In South Carolina, a bizarre dismount for the Confederate flag

[struggle4progress]

By Vanessa Williams
July 11 at 8:50 AM

... The color guard, the phalanx of elected officials, and the cheering — and sometimes jeering — crowd of spectators all made the event feel at turns like both a state funeral and a pep rally. Neither seemed an entirely appropriate tone for the occasion, given the horrifying circumstances that led South Carolina lawmakers to finally retire the banner that, in spite of controversy, had defiantly held an official place of honor for more than 50 years ...

The South Carolina ceremony was national news, covered live by cable television outlets and streamed on major news Web sites. At one point, as the flag inched down the pole, the crowd broke out singing the 1969 song “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye.” It was jarring — like microphone feedback. If this moment was about confronting the scourge of racism, particularly the violence it wrought in Charleston, was a taunting sports-arena anthem an appropriate soundtrack?

By contrast, the pomp of the color guard, with its dress uniforms and precision movements in folding up the flag, demonstrated plenty of deference to a banner that officials agreed to take down, in part, because of the hurt and hate that many believe it represents.

The ceremony was clearly designed to acknowledge the sentiments on both sides of the long-running debate. If people left the event feeling that their views had been represented in the ritual of removing the flag, then that's worthwhile. But was the event a bit too celebratory, a premature victory party of sorts? ...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2015/07/11/in-south-carolina-a-bizarre-dismount-for-the-confederate-flag/

[onehandle]

1. This is how it should have been taken down...

[mercuryblues]

2. what a piece

of condescending drivel. I am willing to bet that the author of that has no clue about what was chanted when it was moved from the dome to the ground. "Off the dome and in your face." Many of the same people that were there then were there yesterday they chanted "Goodbye" in response.

It is too fucking bad the racists tender feelings got hurt. They have no problem using every derogatory term to hurt those who are of a different skin color, but they think their god-damned feelings should be spared. They may talk a tough game but are easily offended when they get a drop of payback. The blood that was shed for equal rights wasn't theirs, so they don't give a fuck.

[66 dmhlt]

3. Too "Over the Top" for me. But I can understand - NOT LIKE - but understand it