Maryville- No Flags, signs, etc

[WestHightrojanfan2007]

First of all, you obviously do not know the history of the Civil War, or you would understand that this entire "offensive" situation is contrived.  I work for a bigger school system than Blount County, and I am sure that I understand PR nightmares.  As a matter of fact I aced the course in the Master's program.  If school systems give in to every complaint made by every group, we'll soon be walking single file in same-sex lines to and from classes and other events.  This is a perfect example of a knee-jerk reaction if not reverse discrimination.  I could care less if anyone even attends Maryville games.  I don't dislike the program, I'm simply indifferent, but when people support decisions based on a created "insensitive" situation proven to be crap by history, I felt I needed to add my 2 cents.  Have "rebel" or "confederate" flag shirts been banned?  If groups are offended, maybe they should start their own private or parochial school.  What's next?  I know!  The American Zoological Society and PETA will protest the use of the bobcat name at Central High games.  Finally, I guess the strange thing is when I have attended games at Maryville to watch them practice for the playoffs, minority students are right in the middle of all the celebrations, the flag waiving, the cheers.  As a matter of fact, I have never heard about one complaint from a current or former player about playing with the word "Rebels" on their helmet.  Maybe they understand the point better than the adults making the new policies or those of you supporting it.

 

 

 

Wonderfully said. I am NOT a Maryville supporter, but a loyal MoWest fan. But I have to say that this is the most outrageous thing I have ever heard of at a football game. And if the rebel flag is that big of a deal, they could always change the team name ( not what i want to happen, by the way, just trying to make a point), and also, ive talked with many maryville fans and none of them seemed to be bothered by rebel flags at football games. also, i have a brother who went to school with Jonathan Crompton (UT Freshman QB) last year. The school has a group of about 12 guys who dress up for every game. Well the game I happened to go to, the guys were holding rebel flags, about 8-10 of them. I heard no complaints of this, and the team name isn't even the rebels, its the mountaineers. I dont understand why the school board would do this to a team. I mean seriously, its a part of the game. YOUR TEAM NAME IS THE REBELS, what other kind of flag are you suppose to wave around?

 

just my 2 cents...

 

 

-GO TROJANS

Edited June 22, 2005 by WestHightrojanfan2007

[Rebel Nation]

morbid, I as a Rebel flag carrying MHS fan, apprecitate your input, as all sides need to be heard. I hope to see you on my board during and after all this is over. thumb

 

uknowme...please check out the link below and come chat with us there too. thumb

 

Well said WHT...nice input. thumb

Edited June 22, 2005 by Rebel Nation

[Ti-Ta]

I am a loyal Red Bank fan and I have been a supporter of Red Bank for forty plus years. We have played Maryville around five times and I think Maryville has a great tradition of a winning football program. One of the things that stands out at their games are the Rebel flags and yes years ago the playing Dixie as did Red Bank! It always gave everyone around us in the stands the greatest feeling hearing the band to play Dixie and all the Rebel flags waving. It is really a shame that a few people in todays society can change something that means so much to a school such as Maryville. To sum it up, its a crime against nature!

[Ohio Vol]

I'll give an example from my personal life here.

 

I am not black or of African descent. In fact, I am of Hungarian descent, meaning that I come from a long line of Magyar barbarians. The Magyars seized large chunks of central Europe in the 10th century AD, then settled down and became farmers. Their governments changed over the years, and only twice was it displaced by outside forces (by the Turks, and later when Austria annexed the country and created the empire of Austria-Hungary). In the aftermath of WWII, Josef Stalin's Red Army moved in and seized control, converting a proud independent nation into a satellite of the most evil regime in history.

 

In 1956, Hungarian students rallied against Soviet intervention and were fired upon. This touched off a full-scale revolution against the Soviet occupiers. By the time it was all done, 9 members of my family (not immediate family; these are all cousins) had either been killed or deported to the gulags.

 

I myself was not involved in that moment of history, but the mere sight of a hammer and sickle or a Hungarian flag with a red star is guaranteed to make my blood boil. Yes, I get fired up over a symbol; it symbolized the brutal oppression and rape of an independent people by those who would call themselves civilized.

 

No, I don't believe for a second that the War of 1861 was fought over slavery, but more over an intricate network of complex economic matters and the right to self-determination and self-government. And I am well familiar with statements about the war (Ulysses S Grant saying that if he'd thought the war was over eliminating slavery, he would have resigned his commission and fought with the CSA). And the brutal violation of the Constitution that Abraham Lincoln and his noodle-spined followers began and encouraged created a federalist ripple effect still being felt today (only much greater in scope and magnitude).

