Opinion

Southern pride has a dark history

To the Editor:

Haywood County 2020: I can’t drive down the street without seeing a representation of a Confederate flag. It’s flying in my neighbor’s yard, waving from the backs of unnecessarily jacked up trucks, and on T-shirts, hats and bumper stickers. Let’s be honest, you can’t swing a possum without hitting the stars and bars.

All views are not going to align with mine in the world. That’s acceptable. I understand the complexities of the Confederate flag/Southern pride argument. Like most issues, it is not simple. There are nuances. But folks need to be willing to embrace the entire story of the flag’s history. If you are comfortable with the entire story, after that, then more power to you. But don’t walk into it blindly.

A person who is a Civil War buff, battlefield reenactor, or devoted historian might not be seeing beyond their “attachment” to the flag. It was created in the 1800s as part of Southern rebellion against the United States. The deep, deep racism that is a part of slavery is so much a part of that flag and what is represented. As a collective, we should all be able to recognize that the flag represents racism, hate and negativity for many peoples of all backgrounds. We should put people first and care for others (this include people’s “feelings”).

Sidenote: I’m not sure when caring about other people’s feelings became stigmatized. Being nasty and downright cruel has become such a mainstream ideology with insults such as “snowflake” attached to any person who shows the least bit of humanity. Stop demonizing sensitivity. Geez.

When someone says “my family fought for the South” as if that somehow entitles them to this symbol ... yep, so did my ancestors. It is not something we’ve celebrated. It’s part of our family history, sure, but no one has ever said “this is the best we’ve done”. If your family’s biggest point of pride was being on the losing side of history 155 years ago then perhaps your family has larger problems to evaluate.

I realize there were conscription laws in place. If you were told to serve the CSA and you refused, you’d be killed. Sheriff John Noland of Haywood County was famously shot down and ambushed on a remote mountain pass by men who were escaping their “duties” to fight in a war they didn’t believe in.

If you know Western North Carolina’s history, you’d recognize most mountain folks were poor before the war, hardly hit during, and suffered the brutal aftermath. Mountain folks were fighting a rich man’s war that had nothing to do with them personally (much like modern wars). The Confederacy did nothing for people of this region but leave families devasted. Generations of men folk — fathers and sons dead, women/children destitute and alone, and it opened up our world to carpet baggers who could buy property cheap and afford paying taxes on our homesteads which many couldn’t do after the war.

But I truly believe it’s important to understand where the “other side” is coming from. For you, it might be a symbol of history or Southern pride, but others do not view it through the same lens. Maybe it’s time to re-examine what you want to represent you, your family and your personal history. I’d also wager that the majority of those people who say this is a valuable symbol could probably not pass a middle school level history examination on the subject. During critical moments of reform, people cling to imperiled ideologies as a means to fight back. We see the same people criticizing athletes for taking a knee — disrespecting the flag — but defend flying the traitorous “rebel flag” or holding onto statues that were only erected years after the war during the Jim Crow era.

It’s time to move on and do the “right” thing. The future will look much different. By 2044, white America is predicted to fall below half the population and lose majority status. If this signifies some kind of doomsday clock for you, then it’s probably a good opportunity for you to have an honest self-inventory of your character. For those who adamantly argue it is not a symbol of racism or hate, then why would you bring it to a Black Lives Matter rally? Why have you allowed your meaningful symbol to be hijacked by hate groups? Have any of ya’ll Southern pride individuals ever confronted one of these racist individuals and said, “I’m taking back my flag. It’s heritage not hate” or “Black lives matter if all lives matter and that’s my flag! Get on somewhere!” Nope. You know why. I know why. That flag represents something to you that maybe you can’t even explain to yourself. Self awareness is a sobering tool.

Our younger generations are thankfully a different breed. They’ve access to a wealth of knowledge available at their fingertips. These kids are savvy. These kids are “woke.”These kids will change the world. My hope is these kids are going to save us from ourselves, show us a better way, accept others’ differences and embrace diversity to build better communities.

There’s plenty of reasons to have Southern pride. Be proud of a good work ethic. Be proud of building community and helping your neighbors. Be proud of our famous Southern hospitality, how we welcome in a stranger. Be proud of how we can relish our slow-downed lifestyle. Be proud of innovation and creativity. Be proud of perseverance in the face of adversity.

