
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, July 31, 1993                   TAG: 9308020370
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-9   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

WHAT NEXT? BAN OLD GLORY?

I CALLED the offices of our two senators to inquire as to their votes on the Helms Amendment to continue to allow the United Daughters of the Confederacy to use their seal which is over 100 years old.

I was shocked and disappointed that any senator from the Commonwealth of Virginia would vote against this proposal. The argument used by the senator from Illinois was that the First National Flag of the Confederate States of America was a symbol of racism and any person or persons displaying or using this or other flags of the south were racist. I am not a racist. I resent anyone calling me a racist simply because I value my heritage. I, as should all Virginians, abhor any organization who uses it as such.

My great grandfathers were poor farmers from the mountains of southwest Virginia who did not own slaves and indeed had probably not ever seen a black person. They fought to defend their homes, and yes, one gave his life for the cause. Our two senators have done him and all southerners an injustice by not defending his honor and the honor of thousands of other soldiers who gave the supreme sacrifice for their state.

What symbol is next? If the flag of the south can be trashed, who can prevent any symbol from being banned simply because it is not politically correct? I point out that the stars and stripes flew over slaves long before the stars and bars was ever created.

We must do all we can to defend our heritage form those who would deny it to all Virginians. NOEL R. WOOD ROANOKE

by CNB