 

Right or wrong, historically accurate or not, the Confederate Naval Jack and Battle Flag are generally interpreted as being signs of anti-black racism. Clearly, this doesn't apply to all or even a majority of those with it, but the annexation of the flag by the KKK and other anti-black groups has only served to further tarnish the flag's image.

 

For those of us who agree wholeheartedly with the cause that was fought for by the CSA in the War of 1861 who despise the racial implications that the flag has taken on, I encourage displaying a 3rd National Flag. That is one that has not been seized by racist groups, and as such shows solidarity with the politcal theory and shows no allegiance (one way or another) to any of the racial issues that have become so prominent.

[Patriotpride1989]

I'm not a Maryville fan.

 

Let them wave what they want

 

They are goin to lose to alcoa this year

[BCsportsfan]

No, I don't believe for a second that the War of 1861 was fought over slavery, but more over an intricate network of complex economic matters and the right to self-determination and self-government.  And I am well familiar with statements about the war (Ulysses S Grant saying that if he'd thought the war was over eliminating slavery, he would have resigned his commission and fought with the CSA).  And the brutal violation of the Constitution that Abraham Lincoln and his noodle-spined followers began and encouraged created a federalist ripple effect still being felt today (only much greater in scope and magnitude).

 

Right or wrong, historically accurate or not, the Confederate Naval Jack and Battle Flag are generally interpreted as being signs of anti-black racism.  Clearly, this doesn't apply to all or even a majority of those with it, but the annexation of the flag by the KKK and other anti-black groups has only served to further tarnish the flag's image.

 

For those of us who agree wholeheartedly with the cause that was fought for by the CSA in the War of 1861 who despise the racial implications that the flag has taken on, I encourage displaying a 3rd National Flag.  That is one that has not been seized by racist groups, and as such shows solidarity with the politcal theory and shows no allegiance (one way or another) to any of the racial issues that have become so prominent.

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The Maryville Daily Times article:

 

http://www.thedailytimes.com/sited/story/html/210711

[JC4life]

"Edgerton is a former National Association for the Advancement of Colored People chapter president in Asheville. He was suspended from the organization in 1998 for noncompliance with state and national NAACP rules."

 

I said I was going to stop posting in this thread didn`t I? This REALLY is the last post.

Edited June 26, 2005 by JC4life

[Manzikert]

This is a long thread and I haven't read all the posts, so somebody else may have mentioned this & if so I apologize for being redundant. This is a very controversial topic, and my point is a small one, that really isn't involved in the current controversy at all----- still its always bothered me so I thought I mention it here--- That is, accepting the "heritage" point for purposes of argument only, I question whether anybody in Maryville is entitled to claim the "Rebel" heritage-- Why? Well, for one thing, Blount County voted against secession in 1861(perhaps showing good judgement and forsight ), for another, East Tennessee was a stronghold of Union sympathizers during the war--- witness the fact that Lincoln's 1864 runnig mate and successor, Andrew Johnson, was an East Tennessean. I haven't researched this in detail, but I'd be willing to bet that as many Blount Countians served in the Union army as in the Confederate army--- and that both were probably outnumbered by folks who just sat the war out. So---- its one thing for Ole Miss to get wrapped up in the Rebel flag (and they've gotten over it pretty nicely, by the way)--- Barksdale's Mississippi brigade probably suffered as many casualties in 2 hours in the Wheat Field and the Peach Orchard at Gettysburg as were suffered by Blount County residents fighting for the Confederacy in the whole war. Not a big deal, people can name teams whatever they want (what in world do Titans have to do with Nashville?)--- but when you start claiming something as your "heritage" you're invoking history-- in which case you probably ought to be sure what the history is--- and the fact is that if Maryville wants to be true to its real heritage from the Civil War era, they might want to consider renaming their teams the Yankees, or perhaps less controversially , the Americans, and waving the Stars & Stripes at games--- not that some people wouldn't get bent out shape at that too--- This was mostly just for fun, so please don't get hot at me--- but I'm right about the history.

[TruRebelPlaya]

The problem with this issue that should concern everybody, (heritage, hate, KKK, Rednecks, everything else aside) is that this is a slippery slope we are going down. I know that that might even be cliche at this point in our modern history, but when the person "offended' gets to set the terms of what offends them then basic freedoms are lost.

 

There is no right to be offended in our constitution. There is a right to free speech. However, it is not suprising to me this is overlooked since in the past few years the constitution has become simply an old rag in a marbled building in D.C. and not the contract between the people and the government that it was intended to be. There is so much constitutional history that could be brought out here, but it's not really needed. All you need to see is a few recent events in the news to understand the danger of this action by Maryville City school board.