Come on y’all, can’t we just make cornbread a symbol of Southern pride? Crumble it up in milk, folks. It’ll change your life. Heather Hyatt Packer Waynesville

Not all police are bad

To the Editor:

In response to Margaret Abel’s rhetorical question “what would our Founding Fathers do?”

To quote from the First Amendment to our Constitution: “Congress shall make no laws …. Abridging the right of people peaceably to assemble and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”

I believe the key word here is “peaceably.” The protests going on around our country now are in no way considered “peaceful.” What has happened to the rights of the people not protesting? Why do their rights not matter? At least that is what it looks like, that protestors have taken over and destroyed whole city blocks, police departments as well as government buildings, stores, food establishments that those same people now no longer have access to. Again, what about their rights? What about the many people (business owners, employees, senior citizens, and neighbors) that used these now destroyed businesses? Where are their rights?

This is not just a one-sided amendment that only caters to those who wish to protest — and therein lies the rub. What about those that aren’t redressing grievances with the government? Why do those people now have to live with the destruction and aftermath of those exercising their First Amendment rights?

LETTERS

The Fourth Amendment states that, “The right of people to be secure in their persons ... against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated.” You state that the president’s use of “storm troopers is a flagrant violation of these amendments” and further state he is “only targeting those states and cities with Democratic governors and mayors.” Forgive me if I’ve heard it wrong, but It seems these cities and states are the ones still being overtaken by the protestors and still burning. These cities and states are also wanting to defund the police. This scenario is turning into real life “The Purge.”

Are their Fourth Amendment rights being disregarded? Obviously, yes, it has happened. Do I condone this? Absolutely not. Do the majority of police condone this? Absolutely not. But is this the way to protest and call to defund all police when the vast majority of police are there to serve and protect? Who are you going to call when someone breaks into your house and threatens your family? I am from a police family, my husband worked as a detective, head of child abuse and vulnerable adults, dealing with the worst of the worst and even these worthless individuals had rights. What I am saying is be careful what you ask for. I for one support the police. As I stated earlier, most police deal with bad people all day, every day. Bottom line is that a lot of people are their own worst enemy. Listen and do what the police instruct you to do. Don’t run, don’t reach into your pockets, or car or do anything that may be construed as dangerous for the officer. They are husbands/wives, fathers/mothers, sons/daughters, just normal people doing a job they love. They want to go home after work also. Not all police are bad so why are they all being portrayed as such?

Just my opinion, and contrary to popular belief, we are all entitled to our own opinions. Vickie DeStefano Sylva

Restore sanity to the White House

To the Editor:

The White House is a broken train wreck. The only way we Americans can restore sanity to the presidency, restore constitutionality to our democracy and restore integrity to the Oval Office is to use the hard-earned power of our votes. Look carefully at the antics we’ve witnessed in the last four years (and continue to observe daily on social media). Ask yourself if you are ready to have an experienced statesman with true character, faith, intelligence, diplomacy, decency, and respect for women and their abilities lead our beloved United States of America for the next four years? Then do the only thing you can do to change it — vote! Diane Davis Waynesville

We all have the right to be heard

To the Editor:

I have had the pleasure of reading many a fine editorial from SMN Editor Scott McLeod over the years, but the tone and the substance of last week's opinion piece “If you stay home, just keep quiet,” is one of the worst pieces I have ever read, from any source.

The Scott McLeod that I have read and enjoyed is a generally reliable source of sensitive, well-reasoned opinions that illuminate and educate on important matters, but this example distorts constitutional reality and states an actual falsehood, which is that, and I quote, “If you don’t vote ... you don't even really deserve the right to be heard.” The truth is that the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States gives me the right, as an American citizen, to express my self in any way I want to, subject only to the rights of others, and this right is not in any way tethered to an act of voting.

And exactly to that point, you cite numerous examples in your editorial of those who did not have actual votF

ing rights, and through the exercise of their voices and numerous and various sacrifices, eventually prevailed in their efforts and secured the additional right to vote. In essense, you are pretending that all of the protestors that are currently pouring through the streets demanding respectful treatment of various marginalized folks are only worth attention if they can pass, in some unnamed way, a litmus test that first gives them the status of “voter.” This is completely ridiculous and false, and in those moments of protest on matters of considerable importance, completely irrelevant.

It is exactly this kind of mangled reasoning that is being used by the conservatives of this country to justify police brutality and racism, and the societal structures that support them, and actual examples of this are quite easy to find. In short, the reasoning goes like this: George Floyd deserved what he got, because he was alleged to have committed a crime, and did not complacently and quietly go along with arrest. Similarly, “Stop and Frisk” policies are justified, because, after all, black men walk down sidewalks, and do so in a way that white folks find threatening.

