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Why is a Bay Ridge man hanging the Confederate flag from his terrace in a dreary 30-story co-op tower at 65th Street? It's NOT because he's racist, y'all, it's to send a message to those "sophisticated snotnoses in the north." You know, the region where he lives. Brooklyn Paper spotted the flag flapping in Union territory recently, and tracked down the rebel yeller, who would only identify himself as Mike. But he was happy to clear up any confusion over why he's displaying the Stars and Bars so far above the Mason-Dixon line: "I do it is because I’m against political correctness. People who are politically correct don’t agree with that flag — it’s my one-man protest. The left likes to say they celebrate diversity. I guess that’s what I’m doing.... [Northerners] make Southerners into bumpkins — and that’s not the case." Absolutely not, but Cletus Mike is kind of scaring the neighbors with that thing, and one nearby resident says, "I want to stay far away from those people [who have Confederate flags]. We’re free to fly any flag we want, but I’m not crazy about it. We won the war." Well, for now, at least.
Bay Ridge Man Displays Confederate Flag for "Diversity"
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Heritage not hate!!
Yeah, an outdated, self-destructive attempt to continue the aristocracy of Britain in the South, that's a heritage to be proud of.
a heritage OF hate
A 'heritage' of slavery, lynching, flogging, rape, castration, racism, terrorism, racism and treason!
Anyone with even a cursory knowledge of the causes of the Civil War knows that it was not fought over race In fact, slavery was an afterthought.
Lincoln didn't bother with the Emancipation Proclamation until two years into a four year war!
The War was fought primarily over States' Rights and the friction arising between the manufacturing North and the agricultural South.
But truth never prevents the Politically Correctoids from assuming the mantle of Historical Revisionism.
you're right about the states' rights -- they were fighting for states' rights to slavery.
Slavery was just one of many aspects of States Rights that caused the War! It was not THE single defining aspect.
Other aspects of States' Rights that were in contention were: right to levy tariffs, rights of a centralized govt, rights regarding freedom of speech, rights of states to control voting, right to secede from the Union, et al.
i like his spirit, but not his politics.
Must. . . drive up . . . page views. . .
lol
I've seen more racism in NYC in the 3 years I've lived here than in my entire life spent growing up in the south.
Are we supposed to let racists roam our streets freely? What's next, pedophiles? Alligators? It's a slippery slope!
This was not supposed to be in reply to anything. I hate this stupid software.
liar
So is this dude actually a Southerner, or just the planet's biggest tool? Cuz if he's from the North that's basically like, you know, the French flying the German flag.
So when I lived in Brazil, I had a portuguese language teacher who was definitely on the darker side of skin tone for Brazil ( they have a really hard time saying whether someone is black or not down there which is great IMHO ).
He had confederate flags EVERYWHERE in his office. I asked him about it once, and he said he just loved Mississippi. He went to school there or something. He was of the opinion that the flag represented Mississippi, and he liked Mississippi so that was that.
Odd view of things, but pretty awesome that a symbol so closely associated with slavery and later bigotry would have a new and somewhat more positive meaning.
The actual MI flag features stars and bars, yes.
MI = Michigan, MS = Mississippi.
Yeah, brain fart.
Must be that backwards southern education. We sacrificed some geography time to memorize hymns.
There are communities of Confederate sympathizers in Brazil because after the Civil War, many Confederate veterans and sympathizers fled to Brazil. So there's a good chance that your Brazilian friend is descended from those Confederate veterans.
I am a native New Yorker, but had the chance to live in Georgia for several years. While I like the South and recognize that the Southern states had the right to secede, I don't fly the Confederate flag because I'm not really from there, so that's not my heritage.
Actually many of the (citizens of) Southern states whose governors voted for secession voted against it and were against slavery. Secession passed in large part because wealthy plantation owners -- who were far wealthier than any railroad baron -- wanted it to save their $$$$. Slavery=free labor=big profits. Sad, but it's still happening in the form of lobbying and other such nonsense.
Sadder still, or perhaps just ironic, is the fact that many rural, underprivileged Southerners have adopted the flag as their personal rebellion against racial diversity, political representation and 'outsiders' in general.
Somebody watches The Daily Show
I agree with Buttface. NY is one of the most racist places I have ever been, especially Brooklyn. All those guidos and micks that give the various neighborhoods, such as Bay Ridge, 'color' and that characteristic NY charm are actually a bunch of peckerwoods who have barely been outside their borough.
I have never heard the n-word thrown around so much as when hanging with these goombahs and paddies.
