Thursday, June 25, 2009

What is up with the downed Confederate flag?

How often do you notice people in America displaying the Confederate flag? When confronted, most of these folks claim that they are displaying their Southern Heritage and not a symbol of racism. Regardless of First Amendment rights, people who display the Confederate flag not only promote a questionable image, but often violate proper flag etiquette.

There are also many other violators of flag etiquette who tout flags of other countries here in the States without displaying the flag of the U.S.A. Visit a mosque located in a U.S. city and you will often view a flag that is not of this great country bannered without a separate and more dominant flag of the United States of America.

Forget race! Think about annual parades that take place in large metropolitan areas like NYC, where the flag of Puerto Rico, a commonwealth of the U.S., is adorned on vehicles and people's apparel. Indeed, these demonstrations are meant to represent pride in the preservation of Puerto Rican culture here in the U.S. However, pride and heritage sometimes is racism in its most basic form—putting one group's race over another.

In the case of people displaying Confederate flags there is no rhyme or reason because the Confederacy no longer exists, right? So why display this flag. The Confederates lost and were taken down by the Civil War. The North won, so what is there to be proud about? Southern Heritage is a myth!

Moreover, it seems that people who display the Confederate flag either do not know about flag etiquette or they are just ignorant altogether...

Case in Point, according to shared thoughts on the popular and not so popular Web site, Wikipedia, Title 4 of the United States Code outlines the role of Flag of the United States, Great Seal of the United States, Washington, DC, and the States in the United States Code.

When flown with flags of states, communities or societies on separate flag poles which are of the same height and in a straight line, the flag of the United States is always placed in the position of honor—to its own right. The other flags may be the same size but none may be larger.

No other flag should be placed above it. The flag of the United States is always the first flag raised and the last to be lowered.

When flown with the national banner of other countries, each flag must be displayed from a separate pole of the same height. Each flag should be the same size. They should be raised and lowered simultaneously. The flag of one nation may not be displayed above that of another nation in time of peace.

At least here on American soil, we are supposed to be living in a time of peace. And, people who display the Confederate flag need to get the message that the "downed banner" that they are so proud of; only represents a period of separation in our county's past.

If you are going to display a flag, at least display the right one...the United States flag, which represents a country meant for ALL people and equality...regardless of race, creed, color or religion!

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The goal of FORGET RACE™ is to inspire you to forget about your ethnicity and unify with people like us, who want this country to be a place of true equality amongst its citizens—born here, naturalized or not!

To promote and teach acceptance of all people, regardless of race, please visit the Web site: Tolerance.org

Thursday, June 18, 2009

How Many Racist Symbols and Hate Groups are all Around You?

Have you ever gone shopping while on vacation and entered a shop or building that gave you a strange feeling?

I am talking about the feeling that (most non-racist) human beings would have, if they saw an item for purchase (hat, beach towel, coffee mug, etc.) that had an extreme racial expression written on it or a swastika!

There are numerous racist, anti-Semitic and anti-Christian symbols that express HATE GROUPS' ideologies.

You can make yourself aware of your surroundings by learning to recognize these symbols the same way that racists use symbols as a way of identifying with others—who share their same extremist and hateful mentality.

Take a free "Crash Course" by clicking on this LINK to the Web site of the Anti-Defamation League.

You will be surprised to realize how many racist and separatist organizations exist...And have chapters so close to your home by clicking on the following link... HATE GROUPS MAP.

Awareness is the first step to helping fight racism and hate in America. Next, I would urge you to educate your children and make your (Black, Jew, Latin, Asian, Native American, Other and any new immigrant) friends aware—who you think would have a vested interest in fighting racism.

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[PERMISSION TO REPRINT THE ABOVE ARTICLE IN ITS PRESENT FORM AND CONTEXT WITH BYLINE]

The goal of FORGET RACE™ is to inspire you to forget about your ethnicity and unify with people like us, who want this country to be a place of true equality amongst its citizens—born here, naturalized or not!

To promote and teach acceptance of all people, regardless of race, please visit the Web site: Tolerance.org

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Are White Supremacists Ready for Secession?

In 1860, 11 Southern states withdrew from the Union (North), which led to the Civil War.

Many White Supremacists groups scrambled to form in the south when the Civil War ended, and not just the KKK.

Following the repeal of Jim Crow Laws and the establishment of the Civil Rights movement, many of these groups reorganized or masked themselves as "Southern Heritage" organizations.

Hate groups around the country have been preparing their adult members and children to reestablish the Confederacy, and the leaders of these groups have been promoting or at least suggesting another secession.

Organizations like the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) have infiltrated the U.S. Military, volunteering their services since this country's earliest wars and world-wide conflicts.

