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Letter: Significant emotions behind flags

The Columbian
Published: July 29, 2015, 5:00pm

I have seen many misstatements lately about the flag of the Confederacy. Most folks don’t know the difference between the Confederate Battle flag and the Stars and Bars, nor the many flags used during the Civil War. In fact, those words in themselves are contentious: was it that, or a “War Between the States” or “The Rebellion.” Abraham Lincoln refused to recognize any of these terms, for, to him, the action, in effect, was a police action.

I was the chair of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission for Oregon from 2008 to 2009. I hope people will look at some scholarly research, not only just about the pieces of cloth, but about the significance of the feelings behind those emblems. One of the best is a John M. Coski article, “The Confederate Flag: America’s most Embattled Emblem,” published by the Harvard Press in 2005. This article, recently republished by the Digital Digest, includes some commentary. Find it at bit.ly/1LvbhBW. Read it. One will find it thoughtful.

Michael Burton

Vancouver

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