Oregon joins the anti-flag movement

John Winn

Lt. Colonel
Joined
Mar 13, 2014
Location
State of Jefferson
It really was a matter of time but last Friday the Oregon Commission on Historic Cemeteries published a position paper recommending that Confederate flags (they didn't specify a particular one) should not be displayed in historic cemeteries (a designation made by the Legislature). They said:

"The Confederate flag is a symbol of treason, oppression, racism, and dishonor to the USA. It is the flag of the enemy of the USA. And over the decades since the US Civil War has become a symbol that makes many people feel unwelcome and unsafe. We do not support allowing flags in historic cemeteries that promote systemic racism, fear, and oppression of anyone."

The Commission has no authority to enforce their recommendation but I'd guess it'll become policy anyway. I'm not aware of anybody putting out Confederate flags (of any sort) in historic cemeteries but I do wonder as why else publish said recommendation. There are some 60 known Confederate veterans buried in Oregon historic cemeteries. The cemetery where I volunteer has two.

In 'my' cemetery we decided some time ago that we'd just honor those veterans along with all the others with a U.S. flag. Our decision, though, was not idealistic or politically motivated. We reasoned that 1) we didn't know how the veterans or their relatives felt about their service 2) they don't have military stones 3) Confederate flags could invite vandalism 4) they were Americans like all the others 5) we wanted to recognize them as veterans.

I think we made the right decision but I can't get behind the position paper's obvious leftist bias. I'd certainly not have been opposed to people putting out Confederate flags on graves with a military stone. I guess maybe it's best as otherwise we'd have riots in historic cemeteries like we're having in Portland.
 
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