You can catch up on the backstory to all of this here, but the short version is this: The Lorain County Democrats withdrew their booth from the Lorain County Fair because Confederate flags were for sale and on display on fairgrounds. They let their thoughts on the symbol of hatred be known and various media outlets covered the events.
Yada yada yada.
Which brings us to this update from the Chronicle-Telegram.
Joe Maybaugh, a Wellington area man (Wellington being a city in Ohio), is a strong supporter of the Confederate flag and didn’t know that there was so much opposition to it until the Lorain County Democrats got the conversation started.
Maybaugh said he felt that in the days following [Lorain County Commissioner} Lundy’s words, the general public was only hearing one side of the story.
“That’s what prompted me to come forward,” he said.
Come forward he did. He organized a run of sorts for other Confederate flag supporters, basically driving around the fair with the flag. About 50 people showed up, according to the newspaper’s account. He also created the Lorain County Ohio Confederate Support Group. Here is the “about” section from the page:
Elaborating on that eloquent mission statement, he told the paper:
“It’s not about racism. Not one little bit,” Maybaugh said, adding that he believes the flag is a sign of free speech and, “people standing behind what they believe in.”
The people who flew the flag believed in slavery. It’s really as simple as that. But anyway…
The Lorain County Confederate Support Group (whose very name implies that some culturally productive and important part of Southern culture, if not the entire South altogether, is somehow in danger; more on that thread and Donald Trump in this amazing New Yorker piece) isn’t alone in Northeast Ohio. We ran down the “super strong” support for the flag around NEO and its supporters various defenses for veiled racism here, including it being “not racist at all,” “just another red, white and blue flag,” a “military thing,” and about “heritage not hate.”
Maybaugh echoed many of those talking points in a FB post the day before the article:
The Chronicle Telegram is doing an article in tomorrows paper about this page and the events that took place during fair week such as the flag run. I expressed to them that its not about racism. Everyone has the freedom to believe whatever they want. Do some view it as racist yes, but many also view the American flag as racist, slavery was legal under the American flag for 76 years, and slavery was legal under the confederate flag for 4, its wrong that the county commissioner is trying to take the rights away from people to sell the flag. Nobody has had any problem with the confederate flag being sold at the lorain county fair until south carolina made the decisions they made. Im very glad that The Chronicle Telegram is taking the time to hear our voice and our opinions on the matter. I only hope people will understand this is a free country with constitutional rights and that the confederate battle flag we fly has nothing to do with slavery or racism but a herritage that is supported by millions of Americans still today
This has been today’s installment of “It’s 2015, guys. Really?”
This article appears in Sep 2-8, 2015.
Er, Ohio fought on the Union side during the Civil War
Anyone who displays this flag in Ohio is a TRAITOR.
that battle flag was used on a white background as the second national flag of the confederacy. (The “stainless banner”) Articles one and four of the 1861 confederate constitution support slavery as a pillar of the Confederacy and provide for its expansion west. Therefore, that flag is an official symbol of that racist government. The battle flag itself was used as a battle focus for that racist traitor government, in defense of that racist traitor constitution of 1861.
It was used, over the objections of the Daughters of the Confederacy, as a symbol of the segregationists and Dixiecrats of the anti-civil rights movement of the 20th century. It is therefore legitimately seen as racist by blacks.
There are many southern culture things to actually celebrate. The food, music, politeness and hospitality, not mention the Southern role in the Revolution, are all wonderful. The focus on this symbol of four years of racist rebellion and not the others, especially in a northern Union state, shows the real reasons for this “pride”, stubborn racism, or plain ignorance.
It’s not historical here in Ohio. It’s absolutely tied to racism both of the civil war and the 20th century. (If you skimmed, go back and read articles 1&4 of confederate constitution.) Flying it in Ohio shows either ignorance of history or racism. Neither is acceptable, or good. Just repeating the falacy of benign southern pride and history over and over doesn’t make it true.
If you believe the Southern Battle flag is a symbol of racism you’re as dumb as the teacher that taught you it is.
Proven historical fact:
Only 5% of the Southern people had any slaves, and when they joined the Southern armies they joined as free men.
Historic Fact:
The Northern States had more slaves than the Southern States and longer, and in the Northern armies Blacks had to be Bribed with freedom.
Historic Fact:
Lincoln was a traitor and murderer as he signed the order to invade Sovereign states and murder those that were defending their families and land.
Historic Fact:
Civil war was in fact not over Slavery, it was over taxes, tariffs, and Northern power.
Historic Fact:
The Southern states seceded from the union over States rights.
Northern America… love it or leave it.
This is like being a proud member of the Silver Legion of America — on December 8, 1941.
@Chris Tidd you are absolutely right that the war was fought over states’ rights. The specific “states’ rights” that they were fighting for? Slavery. Confederate flag = fighting to continue slavery. If you’re going to use “facts” tell the whole story.
I’m trying to make sense of everything Chris Tidd wrote, but I feel like I need to slam my face into a brick wall 40 times before what he wrote starts to make any sense. But, how can I say this politely? How about this? If you have a duck, you can tell me 40,000 times that it’s a penguin and cite “history” for why it’s a penguin, but all that doesn’t change the fact that it’s a duck. Also you make yourself look silly.
The Confederate Battle Flag represents the cross of St. Andrew (first follower of Jesus) not enslavement of negroes. At the top of the flagpole there is a Christian cross, not a bird of prey (Eagle) as U.S .flag The battle flag was used to direct troops in battle (not slave ships) Wars are over money and who controls it , not great moral virtues. The North invaded the South. We were not traitor’s to the founding fathers. It was “The Rich Man’s War” not ” The Civil War” There were many negroes and native Americans on the Southern side and NOT SEGREATED as on the Union side. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest’s body guard Company were all Black. Know the truth and the truth will set you free.