Thoughts from Dr. Joe: Taking down the ‘Stars and Bars’

When I got to Vietnam I learned the only thing worse than being a second lieutenant was being a second lieutenant from New York City. A Yankee! I was consumed by college boy idealism. However, my opinions would soon collide with reality.

In the ’60s, many of the boys who went to war were from the rural South and were attracted to the Marine Corps. I learned “Southern soldiering” is distinct and is embedded in a rich heritage. The Southern boys were unlike any other. They had an unwavering diligence to the moment and to a cause. They evolved from an ethos of sacrifice and death. Typically, most units flew the American flag, their regimental colors, and the battle flag of the Confederacy, the Stars and Bars. Eventually, the Yankees had no problem with the Confederate flag because when hell broke loose they wanted those “Johnny Rebs” in their foxholes. I realized that flying the Confederate flag was not racist; it was a symbol of one’s identity and regional character.

As a “boot louie” I had good teachers: Marcus Aurelius, Joshua Chamberlain and Sun Tzu. I learned the importance of observation, human nature, critical thought — and to value opinion. Initially, I had a difficult time separating the ideology of human suppression with that of heritage. I grew up during the cultural phenomenon of the Civil Rights Movement and didn’t understand the depths of regional identity. However, through experience I changed the way I viewed the world. Black Marines from the north and white Marines from the south who cherished the stars and bars lived with each other, accepted each other, and died for each other. Bigotry was rarely seen in the field. Subsequently, I understand the distinction between white supremacy and honoring one’s identity. I know this to be a fact because I was there.

We rarely give much attention to the mystery of human nature; however, it’s a complex phenomenon and in these days of anxiety, political correctness and diversity, I wonder what’s the shaping factor in the formation of opinion. Habit of course plays a part, but this is in the maintenance of opinion rather than its formation. Tradition is obviously a source of belief, but traditions, as they grow old, often become superstitions, which means that people have lost all track of why they believe them.

Political correctness is useless in the debate and decisions although made from egregious yet limited statistical data is an infringement on freedom of choice. I learned from my teachers that experience and informed critical thought are the guru.

In 1775, the Gadsden Flag with the coiled rattlesnake and the words, “Don’t Tread on Me,” meant something. I believe it was an interpretation of the importance of freedom. We live in complicated times; subsequently, formulating an opinion is reminiscent of a complex world. Political correctness, the offensive nature of circumstance, and a lack of critical thought erode our freedoms. Is our constitutional right to freedom of speech situational?

The Stars and Bars! You gotta take it down from the state capital of South Carolina. Whether that component of human suppression is in your heart, the flag does represent a dismal time in American history. The state of South Carolina needs to be sensitive to this.

However, the many millions of others and I who would display the Confederate flag should do so and not be demonized. We know the nature of our hearts. Don’t tread on me!

Dr. King said, “Morality cannot be legislated…. Judicial decrees may not change the heart, but they can restrain the heartless.” Whatever we bring inside our souls is the true analysis of our actions.

Here’s a thought: the flag that prior to the Civil War was the symbol of slavery was not the Confederate battle flag; it was the stars and stripes.

--

JOE PUGLIA is a practicing counselor, a retired professor of education and a former officer in the Marines. Reach him at doctorjoe@ymail.com. Visit his website at doctorjoe.us.