Wednesday, October 30, 2002

No tolerance for Southerners

Regarding discrimination at Sandy Creek School: Tolerance is a two-way street. A school official can tell a white student to never wear a Southern heritage or Confederate flag shirt to school again, while NAACP, FUBU, MLK, Malcolm X and Playboy clothing are being worn daily.

Anyone can be offended by anything if they want to be offended. That is their right; however, they do not have the right to never be offended. It is best to remember we all have rights and not one over the other. It is called equal rights under the law. Freedom of speech is also given to students with Southern heritage, not just black students.

It is enough a month is spent on African Heritage and History, and this month is Hispanic Heritage, while giving only one week for Native Americans and none to European or Southern Americans.

If the true history of the South was taught in the schools, then the Confederacy and its symbols would not be so great a fear to those who are ignorant due to a lack of education. Any SCV group will come to your school and teach it, and at no cost to the school.

Dixie Parker

Thomasville