpelding at 7:34 PM on June 9
I saw a windshield sticker for sale in a truckstop in Missouri. It had a Confederate battle flag with the words, “I’d rather be free.” Nothing else needs to be said.
Posted by W. Smith at 8:15 AM on June 10
“So again, give examples of what you proclaim (…They spend just as much time castigating expressions whites find offensive in order that whites could never be intimidated either…” “
Post by Bon Bon
To Bon Bon, I was just being facetious there. I was writing a parody or a satire? Something like that. You caught me. I do try and be funny a lot. My english was pretty bad on that one, however. I was just imagining someone, a visitor, reading the previous comment, “One should never forget, that the contemporary attack on the confederate flag is really an attack on all of white America, both North and South, and it should always be understood in those terms.” and having a hard time believing that. It was such a new idea to me it was kind of hard for me to believe it too. I always imagine we’re trying to reach the fooled whites out there and not just preaching to the choir. What’s up with the ‘MSM’ tho? I’ve been on here 2 or 3 years and still don’t know what it stands for. Can I just keep saying ‘they’? Aren’t other acronyms in use already that are very similar to that one? I mean, I get the idea, easily enough, I just don’t get what the three letters stand for. What secret club are you guys not letting me in?
To me it was funny that this whole incident was about ‘not being offensive’ when I think the best comment about the whole affair is, “In fact the active principle of the MSM is that anything which does cause offense to whites, is ipso facto good and should be promoted.”
Posted by Mr. Pibb at 2:38 PM on June 10
I saw a windshield sticker for sale in a truckstop in Missouri. It had a Confederate battle flag with the words, “I’d rather be free.” Nothing else needs to be said.
Posted by W. Smith at 8:15 AM on June 10
=============
Dead on, W. Smith.
I already have the Bonnie Blue on one of my vehicles and Big Red on another. If I could find this sticker, I would proudly add it as well. FREEDOM- IT’S A CONFEDERATE THING.
Posted by at 9:12 PM on June 10
“…What’s up with the ‘MSM’ tho? I’ve been on here 2 or 3 years and still don’t know what it stands for. Can I just keep saying ‘they’?…”
In fact the active principle of the MSM is that anything which does cause offense to whites, is ipso facto good and should be promoted.’…”
Posted by Mr. Pibb at 2:38 PM on June 10
I appreciate your clarification. Sometimes it’s hard to gauge from the posts what the state of mind is of a poster since we’re not speaking face-to-face—sometimes writers will even add that they’re being sarcastic, facetious, etc.
At times, many of us here have tangled with ignorant, White-hating, government-educated blacks who challenge racial dogma about black-on-White crime and black government favoritism, pontificating to us that we are no-nothing racists and Nazis even though we have hard facts to back us up
Of course, the MSM and government schools have taught them that they are victims of vicious White racists whose have made it their life’s work to suppress and discriminate against blacks.
For example: The recent articles here on AmRen about extremely depraved black-on-White crimes such as the young girl who was forced by a black criminal to gouge out her own eyes or the ‘wilding’ black sub-humans who attacked innocent Whites. I read two large-circulation papers and one national paper and didn’t see mention of either of these incidents—yet the 10-year anniversary of the James Byrd dragging was featured in all three, prominently displayed above the fold.
The MSM for the most part is vastly leftist—they are fawning over Obama as if her were the second coming of Christ. Nary a word of criticism from any of them—including the US-destroying plans Obama has in store for us if he becomes president.
The Internet has opened a whole new world for us—is it any wonder the government wants to regulate (and tax) it? If Obama becomes president how long will it be before the Fairness Doctrine is re-implemented?
Working in the schools as I do, I’ve lost my sense of humor on black/White issues. I see no joy in the Soviet-type suppression of my people through White-hating race-based AA which denies us jobs, college placements and scholarships. I seethe at a ‘mainstream’ curriculum that teaches our youth that Whites are violent by nature and live to commit genocide against non-Whites unless held in their place by government force. I am tired of textbooks that explicitly point out that blacks and other non-Whites are peace-loving, generous and kind
I often wonder how we’ve come to this place where we are— it is open season on Whites in every corner of US culture—we are made to look like buffoons and fools on TV, portrayed as vicious Nazi racist while non-Whites are depicted as peaceful, innocent victims of White hegemony. Of course, non-Whites use their government-funded White-hating advocacy groups to extract as much treasure as possible from Whites to promote their interests.
Meanwhile, who speaks up for Whites? Who advocates for my interests and that of my children? If I even speak of these things I risk my job, pension, and safety—and no one will come to my defense. Every day I am faced with an entrenched White-hating culture in the schools where non-Whites are encouraged to seek racial pride in their speech, clothing, music.
Why is it Whites cannot do these things?
Bon
Posted by BonBon at 7:17 PM on June 11