There may be a lesson learned here. The Georgia economic development folks have been telling us and 'selling' us that Georgia "must change its ways." They have been pushed in this politically correct theory by the Atlanta and Georgia Chambers of Commerce in coordination and cooperation with the NAACP.

A large part of the theory had to do with the removal of the 1956 Georgia flag with its cross of St. Andrew. It has been regularly described as "offensive." The Atlanta Chamber has boasted its greatest legislative accomplishment was in getting the '56 flag removed from the flag referendum. According to the wisdom of the chamber folks, new opportunities would open for development throughout the state. If you believe their line of reasoning, you would surmise the 1956 flag was a roadblock to "progress" and that since its removal economic development would be booming.

Switch your view, for a few moments, to South Carolina, the apparent victor in the Daimler-Chrysler quest. The South Carolina legislature refused to knuckle under to the NAACP and the do gooders at the chambers of commerce. South Carolina displays the St. Andrews cross flag on its capitol grounds. As a compromise, the legislature agreed to remove the battle flag from atop the dome and the NAACP agreed to end the boycott.

Keeping its end of the agreement, the legislature moved the St. Andrews cross battle flag to a Confederate memorial on the Capitol grounds. The NAACP promptly reneged on the agreement stating that the capitol grounds was still "too visible" and they wouldn't be satisfied unless the flag was hidden in a museum. The NAACP boycott continues to this day...perhaps becoming a really bad joke.

Has this injured South Carolina's efforts to attract either tourism or industry? Apparently not as industrial development continues at a robust rate and tourism is up in double digits, considerably a higher percentage increase than Georgia. All this despite a statewide boycott of all tourism imposed on South Carolina by the NAACP. Perhaps the boycott actually helps South Carolina?

The ranting and raving by the NAACP and their enablers at the chambers have had opposite effects in South Carolina and Georgia. South Carolina has prospered and added thousands of new jobs and millions in new revenues while Georgia has done well to tread water while its politicians cower in fear of the NAACP. Perhaps they should evaluate a rational fear instead, the justifiable reprisal of the people of their districts who learn the truth.

The South Carolina NAACP will not even hold a state convention in its own home state. Guess what? It goes to Augusta, Georgia where the mayor was induced into illegally removing historic flags and marker-memorials from a military park honoring U. S. veterans which include Confederate veterans, in order to placate the South Carolina NAACP. We at GHC have yelled loudly about this violation of the law and the score is yet settled on that case. We haven't heard 'boo' from one single veteran's organization.

The Taliban in Afghanistan couldn't have done a better job of trying to eliminate history, heritage and culture. As you'll recall, the Taliban in Afghanistan destroyed centuries-old buddhist statues and mountain-side monuments using dynamite.

We at GHC have NOT been shy about drawing an analogy between the Taliban and those in Georgia who seek to destroy or hide Georgia's heritage and culture. Links to several parodies and lampoons are below. One of them in particular drew attention and angry reaction from those lampooned. The truth hurts sometimes.

The jury is still out on the Savannah situation and the motives and intentions of the leadership (other than the mullah-mayor) there. Any removal of Confederate portaits, statuary, plaques, memorials and the like FROM places of honor in courthouses and city chambers TO museums, cemeteries or other 'hideaways' must be viewed as a sellout to the NAACP whose stated goals include the removal of such memorials first from public property, then entirely from any publicly visible location. Ultimately, they want to erase all memory of our Confederate heritage. There can be NO COMPROMISE with people of that mindset.

Current Georgia law [ 50-3-1 section B, paragraphs 1 & 2] forbids public officers and agencies from removing or hiding memorials to military service (including Confederate military service) from public property. This law was violated because certain parties believe they can get away with it in the current P.C. environment. A growing number of Georgia citizens will have something to say about that.

The Augusta litigation pursuant to the illegal actions of its mayor is about to begin. Look for news on that in the very near future.

The taxpayers of Augusta should ask their mayor whether he represents them...or...the South Carolina NAACP. And they should ask him to justify the legal expenses to the taypayers to defend his illegal actions. Thirdly, they should ask him why he deems it appropriate to disrespect the American veterans honored for almost twenty years by the Riverwalk Memorial which has now been rendered incomplete by his actions to hide Georgia's heritage merely to please outside agitators. Some might use the word "vandalized" to describe what was done to the memorial. Finally, they should ask him WHY he thinks he is above the law.

We Georgians are saddened to see our state lose economic and tourism opportunities. Stupidity and political correctness is no excuse. We can do better. We certainly can't blame South Carolina for having a better perspective for the mentality of the people and their sense of fairness.

Did the flags flown in Georgia and South Carolina have any impact on the Daimler-Chrysler decision? They say "no" and I'm inclined to believe it had no effect.

This seems to show that the people of Georgia have been hoodwinked with a snake-oil sales pitch. It would be more accurate to say that the political leaders of Georgia were hoodwinked by their own Chamber snake-oil salesmen in coordination with Taliban race-hustlers. The People of Georgia (79%) still want a Fair Vote on the flag, the fair vote they were promised and repeatedly denied by Gov. Perdue.

The decision to deny and hide our heritage and to appease the race hustlers has NOT resulted in the expected and promised reward. Those politicians who have lied to the people and allowed the Taliban-like race hustlers and the snake-oil salesmen of the Chambers to hoodwink them will have to answer to the people.

Georgia's economic development hucksters have too long been playing race cards which arrest the progress of both economic growth and tourism. Georgia has great assets to market including its Confederate history. Turned loose to creative minds with a sense of tolerance for all Georgians, new industrial and tourism records would almost certainly be established, perhaps even rivaling the period of Georgia's greatest growth in history-------the period between 1956 and 2001 when the 1956 flag with its honorable St. Andrews cross flew officially over the state.

Jeff Davis is a retired radio-TV journalist living in Gainesville, GA. Active in civic and political affairs, he is past president of the Georgia Jaycees, former vice president of the US and the world Jaycees, former campaign chairman of the Georgia Republican party. He voluntarily serves as chairman of the Georgia Heritage Council. He is a collateral descendant of President Jefferson Davis.

Related Links
Auto plant skips state (again) - ajc.com

The Deplorable Act of Savannah's Mullah-mayor

Savannah Deserves Better - J.A. Davis

Savannah Taliban joins anti-Southern jihad

Augusta Mayor flagged after Riverwalk inspection

Augusta Taliban Clears Riverwalk

Augusta Monument Desecration