Obviously the UDC is a "Southern Heritage" group of women. But just like its male equivalent organizations, the requirement for membership is as follows: Open to people who are blood descendants, lineal or collateral, of men and women who served honorably in the Army, Navy or Civil Service of the Confederate States of America, or gave Material Aid to the Cause.

Presently, there is a power struggle taking place in the Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV).

The Southern Law Poverty Center (SPLC) Web site's Intelligence Report, “..finds that a significant number of SCV officials — including at least 10 men who hold key national leadership positions — are also active or recent members of hate groups, principally two neo-Confederate groups, the Council of Conservative Citizens (CCC) and the League of the South.”

However, I have not come across political forums that question what hate groups in this country are doing.

Since 911, Americans have been focused on Irag and rising oil costs. Our government is protecting us from foreign terrorist, but who is monitoring the terrorists and hate groups that have operated on American soil for over 100 years?

All over the South you will find headquarters of organizations dedicated to preserving "Southern Heritage" and the history of the Confederacy. The UDC headquarters is located in Richmond, Virginia. The Sons of Confederate Veterans also started in Richmond, Virginia in 1896.

These "Southern Heritage" groups require a pure bloodline and even provide genealogist services to their prospective members, who must submit applications to join.

When one group has in excess of $5 million dollars reserved in an endowment fund and provides numerous scholarships to organizations like the CofC (Children of the Confederacy) it’s a scary thing.

Moreover, the same organizations have been given money from state and federal government amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Do you wonder how many political "pet projects" have provided funneling of American dollars to these hate and separatists groups?

So I urge you to think about whether or not some of the white hoods and robes of the KKK have been replaced by Congressional pins, Judge robes and other political suits!

The following is a recent article from the Southern Law Poverty Center (SPLC), a "HateWatch" group that works to keep an eye on the Radical Right titled: "President Obama? Many White Supremacists are Celebrating." "With the nomination of Barack Obama as the Democratic presidential candidate clinched, large sections of the white supremacist movement are adopting a surprising attitude: Electing America’s first black president would be a very good thing."

After you read the link to this article below and other related articles on the Southern Law Poverty Center's Web site, ask yourself these questions:

1. How much easier is it to succeed with secession, if a group tries to persuade certain people that the country has gone to hell in a hand basket—with a Black (African) president, a Woman vice president and Democrats running the country?

2. Are there powerful people in states around the country ready to push for secession, and are just waiting for the most opportune time?

3. Has the “American conscious” been tricked in to focusing their attention on dark-skinned terrorist instead of the hate groups who have been terrorizing this country for over 100 years—well before 911?

4. Why are these hate groups "playing one card at a time" when some of their leaders have already made public remarks suggesting secession?

DON’T FORGET! Before we became these United States of America, many men, called “Patriots,” were secretly meeting and organizing forces and documents to break away from British rule...What's to keep this same activity from happening again here in the U.S.?

Is there another American Revolution or at least a political civil war about to take place?

The collective dominance of various groups (Blacks, Asians, Native Americans, Jews, Latins, Others and those trying to immigrate here) may be just the nuts and bolts to spark a White Supremacists secession attempt. Add a possible (or elected) Black president, woman vice president, and the Democrat party to the mix, and the hate groups may launch a campaign to try and blow apart this country!

I thought my analysis of recent happenings was just a “conspiracy theory,” until I came across the SPLC Web site.

Spread the word!

Expose subversive groups and activities before these infiltrators can slip pass bills or referendums disguised as articles that seem intended to simply preserve heritage (Southern or otherwise).

Watch out for supposed solidarity plans from the Radical Right (that somehow make concessions for excluding or separating certain ehtnic groups).

Most importantly, we need more American citizens dedicated to promoting and preserving unity between all ethnic groups. This will mean that even organizations like the: Nation of Islam, New Black Panther Party, Ku Klux Klan, Skinheads, Neo-Nazis—and other racist separatists groups, will have to withdraw from their agendas and dissolve.

We live in America...a land of diverse people with many skin colors, nationalities and other languages besides English!

As so many comedians profess, "The South lost! Slavery was wrong!" We can remember the past, but Americans need to learn from the past—and not repeat it. It is time that "We the People," of all races move unitarily ahead!

In this most recent economic downturn, we need to also worry about social economic prejudice turning in to actual hate crimes.

Nevertheless, secession will only divide our resources as a country and destroy democracy from within. And this is the very nature of the following article...that White Supremacists would love to divide Americans.

It is one thing for an ethnic group to want to preserve their culture-foods and customs here in America, and another thing for an ethnic group to promote their race as superior or supreme...The latter is just wrong and all of us need to fight against such activities.

However, be aware that these various ethnic hate groups have chapters all around the country.

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For more information about these questionable Southern organizations visit the following Web site:
President Obama? Many White Supremacists are Celebrating

Please visit the SPLC: HATE GROUPS MAP