The Second National Flag & Bob Young's Hypocrisy – Commentary by Billy Bearden
Most likely by now, you've heard about the 2004 violation of the veteran's monument at the Augusta Riverwalk and the
resulting lawsuit against the City of Augusta and former Mullah-Mayor Bob Young.
The ruling from Superior Court Judge Duncan Wheale on the case was rather shocking
and an appeal has been filed to the Georgia Supreme Court. The city asserted
(if you can imagine the argument put forward with a straight face) that the flags on the Riverwalk do not constitute a "memorial" honoring the service of American veterans. Let's review the flag
removed from the Riverwalk and illustrate the hypocrisy of Taliban Bob.
In vexillology - the study of flags - one discovers that symbols or logos on
banners can have very different meanings, if they are designated as such.
Take for example the North American blue
flag with a white star created on December 10th, 1810. It was used to distinguish the Republic of West Florida. That
flag is commonly referred to as 'The Bonnie Blue Flag.' Flash forward to October 12th, 1954. Same blue flag, same
white star, but this time in Africa, they call it the Flag of Somalia.
Bonnie Blue Flag
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Scotland's Flag
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Citadel's Big Red
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The Flag of Scotland has been around since about 832AD. It is a blue flag
with a white X, or Saltier, and they named it after their Patron Saint and call it The Cross of St Andrew. In our
modern maritime system of nautical lettering and numbering via flags, the same blue flag with a white X is simply
the letter 'M'. Also in nautical flags, the letter 'V' is also identical to the State Flag of Alabama.
Changing the color behind the symbols can alter its context as well. The
South Carolina State Flag is blue with a Cresent and Palmetto Tree, but the
Cadets of the Citadel placed the
Cresent and Palmetto on a red background, and created a Confederate flag known affectionately as 'Big Red,' which
flew over the Citadel Cadets Battery in April 1861, when they fired on the Star of the West federal resupply ship sent to
Fort Sumter, thus bestowing upon 'Big Red' the distinction of honoring the military service of those young men every
time it is flown, a fact that Judge Wheale should well know, since he attended the Citadel.
For that matter, Judge Wheale
should know well the military significance of flags. What would Judge Wheale's Citadel classmates think of his
ridiculous ruling that the Riverwalk flags and markers are not a memorial to military service?
Let's review the flag that was actually removed from the Augusta Riverwalk memorial.
May 1st, 1863, Confederate President Jefferson Davis signed into law the
following:
"The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That the flag
of the Confederate States shall be as follows: the field to be white, the length double the width of the flag, with
the union, (now used as the battle flag,) to be a square of two thirds the width of the flag, having the ground red;
thereon a broad saltier of blue, bordered with white, and emblazoned with white mullets or five pointed stars,
corresponding in number to that of the Confederate States."
The Second National Flag, AKA 'The Stainless Banner'
Such was the legal definition creating the Second National Flag of the
Confederacy. While it did incorporate the Battleflag of the Army of Northern Virginia (Lee's Command), this
version ( 1:2 ) was the Governmental issue flag, to fly over buildings and at State functions. It represented
the Confederate government and its citizens. It was from the huge abundance of white that the nickname "Stainless
Banner" was drawn.
However, there was another version, one that was created for use on
battlefields by Confederate soldiers. The measurements of these Second National pattern Battleflags were 2:3, or in
today's measurements, fairly close to a standard 3'x5' common issue flag. Basically it was two Battleflags in one!
The first official use of the (2:3) Second National pattern Battleflag was to
cover the casket of Lt. General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson, as his earthly remains Laid in State in Richmond on
May 12th, 1863, and as he was interred in Lexington on May 14th. This use created the battleflag's second nickname,
the "Jackson Flag"
The Second National pattern 2:3 Battleflag was used in numerous theatres
of war. It was utilized as Headquarters Flags by notable Confederate leaders like Major General James Ewell
Brown (JEB) Stuart, Lt. General James Longstreet, and
Major General Robert Hoke.
The Second National pattern 2:3 Battleflag was present at the surrender of
Confederate Forces under General Robert E. Lee at Appomatox Courthouse. Its presence was witnessed by Union Major
General Joshua L. Chamberlain, where he wrote:
"...Our earnest eyes scan the busy groups on the opposite slopes, breaking camp for the last time, taking down their
little shelter-tents and folding them carefully as precious things, then slowly forming ranks as for unwelcome duty.
And now they move. The dusky swarms forge forward into gray columns of march. On they come, with the old swinging
route step and swaying battle-flags. In the van, the proud Confederate ensign—-- the great field of white with canton
of star-strewn cross of blue on a field of red, the regimental battle-flags with the same escutcheon following on,
crowded so thick, by thinning out of men, that the whole column seemed crowned with red..." {bold emphasis mine}
The Second National pattern 2:3 Battleflag was also a Naval Ensign, and flew
on every Confederate Naval vessel, including the famous C.S.S. Shenandoah. Her flag was the last Confederate Flag to
be lowered, months after the War had ended, on November 5th, 1865.
