Wednesday, March 5, 2003

Before the Olympics were to come to Atlanta, there was a great outcry among the blacks and politically correct about the then-Georgia flag: What will visitors think? Will they believe that all white Georgians are terrible redneck racists? Will they stay away and not spend big bucks in the greater Atlanta area?

But the flag flew and nobody noticed, in spite of the negative hype to create a hate-filled atmosphere. Most visitors would not even have known that Georgia had a flag had not the black/liberal crowd made such an issue of it, and the media exploited it. Regardless, the flag caused no problems. Hundreds of thousands came, spent millions of dollars and, it was reported enjoyed themselves.

The whole problem today continues to be the obsession by blacks, as a race, to stir up trouble, in an effort to gain public sympathy, and make it appear that their race is being persecuted, deprived and mistreated. A diversion. They have done this, historically, through intimidation, marching, boycotting, and other ways of disrupting daily life, fully capable of erupting into violence such as occurred during the O.J. Simpson mock trial.

The basis for opposition to the 1956 flag is twofold: First, the concerted efforts by blacks to destroy everything Southern white conservative, and to continue fanning the flames of racism by their claims of discrimination. Do-gooders and the mass of transplants actively support such actions.

Secondly, I suspect that the business community's support of whatever the blacks dictate had more to do with making money, or the loss thereof, than with any real concern about the alleged immorality of "harm" involved.

But businesses can overlook lewd behavior, littering, drunkenness, lawlessness and gridlock situations in order to make big bucks and not to offend the black sector.

The biggest threat to Atlanta is now, as it has been in the recent past, the horrendous crime rate and corrupt government in that city. Outlawing the 1956 flag, and condemning Southern white conservative, won't solve these problems.

J.C. Lovett

Fayetteville