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The Confederate Flag Belongs To Rev. G.V. Clark

by Kevin Levin on November 17, 2011 · 3 comments · Follow me on

in Civil War Culture

Rev. G.V. Clark of Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Austin testifies before the Texas DMV board of directors against a Confederate flag license plate sponsored by the Sons of Confederate Veterans.  This is for anyone who believes that they alone or as a group have a monopoly on the meaning of the Confederate flag.


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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }

Lyle Smith November 18, 2011 at 10:08 am 1

The flag does belong to the Reverend. It’s his heritage too.

This reality won’t keep the SCV from getting the license plate though, if they really want it. They have the right to embrace their symbol just like everybody else, and the State of Texas cannot stand in their way, even though the Texas DMV has decided to.

There is also nothing stopping there from being an anti-Confederate battle flag plate.

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Kevin Levin November 18, 2011 at 10:18 am 2

They have the right to embrace their symbol just like everybody else, and the State of Texas cannot stand in their way, even though the Texas DMV has decided to.

I completely agree that the SCV has a right to “embrace their symbol” however, they should not expect that their preferred interpretation necessarily renders others as false. We shall see whether the courts rule against the DMV. Either way I don’t really care. As I’ve suggested, it’s all part of the gradual watering down of the symbol.

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Lyle Smith November 18, 2011 at 11:44 am 3

“they should not expect that their preferred interpretation necessarily renders others as false”

I’m totally with you for those people that would claim the Reverend’s interpretation of the flag is false. I’m not sure that is what the SCVs behind this license plate stand for, but yes the flag means something other than what the SCVs are narrowly interpreting it as. Like the Reverend said, it’s also a symbol of hate and fear.

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