The Second National pattern 2:3 Battleflag's most recent use was to drape
the caskets of the C.S.S. Hunley's final eight member crew on
April 17th, 2004.
[SIDEBAR: The funeral for the C.S.S. Hunley crew
took place in Charleston, home of the Citadel. Given his views of this flag, we don't imagine Judge Wheale was present
for the funeral. From the trial transcript: Judge Wheale: "The Second National Flag is a symbol of hate,
unfortunately."]
It was this 2:3 version (3x5) Second National pattern Battleflag that has
flown on the Bay Street Esplanade (Augusta Riverwalk) for twenty years without a single complaint. Consciously or not,
the 3x5 version of the Second National Confederate Flag is the Battleflag version. Yes, it does commemorate Confederate
Military Service, and yes, it is for our Confederate ancestors that we work to get it back up regardless of the time or
cost to us or Augusta! And yes, it is more than just a 'flag fight.'
Now let's discuss the hypocrisy of Taliban Bob......
Charles Smith, Augusta NAACP
In 2004, the South Carolina NAACP (state convention) was to come to Augusta. They were boycotting their own
state because a Confederate battle flag still flew over a monument on the State house grounds in Columbia---they had promised, then reneged, to end the boycott
if the flag was removed from atop the Capitol dome. That's another story...
On behalf of the SC NAACP, Augusta NAACP member
Charles Smith demanded the city remove the Second National to appease them. Mayor Bob was quick to comply. However, before Mayor Bob
spit on our brave Confederate ancestors to pander to a bigoted hate group, he was a member of the Advisory Council on Historic
Preservation (yeah, we all wonder how a 'historic preserver' can be a historic remover), and presented himself as a person who valued history and
heritage. A few examples of Mayor Bob's activities include:
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Date: November 11, 2002
Re: Summit on Heritage Tourism
Mayor Bob Young will chair an historic meeting of Federal agencies for a summit on heritage tourism. Mayor Young
said: "Heritage tourism is the fastest growing segment of tourism. People have a tremendous desire to know more
about who they are and from where they came."
Date: April 28, 2003
Re: Memorial Day Remarks
" ...We honor the dead by saluting the living. We honor their families by enshrining their sacrifice...."
September 24, 2003
Mayor Young's Speech at Augusta Powderworks Historical Marker Dedication
News Release
Date: October 22, 2003
Re: Veterans Day Details
11AM - Veterans ceremony at the monument for veterans of all wars on Broad Street at Fourth
Street. This is an annual event that brings together our city's veterans of previous conflicts for a program of
recognition and remembrance.
On the current website:
"The Character Trait for September 2004 is Truthfulness."
Earning future trust by accurately reporting past facts.
Proud to
be An American Month Proclamation 2004
Constitution Week 2004 Proclamation
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Can you say "HYPOCRITE?" How about charlatan?
Former Mayor Young claims to value history, historic tourism, truthfulness, and
American pride in American heritage, the sacrifices of American veterans...yet, he revises history and desecrates a memorial to American soldiers at the mere
suggestion of a perpetually disgruntled member of a local demagoguery group. Young's despicable act demonstrates his hypocrisy and
shows that he's no better than the Taliban in Afghanistan that destroyed centuries old Buddhist carvings with dynamite
because the symbols were not to their liking.
It's people like Taliban Bob Young who will eventually dynamite Stone Mountain's memorial to Southern heroes and bulldoze cemeteries with Confederate
veterans...unless we stop them.
How do we stop them? By helping to win the appeal against the jihad (the Augusta Riverwalk is just the latest
battle in the ethnic cleansing of Dixie). If you can help with a few dollars,
click here and indicate "Riverwalk" on your donation.
Related Links
Taliban Bob Young presented Bloody Scimitar Award for desecrating the Augusta Riverwalk Flag Memorial - X-Files
Flags Memorialize Military Service - Commentary by Steve Scroggins 8/26/06
Veterans and Flags: A connection that's anything but 'tenuous' - Commentary by Woody Highsmith 8/24/06
The Real Issue At Riverwalk---It's NOT just another flag fight - Commentary by J.A. Davis 8/22/06
Augusta Mayor Flagged after Riverwalk Inspection
Billy Bearden - 9/22/04
Augusta Taliban clears Riverwalk - X-Files 9/21/04
Another Day Another Lie - X-Files
Frankly Speaking: Augusta Monument Desecration
Frank Gillispie - 9/21/04
Augusta Mayor Young's campaign promises broken
spofga.org - 9/21/04
Who are the Hypocrites - the White House or the City of Augusta?
spofga.org - 9/21/04
Republican Mayor of Augusta Openly Violates Georgia Law
spofga.org - 9/20/04
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