I don?t recall reading or hearing of a Slaver that was flying the Stars and Bars. I believe there were blockade-runners but I?d think the needs of the CSA were not as simplistic as adding more slaves. Having little industry, they needed weaponry, munitions and the like and Europe was quite happy to sell them all they could buy or trade for the cotton crop. If I?m not mistaken, international slave trading was banned/outlawed by the onset of the Civil War and John Bull was on the high seas enforcing their newfound morality.
As to current events, I see that the turret of the USS Monitor has been raised. I also see that the CSS Alabama is being explored off the coast of France. Hopefully, there will be enough left of both to put together a really fine display, including the display of a replication of both flags of the time. This attempted ban on the Stars and Bars all seems to be an exercise in whacking-off mud turtles and getting people all whipped to butter for no good reason. Seems to me our Hawaiian flag has the British Union Jack incorporated and I wonder who is going to gripe and raise hell about that.
In my opinion, taking away symbols and hiding artifacts isn?t going to eliminate Southern culture/history or make descendents of former slaves fell one bit better about anything. Kinda like an answer to a question that no one asked. The Union and Confederacy had a brutal and long war and some 800,000 troops died and that should be enough for anyone. So let?s be real and sensible, leave the symbols alone and just let things be.
Scamp
|