Precisely because we have a deep cultural and political divide in this country, you and all of us that have a voice and a podium to use it have a responsibility to be be careful in what we say and write, lest we do the causes we believe in a profound disservice. It is not effective to mangle facts of law to fit our goals. If we truly want what we want, it is incumbent upon us to avoid distortion and exaggeration. If we refuse to discipline our behavior and communication, we are actually contributing to the discord, dissension, and violence that permeates our culture. Rick Wirth Bryson City

Racism at WCU is reason to vote

To the Editor:

As a student of color at Western Carolina University, I was angered and disheartened by the racist videos made by former classmates which recently came to light, but I can’t say I was surprised. As many Black students and students of color know, racism is not something new on our campus.

Now, I hope that these videos and the national news attention that came with them can be the wake-up call our community needs. The truth is that the racist acts of a few students are symptomatic of the widespread and systemic racism plaguing our nation, and we must address it and root it out at all levels of our society — from campus life to local government to our national elected officials.

That’s why I’m serving as a WCU campus fellow with NextGen North Carolina, which is committed to registering and mobilizing young North Carolinians to vote. My generation is calling for an end to the racism and violence that has been so deadly to Black and POC communities, and we’re leading the call by protesting in the street and casting our ballots at the polls. I urge my peers and all readers: don’t let your activism stop at sharing your outrage at a racist video — register to vote and request your mail-in ballot to vote for meaningful change today. Eli Horne Cullowhee

Vote to end this insanity

To the Editor:

When I was a young girl studying my catechism we would read aloud in unison: “Who Loves You ... God Loves You, Who Made You ... We Were Created In The Image And Likeness Of God.”

It was my understanding that it was true. God loved me and I was created in his image. However I didn’t think it applied only to me. In my childlike devotion I took it for granted that those statements applied to all humankind.

Now that I look back on those days, I realize there were areas of town where only Black people lived. The movies I saw and loved treated people of color poorly, made them subservient or objects of ridicule.

As I grew and became more aware of the world around me such things were no longer acceptable.

Once again, we are at a turning point in our society. It is time to take a good hard look at our country. Too many Black men and women have been sacrificed because of the color of their skin. Get honest, examine your conscience and think about it.

Donald Trump saying he has done more for Black people than any other president is just more of his baseless rhetoric. In the past four years he has torn this country apart. From the very beginning he espoused a policy of fear and distrust. As a result we have unrest in our streets and lost our standing in the world.

I’ve had enough of you “Mr. Great Deal Maker,” so I say, “no deal!” Vote to end this insanity! Kathy Lang Waynesville

We were safer before Trump

To the Editor:

Trump is fine with the violence and looting. He thrives on drama and chaos. He can continue to drive home his law and order rhetoric and convince people that Democrats are responsible for it all.

Truth be told, this kind of violence never happened under an Obama/Biden administration. There weren’t riots and vigilantes in the streets killing people. We didn’t see Black men brazenly beaten and killed in broad daylight. We didn’t see white supremacists marching through the streets with torches and AR-15s. More than 180,000 Americans didn’t die from a virus. Fact is, we were a helluva lot safer before Donald Trump took office. Annette Bell Otto

Smoky Mountain News, Blue Ridge Public Radio and Mountain Xpress PRESENT A TWO-DAY

NC CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 11 Candidate Forum Republican Madison Cawthorn & Democrat Moe Davis

Fri., Sept. 4 · 7:30 p.m.

WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY BILTMORE PARK Questions by Lenoir-Rhyne University Equity and Diversity Institute program developer Aisha Adams, f ormer Asheville Citizen Times political reporter and current Mountain Xpress contributor Mark Barrett and Pete Kaliner, longtime N.C. political reporter, radio host and podcaster. Topics will include international, national, state and urban issues.

Sat., Sept. 5 · 7:30 p.m.

WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY CULLOWHEE Questions by WCU political science and public affairs department chair Chris Cooper, WCU professor of economics and director of WCU’s Center for the Study of Free Enterprise Edward Lopez and Principal Chief Richard G. Sneed, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Topics will include rural issues, native issues and education.

Due to venue capacity limits currently in place, events will not be open to the public, but will be livestreamed. www.facebook.com/blueridgepublic