Yesterday I posted this comment on a WRAL article about the Supreme Court taking on a case in Texas regarding the use of the Klu Klux Klan’s flag on their license plates.
“Your recent comment (copied at the end of this e-mail), however, was considered inappropriate, irrelevant or abusive (as outlined in our Terms of Service) by members of the online community and was removed from the Web site after further editorial review”.
Now here’s the comment. Let’s see how “abusive” this was….
“Oh look, here it is. The “Confederate Battle Flag”. Flown once in battle by the Northern Army of Virginia and then completely rejected by the Confederacy as a bad design. Later inaccurately portrayed in Confederate battle paintings and then embraced by the KKK in the 1920’s and racists everywhere. Zero to do with “states rights” this flag emerged as a symbol of racism and hatred in the south and nothing more. Racism those in Texas apparently feel the need to fight for. My grandfather 4 generations removed was a Colonel in the Confederate Army and a slave owner. Later decorated by Grant himself who appointed him the first US ambassador to China. I reject this flag and all it stands for. I suppose I’m a race traitor to the low information diehards”.
It seems WRAL is not only interested in censoring opinions they don’t agree with, they don’t seem to like historical facts either. How is the above opinion offensive or abusive unless you consider yourself a “low information diehard (racist)”? Or someone fighting to have a symbol of racism on your auto in Texas? The management at WRAL is probably having the shots called by their overlords at Fox News. I’m left to imagine a low information racist upset about being called one and flagging the comment as “abusive”. None of it explains deleting a comment comprised of historical fact, pointed at no one in particular, other than to conclude WRAL does not believe the factual content of the comment or… they are upset because I called out the precious “Confederate Battle Flag”, which is not the flag on the Texas plates. That is the flag adopted by the KKK and other southern segregation groups after it was rejected by the Confederacy.
Meanwhile birthers carry on happily at WRAL. No censorship for their delusional nonsense. I replied to one birther’s whacked out comment by simply responding “Seek Therapy” and WRAL banned my email address from any further posting. I get it. WRAL hates Obama. I’m not too hype on him either but to give one side free reign while suppressing factual information from the other is PROPAGANDA, not journalism, not “moderation”. WRAL likes to call their censors “moderators”.
Do you think just maybe WRAL has an agenda? Sounds like they support comments from low IQ birthers, still whining about a birth certificate, while the truth, that the confused, troubled person needs therapy is suppressed. Meanwhile any slurring of liberals and progressives in their comment forums often go unabated, regardless of how inaccurate, abusive or offensive. Perhaps Progressives just have thicker skin and don’t flag comments as “abusive” unless they genuinely are. Now I’m giving WRAL too much benefit of the doubt.
By the way birthers, my certificate is from Hawaii too. My great, great, great Grandfather was Colonel John Singleton Mosby, The Grey Ghost of the Army of Norther Virginia. I know a little bit about the history of that flag and it’s revival in the south by southern segregationists, specifically the KKK. But WRAL would never consider a story about the true history of that flag and what it stands for. Nope. They are more interested in making sure they don’t upset some low IQ, racist, conservatives. A large demographic in the Republican constituency.
This is what happens when money controls media. Censorship of the truth. They have the arrogance to think they can rewrite and suppress historical facts. To hell with WRAL. They are as bad, or worse, than their Fox News commanders.
“What is now often called “The Confederate Flag” or “The Confederate Battle Flag” (actually a combination of the battle flag’s colors with the Second Navy Jack’s design), despite its never having historically represented the CSA as a nation, has become a widely recognized symbol of the South”. http://www.civilwar.com/resources/313-flags/150182-confederate-flag-history.html#The_Battle_Flag
“symbol of the south”? No. It’s nothing more a symbol for racists who want to proclaim their racism by claiming ancestral heritage. Even if none of my account of the flag is accurate it is still the equivalent of Germans wanting to proudly honor their Nazi ancestors by sporting swastikas. Let’s all honor sick old rednecks who were very much in the wrong, just like their vile spawn roaming Texas today.