The Naval Jack was never the national flag of the CSA.  He was in Gods and Generals, and we know he knows all about the Bonnie Blue.  There were three national flags, none of which were the modern "confederate flag." The modern flag is used for one of two reasons:

1) Southern Pride without regard to the feelings of others.  (I see all too much of that).

2) A symbol of white supremacy (used particularly by the KKK).

Look, I'm a VERY proud southerner.  I study Confederate history regularly.  Hell, my signature on this site is a Robert E. Lee quote.  And unlike some people...coughcoughJamescoughcough...I DON'T consider the Southern Rebellion as anymore traitorous than the American Revolution.  I also don't agree with the statement that it was only about slavery (only 5% of Confederate soldiers had ever owned a slave).  The nation had been split in two for 50 years.  The seperation was only made formal by the war. 

Even though I admit that I'm not as harsh on the confederacy as many people here, I admit where they were wrong, and where current enthusiasts are wrong.  Slavery, in any form, is totally immoral, and while the Confederate cause was hardly about slavery, the fact that it was an issue makes it impossible for me to be "cool" with the confederacy, and it keep me a "confederate historian" rather than a "confederate enthusiast."  And it is definitely not okay to brazenly show your support where it may offend others.  You wouldn't wave a Nazi flag around where somebody could get offended?  Well, in politics, you have no privacy.  Senator Allen forfitted that.  So when he puts a Naval Jack in his room, it's just the same as putting it on his car and driving around. 

This can be handled pretty simply.

Allen should be asked--and asked again until he gives a clear answer--to describe his flag collection.  Doesn't matter if he still has it or not.

"Senator Allen, could you please describe your flag collection?  For instance, roughly how many flags are in it?"

(And if he says he doesn't have it anymore):

"Describe it anyway, please.  Surely you remember it.  And please tell us how and why you disposed of it."

Should be easy to ask, easy to answer--and, if he says he sold or gave it away, relatively easy to fact-check.

Your posts concerning the Confederacy do far more to highlight how little you know about the prevailing culture and the history of the Commonwealth. Your focus on silliness like this also shows the pettiness of this blog and your laziness.

There are a multitude of reasons why George Allen does not deserve to be re-elected, and not a single one have anything to do with the manner in which he decorates his home.

Afterall, it is his house, and if he wants to place a gilded bust of Jesse Helms on a pedestal in the front foyer then he has that right.

Where your arguments veer down the same old contrite road is that you do nothing to show how his love all things that COULD be construed as racist have affected his representation of the people of the Commonwealth.

There are many people in this Commonwealth with a Confederate ancestry and a fascination with the Civil War that are in no way shape or form racist. When you attack George Allen for having the same affinity that many others have you offend and divide.

You have so much to offer, I cannot, for the life of me figure out why you insist on attacking from this angle. If you aren't willing to do the work to translate how this has anything, if any, to do with George Allen's race problem, then you should just leave it alone.

It's about George Allen's inability to tell the truth on even the most simple matters, like whether he has a "collection" of flags.  Two flags do not equal a collection, as Bob Gibson points out in his article.  George Allen is serial liar, that's all I'm saying.

Otherwise you become one of the tinfoil hat folks--a wacktivist.

Point out that he he says he is pro life but encourages folks to use Barr Labs pharmacueticals.

Point out that Allen has voted for a total of $44 billion in tax breaks for oil companies while in the Senate, and pposed a windfall profit tax. Allen has also consistently voted against alternative fuel sources.

Point out that Allen has voted against raising the minimum wage 4 times. Since it was last increased in 1997, Senate salaries have increased $32,000, a figure that is triple the annual salary of a minimum wage worker. Allen has voted for 4 pay raises for himself, since coming to office.

Point out how Allen voted against an expansion of the FMLA that would have granted benefits to victims of domestic
violence and sexual assault.

If the man were attending a Klan rally with the flag then you have context in which to talk about it. In this case simple ownership does nto a racist make.

You ask these silly open ended questions and youre going to make us all look foolish when they are answered in a manner contrary to what you expect.

This race is not about the Confederacy, the Bonnie Blue Flag, Gods and Generals, the Battle Flag, or any other nineteenth century psuedo outrage you can muster up.

You do not know what you're talking about and you should find something substantive to blog about.

I'm Virginian born.  I was raised in the southern confederate culture.  I have progressive, liberal friends who are interested in Confederate history and culture.

Southerner know better than most that there is a strong minority, that mixes racism with confederate culture and history.

I believe that progressive, responsible white Southerners don't avoid the necessary task of exposing racism wherever and whenever it raises its ugly head.

Buzz...Buzz...

M