Mike Huckabee: Flying Conferedate Flag Should Be South Carolina’s Choice
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — Republican Mike Huckabee said the government should stay out of disputes over the Confederate flag in South Carolina.
“You don’t like people from outside the state coming in and telling you what to do with your flag,” Huckabee, a former Arkansas governor, told supporters Thursday in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
“In fact, if somebody came to Arkansas and told us what to do with our flag, we’d tell ‘em what to do with the pole, that’s what we’d do,” Huckabee said.
Arkansas’ flag includes four stars surround the word “Arkansas” — one above it and three below it. The one above stands for the Confederacy, according to the state code.
He did not say whether he considers it offensive to fly the flag, a symbol of racism to some and Southern pride to others, saying only that the matter should be up to the states. That was the position of his rival John McCain when he ran for president in 2000; after losing, McCain said he had not been honest about his feelings and that the flag should go.
Ironically, Huckabee is barnstorming South Carolina with former Gov. David Beasley, who angered conservative Republicans by calling for the flag’s removal from the statehouse dome. Today, the flag is displayed elsewhere on the state Capitol grounds.
Earlier Thursday, Huckabee assailed political insiders who blew opportunities to fix Washington, a subtle dig at rivals John McCain and Fred Thompson.
Huckabee did not name names as he campaigned Thursday at a steel plant in Huger, S.C., but it was clear he meant McCain and Thompson, a current and former senator who are competing against him in South Carolina’s primary Saturday.
“Everyday, some Washington insider is coming down to South Carolina telling you not to vote for me,” Huckabee told about 125 people at the Nucor Steel Berkeley plant. “My attitude is, if they were going to fix it, they should have already done it. Since they haven’t, the last thing we need is them going to the White House.”
The government should NOT get involved in the affairs of EVERYTHING. How can you being a free nation justify the government getting involved in each states affairs? Mike is awesome. For the person that said the plane should be shot down because they fly a flag of THEIR CHOICE in a FREE nation… please leave the country now… Communism is for you..
As a 26 year old African American woman, I am truly offended at the individuals who want to not only represent a time in history when our country was divided. The Confederate flag stands for something very ugly. You cannot not compare a symbol, such as a cross, which at one point in time represented something ugly, but now represents salvation which is wonderful. What wonderful does the confederate flag represent…nothing. As an African American woman when I see that flag it is like a slap in the fax. I will never understand why anyone would think that this is a representation of good. Our president of the United States will NEVER hang a confederate flag out on the white house lawn. This will NEVER happen, because it is a nasty time in history. One of the blog commented on the fact that the northern part part of the U.S. were slave owners as well. That is correct General Grant did own slaves. But while as you say “they were taking steps to free the slaves”, many northern Americans had already freed their slaves. Even after WE WON the civil war, many, many slave owners terrorized their slaves and black balled them. So you see it was about rights. The Owners of slaves in the North provided opportunity’s to their slaves, to earn income, gain freedom (while still allowing them to maintain their lifestyle), teaching them to read, and acquire property. The south fought the U.S. ( as in me, not you) to keep black people, uneducated, impoverished and slaves to the incompetent white owners of the south. A lot of their ancestors still live on and a few even posted commits on this board. You people have no right. Do you see swastikas being flown all over and in the Jews faces. We deserve some respect. It is the blood and tears of my ancestor that built this country…and any one says otherwise is an Idiot. I am so sick of people defending everything that is ripping the country apart. Not only is everyone extremely ignorant as to how this flag is thought of through out the African American community, this would not even be an issue. People need to not only start using their heads, but their hearts to.
As a 26 year old African American woman, I am truly offended at the individuals who want to not only represent a time in history when our country was divided. The Confederate flag stands for something very ugly. You cannot not compare a symbol, such as a cross, which at one point in time represented something ugly, but now represents salvation which is wonderful. What wonderful does the confederate flag represent…nothing. As an African American woman when I see that flag it is like a slap in the fax. I will never understand why anyone would think that this is a representation of good. Our president of the United States will NEVER hang a confederate flag out on the white house lawn. This will NEVER happen, because it is a nasty time in history. One of the blog commented on the fact that the northern part part of the U.S. were slave owners as well. That is correct General Grant did own slaves. But while as you say “they were taking steps to free the slaves”, many northern Americans had already freed their slaves. Even after WE WON the civil war, many, many slave owners terrorized their slaves and black balled them. So you see it was about rights. The Owners of slaves in the North provided opportunity’s to their slaves, to earn income, gain freedom (while still allowing them to maintain their lifestyle), teaching them to read, and acquire property. The south fought the U.S. ( as in me, not you) to keep black people, uneducated, impoverished and slaves to the incompetent white owners of the south. A lot of their ancestors still live on and a few even posted commits on this board. You people have no right. Do you see swastikas being flown all over and in the Jews faces. We deserve some respect. It is the blood and tears of my ancestor that built this country…and any one says otherwise is an Idiot. I am so sick of people defending everything that is ripping the country apart. Not only is everyone extremely ignorant as to how this flag is thought of through out the African American community, this would not even be an issue. People need to not only start using their heads, but their hearts as well. If you knew how much that flag hurts, it would not be an issue.