 

In New London CT, the local government decided it was in their best interest to seize private property through public domain to increase tax revenue. The Supreme Court sided with the local government. As a result, any private property that some local board thinks they "need" they now have a precedent to take - but of course its for the general welfare. Never mind private property rights.

 

In Florida, the Terri Schiavo case was huge news for a while. The courts decided that the husband had the right to make the decision for someone who could not make it. As a result, the right to life movement has been severly damaged. Once again, power has been transferred, and the sanctity of life, even one that some would consider "not worth living" is no longer the decision of the most interested parties, namely the family.

 

Sexual harrassment lawsuits have grown every year, up to a point where almost any action could be considered sexual harrassment. Again, courts have ruled that the person offended sets the terms of what constitutes an offense.

 

The point is this - when you transfer power to a minority, or any size group of people in the name of "fairness, equality, past history" or even just take away a confederate flag to avoid problems and people getting all worked up, you are ignoring the contract between people and government. When that contract is ignored once, it can be ignored again and again, in multiple realms of life, with the final outcome of a complete loss of individual rights in the name of fairness, equality, safety, good will towards others, etc. Our freedoms cannot be given up so lightly. If they are, we are headed towards a cesspool of a new American brand of socialism that respects nobodys rights for the benefit of everybody. It is senseless and dangerous.

 

I guess I've rambled long enough, but you other non rebel teams out there watch out - you are next. Riverdell, DB, it won't be too long before you can't use your native american based mascots. After all it was white people under a great Tennessee president who committed "atrocities" against them. It offends me that you would hijack that history for your own Use. Tornados - watch out, people get killed by tornados and it's insensitive to the families of those who got stunk up and spit out of mother natures wrath. Halls - I am a devout Christian and your red devils is wrong. It offends all the Christians in the area. Ok - you get the point. Once we start, where will we end? No one knows. We have the power to change things, but not for long. That power is being given up with far too little resistance by people who would rather just read the paper and grumble about it out of complacency when they are the ones who can incite a change back towards greater individual freedoms.

[jabbo]

This is a long thread and I haven't read all the posts, so somebody else may have mentioned this & if so I apologize for being redundant. This is a very controversial topic, and my point is a small one, that really isn't involved in the current controversy at all----- still its always bothered me so I thought I mention it here--- That is, accepting the "heritage" point for purposes of argument only, I question whether anybody in Maryville is entitled to claim the "Rebel" heritage-- Why? Well, for one thing, Blount County voted against secession in 1861(perhaps showing good judgement and forsight ), for another, East Tennessee was a stronghold of Union sympathizers during the war--- witness the fact that Lincoln's 1864 runnig mate and successor, Andrew Johnson, was an East Tennessean. I haven't researched this in detail, but I'd be willing to bet that as many Blount Countians served in the Union army as in the Confederate army--- and that both were probably outnumbered by folks who just sat the war out.  So---- its one thing for Ole Miss to get wrapped up in the Rebel flag (and they've gotten over it pretty nicely, by the way)--- Barksdale's Mississippi brigade probably suffered as many casualties in 2 hours in the Wheat Field and the Peach Orchard at Gettysburg as were suffered by Blount County residents fighting for the Confederacy in the whole war. Not a big deal, people can name teams whatever they want (what in world do Titans have to do with Nashville?)--- but when you start claiming something as your "heritage" you're invoking history-- in which case you probably ought to be sure what the history is--- and the fact is that if Maryville wants to be true to its real heritage from the Civil War era, they might want to consider renaming their teams the Yankees, or perhaps less controversially , the Americans, and waving the Stars & Stripes at games--- not that some people wouldn't get bent out shape at that too--- This was mostly just for fun, so please don't get hot at me--- but I'm right about the history.

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Good post...I don't know what the Titans have to do with Nashville, but I do know that they have more to do with Nashville than the Oilers....

 

As far as the heritage thing goes, though, the current problem is that Maryville has created a heritage that's really separate from the Civil War, Reconstruction, the KKK, and the rednecks that wave the Confederate battle flag as a symbol of racism...it'll be hard for them to give that up....

Edited June 26, 2005 by jabbo

[CoachT]

This discussion is no longer appropriate for the Football Forum, if it ever was.

[bhsOL]

Good post...I don't know what the Titans have to do with Nashville, but I do know that they have more to do with Nashville than the Oilers....

 

Nashville is know as the "Athens of the south." It actually has a lot of greek heritage, such as the parthenon in Centinniel Park. The Titans were a part of Greek mythology. That's how the Titans have to do with Nashville.