La Cucaracha by Lalo Alcaraz for July 06, 2015

Keep in mind that the South and Southern culture includes a vibrant African-American tradition. Some of what came out of the South: jazz, blues, and rock; MLK, Brother Malcolm, and other leaders of the Civil Rights movement (which is itself a product of the South, and gave rise to the women’s movement and the LGBTQ movement); and the black church, a powerful force in the community, spiritually, socially, economically, politically. There are rich veins of Southern culture that are either not racist or explicitly anti-racist. These should be held up and celebrated.

What does need to be put in a museum is the notion that “the South” is somehow just this place and culture of whiteness, which is a vestige of the ongoing racism in our country.

I think what is implied, is the backwards attitudes of of certain, “stupid white people” which we have way up here in the north. When I see some idiot with a rebel flag, I have to wonder which south is he/she supporting.The real south (anything below the Mason Dixon Line)Or South Fallsburg?We’re in New York for Pete’s sake! What south?Does that make the Canadians Yankees?

Lalo showed his true colors today. His mode of operation is to condemn or make fun of any group of people as long as it is politically correct at the moment regardless of facts.

I believe the Civil War was fought over whether states could secede from the Union. Why shouldn’t Southerners be able to revere their heritage? I doubt if very many of the rebel soldiers had slaves. Do you honestly believe that slavery would have persisted to this day if the South had won?

They aren’t talking about “banning” the flag. They’re just saying the state shouldn’t endorse it by flying it. The idiots can continue to let us know who they are.

The rebel soldiers fighting for wealthy slave owners makes as much sense as the minimum-wage workers who vote for candidates bought and paid for by the Koch brothers. And I’m sure there are many. Since the South was fighting to preserve and expand slavery, yes, they probably would have held on to it as long as they wanted as a separate country.

The whole southern area is a twisted, sick place. While many decent people of all colors live and try to makes changes for the better it does no good because the powerful and well-armed still hold sway with their two centuries old morals and ideals. Only a few more generations and a LOT of education is going to change that hell hole.And, yes, I have been there.

The West wasn’t so squeaky-clean either. Look at the wars against the indigenous peoples, followed by extreme bigotry against Chinese and Mexicans here. In the cities of the East the Irish and Italians, among others (including my own people, the Jews), were marginalized at first.

Oh, and here’s excellent news: the South Carolina State Senate has just voted 37–3 to remove the Confederate flag from State House grounds. Now it’s up to the State House of Representatives. Progress!

Hee hee! Good idea!