dean and the confederate flag

Howard Dean, presidential candidate, has some interesting thoughts on this symbol that pissed off the other Democratic candidates, particuarly this:

Then, in an interview with the Des Moines Register, Dean mentioned the Confederate flag. "I still want to be the candidate for guys with Confederate flags in their pickup trucks," he told the Register. "We can't beat George Bush unless we appeal to a broad cross section of Democrats."

Now Dean is quite the state's rightist. And I think he makes a good point: There ARE Democrats who have the confederate flag on their pickup trucks down south. There are Republicans with the flag on their trucks. There are Greens with the ...etc. etc. etc. I wish they didn't though.

At least he's honest about it. Dean's honesty on issues is good; I do enjoy it even though I'm a Clark man myself.

Now it is a divisive symbol. I don't like the Confederate flag one bit. Despite some who I've encountered here in Pennsylvania who say it represents something else (including one very strange pot-smoking tree-hugging Republican wrestler dude....real nice guy but very odd thought process. and he's a history major...) I think it's representitive of a history that is divisive and morally wrong. I think Dean's probably heard the same arguments that I have. There may be those who aren't bigots who see this flag as something else even though I don't really buy that. I don't understand how one can be patriotic while flying the flag of states that succeeded from the US and caused a war.

While Dean may be being honest, I think he shouldn't have mentioned this at all. He can keep his NRA support...I certainly do think the NRA has some points (when they're not being total lunatics). But I think now, he should distance himself from this, and I also think the other 7 candidates should let this go.