Dear editor:
The June 17th edition of The Dodge County News had an opinion piece by Mr. John Battle on the Confederate flag. I would rhetorically and respectfully add, and ask Mr. Battle’s and others in their perpetual rant about the Confederate flag, isn’t so easy in 21st politically correct Century hindsight to be so self righteous and condemn that flag in southern armies asunder? However Mr. Battle, let it be remembered that the stars and stripes also flew over slaves both north and south for generations long before the Confederate flag was in existence. I can only suppose Mr. Battle had a severe case of amnesia and omitted that factual historical footnote, how convenient!
As a direct descendant of General Mark Wilcox, which a county in central Georgia was named after for his valor in the civil war and state legislator, I, along with my family, admire and appreciate the sacrifices that my late Great Uncle and others did, and not equate their patriotism and values with the perverse atmosphere that is so prevalent in America today with goose stepping skin heads with swastika and buffoons wearing cheap Walmart bed sheets.
Mr. Battle, I would ask what’s next on the hit list, The Great Sphinx in Egypt, after all, slaves built that too didn’t they?
And for the record Mr. Battle, I too served under the stars and bars with that flag flying atop of my armored personnel carrier as an infantry soldier in Vietnam 1967-68. Governor Lester Maddox personally mailed me that flag with the approval of my commander to mount it on the radio antenna. Other soldiers were doing the same representing their state.
For those politicians who have the backbone of a slinky toy in caving in now on monuments and statues for the political correctness, they are cowards to the core.
There is a reckoning coming for those feckless betrayers, it’s called election.
TSGT. Joseph Bryan, U.S.A.F. Ret