From: brian olexy   bo8613a@american.edu

 Subject: our racist country

 I was wondering if you take any of the following into consideration
 before writing your article on the GOP. These mostly focus on the
 elements dealing with the Confederate Flag:

 1. Do you know which party the governor of South Carolina belongs too?

     I think he's a Democrat.
     I could look it up, but I want to take your quiz "cold."

 2. Can you tell me who holds the majority in the South Carolina state senate?

     The senate, I'm not sure.
     But, the South Carolina Congress is held by ditto-monkeys.

 3. Do you know what the Morrill Tariff was?

     No, Sir.

 4. Are you aware of the Fugitive Slave Laws passed by the federal
     government prior to the War Between the States?

     No, Sir.

 5. Are you familiar with Robert E. Lee's opinion of slavery and his
     thoughts on black troops serving in the Confederacy?

     No, Sir.

 6. Can you name all of that states which have some form of recognition
     of the Confederate Flag in their own flags?

     No, Sir.

 7. Do you know about Bill Clintons own policies in Arkansas (while
     governor) regarding the Confederate Flag?

     No, Sir.

 8. Are you familiar with how the Constitution of the Confederacy treated the slave trade?

     I would guess with extreme racism, but I don't know.

 9. Are you familiar with Lincoln's inaugural address and what he said about slavery?

     No, Sir.

10. Going back to the Fugitive Slave Law, what was Lincoln's opinion on that?

     I do not know.

11. What has Bill Clinton said about the Confederate Flag (this is a
      serious question...because I can't find anything)?

     I've considered all your questions serious, but I don't know.

12. How many free blacks (yes, there were free blacks in the South)
       supported the secession of the Southern states by enlisting in the
      Confederate Army? How many slaves?

       How many free blacks?
       I'll guess 66,179

       How many slaves?
       I'll guess 72,730

       How many more questions before I go for the million?

13. How many slaves did Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclaimation free?

       How many?
       I think, as my rant suggests, they're not free to this day.

14. An easy one: " If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I
       would do it..." Who wrote that in a letter to Horace Greeley

       Who wrote that?
        I don't know.
 

15. Same person said: " I have no purpose, directly or indirectly, to
       interfere with the institution of slavery..." Figured out who it is yet?
      (this statement, I believe, is absolutely dead-on in terms of  federal governance)

       I'm going to guess Lincoln!
 
 

 To clarify, Lincoln wasn't overthrowing anything, although he did almost
 mistakenly recognize the Confederacy as a seperate nation, which would
 have actually made War Between the States void, because that's exactly
 what the Confederacy wanted.

       I disagree.
       Lincoln was overthrowing the South's intent to break away
       and form a less-perfect union of racist thugs.

 I understand the perspective you're writing from, but the big problem with
 arguments over the Confederate Flag is that they seem to negate certain
 aspects of the War. Not only would these aspects shed immense light on
 the situation, they are also incredibly interesting when compared to how
 our government functions today.

 I'd enjoy hearing your explanation of those aspects,
 but you've not said what aspects would be negated.

  So, in terms of your review of the Confederate Flag issue, I
 respectfully believe that you are wrong, only because the some of the
 ideas you base your assertions on are incorrect. As far as assisted
 suicide and gay marriages, I'm not sure what those have to do with race
 or whether they can be equated with race.

 It sounds to me that you're saying that people who are ignorant
 of the details surrounding the history of the Confederate Flag
 should have no opinion if a group of whiteonly, racist,
 sons-of-bitches want to taunt a majority of the people of their
 state with a swastica disguised as a historical artifact.

 Remember the story of Senator Jesse Helms whistling "Dixie,"
 whenever Senator Carol Mosley-Braun entered "his" elevator?

 You could make an argument for how nice a tune it was,
 (and once again, I don't know all the verses or even it's author)
 but we all know he did it to let Mosley-Braun know that "niggers"
 would never be considered equal in the eyes of those who refuse
 to accept the fact that the most educated among us move forward.

 I do not include you in that group.
 You've done nothing to make me think you're a racist.
 I enjoy hearing all sides to an argument.

 But I suggest this isn't a debate over history.
 This is a debate over right and wrong, and the incredible cowardice
 that the Republican nominees have shown by pandering to the
 very worst element in this county, to get votes and raise money
 from the lowest common denominator of KKK-hooded thugs
 that make Ol' BartCop seem like Mensaboy in comparison..

 I am ashamed that this country is still a cauldron of racism.
 And I'm outraged that the right-wing DELIGHTS in the
 discomfort that flag causes. They fucking love it.
 

 Go Titans,
 Brian
 

 May the best team win,
 bartcop