My grandparent’s farm in Haywood County
in the mid-1990s.

I’m a Southerner and I love all things related to West Tennessee. If you ask me what symbols represent home, my mind immediately goes to family, cotton fields, cicadas on a miserably hot summer afternoon, the blues, the smell of watermelon on my grandparent’s back porch and yes, Elvis.

One thing that never really entered my consciousness in a significant way until now is the Confederate flag.

Click to Enlarge

Of course, I’ve seen it many times, but rather than associate it with my Confederate ancestors, or anything “Southern,” to me it was an element from a cartoon. Like the Roadrunner’s Acme sign or giant stick of dynamite, it was just a sign of silliness. I would have most quickly associated it with Granny on the “Beverly Hillbillies,” the car in the “Dukes of Hazard” or a stereotypical gang of leather-clad bad guys who are supposed to represent a threat to the good guys in a movie I would probably never have time to watch.

After the senseless massacre in Charleston last Wednesday, the hateful images of the cowardly young man who committed the murders could be held up against the remarkable display of forgiveness by the church members and families of the victims. The flag is no longer funny to me.

I’ve read a lot about the pre and post-Civil War period in Tennessee and I admit, I am the guy who has a hard time passing a historical marker on either side of the Mason-Dixon line without stopping. Just ask my family.

Obviously, I’m fascinated by my southern heritage; otherwise I wouldn’t have a blog and website about genealogy to begin with. And of course, I find the concept of slavery and all the cruelties associated with it to be repugnant, just like everyone else with half a brain.

I feel your pain, Ben Affleck. I too have always been perplexed and embarrassed by my slave-owning ancestors. Despite the old adage “it was a different time,” I still would love to know how anyone could have participated in something so horrific.

Click to Enlarge

The Confederate flag debate feels especially relevant to me. In addition to having a blog where I frequently post about my southern ancestors, I spend my days working for an organization that champions the five freedoms of The First Amendment.

About 100 feet from my office is a display (right between Bart Simpson and school prayer) in the Newseum featuring Kentucky high school senior Jacqueline Duty, who sued her high school district when she was bared from her senior prom because she wanted to wear a sequined Confederate flag-inspired dress.

The water cooler talk and hallway chatter this week has included a lot of interesting discussion and dialog around the issue and how it relates to our First Amendment rights.

The Newseum Institute’s David L. Hudson Jr. posted a great article about this week’s Supreme Court showdown in Walker v. Texas Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans, in which the court ruled that Texas could deny requests from a group that wanted to create specialty license plates displaying the Confederate battle flag.

Newseum Institute chief executive officer Gene Policinski wrote that although the Walker decision seems rooted in the court of public opinion, it’s not good news for the First Amendment.

I believe good and evil exist in the world. And now I associate the forgiveness displayed by those in Charleston with good and the Confederate flag with evil. Period.

Click to Enlarge

I believe it’s time to take down the flag from public places, pull the statue (and body) of Nathan Bedford Forrest out of the city park and place items that represent the evils of slavery and racism in museums and history books where they can be remembered and discussed but not celebrated.

Full disclosure: Nathan Bedford Forrest was possibly a cousin of my 4th great-grandfather, Samuel Forrest, so at least you don’t have to deal with that, Ben Affleck.

If you choose to display the Confederate flag on your bumper, at your home or wear it on your clothing, that’s certainly your right.

However, I won’t be swimming in your cement pond, riding in your 1969 Dodge Charger or joining your motorcycle gang, so you’ll have to celebrate that part of our heritage without me.

If anyone needs any positive images or symbols of all the things that I think make the South great, just ask me. I can come up with a whole list for you. The first thing on that list would be the mind-blowing forgiveness shown by the members of Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church this week.

You can read more about my Haywood County ancestors at HaywoodCountyLine.com or read more blogs posts on my blog page.

The Newseum Institute’s David L. Hudson Jr. provides analysis of this week’s Supreme Court decision in Walker v. Texas Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans, in which the court ruled that Texas could deny requests from a group that wanted to create specialty license plates displaying the Confederate battle flag. Newseum Institute chief executive officer Gene Policinski writes that although the Walker decision seems rooted in the court of public opinion, it’s not good news for the First Amendment. – See more at: http://www.newseum.org/2015/06/24/the-confederate-flag-and-the-first-amendment/#sthash.CFx9RZ69.dpuf
a special section on students’ rights tells the story of Kentucky high school senior Jacqueline Duty, who sued her school district when she was barred from senior prom because of her dress — a sequined representation of the Confederate flag. – See more at: http://www.newseum.org/2015/06/24/the-confederate-flag-and-the-first-amendment/#sthash.CFx9RZ69.dpuf

a special section on students’ rights tells the story of Kentucky high school senior Jacqueline Duty, who sued her school district when she was barred from senior prom because of her dress — a sequined representation of the Confederate flag. – See more at: http://www.newseum.org/2015/06/24/the-confederate-flag-and-the-first-amendment/#sthash.CFx9RZ69.dpuf

a special section on students’ rights tells the story of Kentucky high school senior Jacqueline Duty, who sued her school district when she was barred from senior prom because of her dress — a sequined representation of the Confederate flag. – See more at: http://www.newseum.org/2015/06/24/the-confederate-flag-and-the-first-amendment/#sthash.CFx9RZ69.dpuf
special section on students’ rights tells the story of Kentucky high school senior Jacqueline Duty, who sued her school district when she was barred from senior prom because of her dress — a sequined representation of the Confederate flag. – See more at: http://www.newseum.org/2015/06/24/the-confederate-flag-and-the-first-amendment/#sthash.CFx9RZ69.dpuf

special section on students’ rights tells the story of Kentucky high school senior Jacqueline Duty, who sued her school district when she was barred from senior prom because of her dress — a sequined representation of the Confederate flag. – See more at: http://www.newseum.org/2015/06/24/the-confederate-flag-and-the-first-amendment/#sthash.CFx9RZ69.dpuf

Throwing in my two southern cents on the Confederate flag