Seriously, for such a cosmopolitan city, they should try getting out of their neighborhood.
From what I've seen, most whites in NYC don't like minorities. The ones who claim that they don't are only giving away the fact that they secretly don't like minorities.
So you've only ever heard racist comments from whites. Hmmmmm. Sounds like you have your liberal blinders up to me.
So you've only ever heard racist comments from whites. Hmmmmm. Sounds like you have your liberal blinders up to me.
Is that what he said or is that what you wanted to hear?
Well, he certainly didn't provide any evidence to the contrary.
FYI "mick" is considered a racist slur. Not sure about "guido"...
Obviously, you must be one of the rare enlightened ethnicities of this earth born without predjudice or bigotry. I imagine that you're an enlightened white male commenting from a Buddhist temple somewhere in the moutains Tibet that happens to have wi-fi access.
Actually, you're an asshole and so is your mom for feeding you this horseshit. All of the above: "paddie" "goombah" "mick and "guido" are ethnic slurs. All are extremely offensive terms.
However we all know that it's a racist thing.
I don't even see the stars and bars at NASCAR races and I go to 2 a year. well, I used to. friendliest fans around, the fun part back then was you could bring in a cooler of beer. Busch beer. my scanner set on my driver, shirt off.
the last time I saw one, a guy tried to salute it and was admonished by his wife.
If he wants to display the second place prize in the Civil War, he's welcome to do it.
I see nothing wrong with the Confederate flag. It's a legendary symbol of the General Lee and them Duke boys ain't racist, k? Quit picking on them boys.
I wonder what does the co-op board says about this?
Face reality.
That flag was a symbol of treason it's time.
It was later appropriated by racists.
The southern culture comment makes no sense as southern states have a huge black population that hate/fear that flag.
Anyone denying what it means is just not facing the facts or couldn't care less.
One point that flag is more like the Battle flag of the Confederate Army, not the flag of the "south". So for me flying it professes loyalty to an army that tried to destroy America.
The flag of the Confederacy was alot like the current flag, then and now. Stars and stripes.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flags_of_the_Confederate_States_of_America
One nice point on wiki is that SC only began flying the flag on their capital in 1962 as a protest of desegregation. So much for proud history.
The flag is the flag of the confederate army, which attacked the army of the United States. Last time I checked, that's the country we're in here, so it's a symbol of treason, even if you disregard the racist beliefs of the people who have since used it as banner. People have a legal right to display it on private property as free speech, but we also have a right to ostracize them and shout words like "douchebag" in their direction while passing by.
This douche bag is a prime example of why this current generation of transplants are so despised. These people hate New York City so much and yet want to live here. If they have a problem with this city and its politics, why the hell are they even up here, anyway? Why is this "Southerner" living in Bay Ridge if he hates Northerners enough to want to antagonize them?
The "founding father's" argument may seem a bit cliche, but here goes.
What if the founding fathers had simply followed your logic and just left the colonies instead of antagonizing the British? Do you think we would have been better off?
Damn, there wasn't supposed to be an apostrophe on that first fathers.
Actually, during the time of the Civil War, many if not most New Yorkers were Democrats who hated Lincoln and sympathized with the Southern cause. So flying a Confederate flag is, historically speaking, a very New York thing. You may recall that Union troops were called away from battle to help quell the New York Draft Riots.
Also, there is a big difference between secession (breaking away from a country and forming your own) and treason (betraying your own country to an enemy).
I thought the draft riots were more a result of the $300 tariff an individual could pay in order to avoid the draft, therefore creating an army of the underprivileged?
Non-story. First Amendment. He can display anything he wants. Attention whore. Give him a pug. Ignore him. Move on
so when's the civil war reenactment?
I think that's when the racist micks started, during the draft riots when they were still considered Negroes.
I recall there were signs Irish need not apply.
I don't get this. He is against political correctness, but I thought the whole anti-PC argument is that people don't need to be pressured to be civil and non-discriminatory, they will do it on their own. However, displaying a symbol that has been historically used to frighten and intimidate some of your neighbors seems to indicate maybe we should have a little PC pressure in our community. Plus I suspect he is just an attention-seeking whore.
my school's windows face that building. the guy had that flag up for at least a decade and perhaps longer.
and again, what's the co-op board's position?
we know how tightly they can control owners.
Excuse me, please clarify comment #34 above, and what that was supposed to mean. You have a First Amendment right to speak. I also have a right to respond forcefully.
How the eff do I know what I mean?
I'm just saying there was a time in America when the Irish were considered Negroes. and if I recall so were the Italians.
ok Doctor??
Twas responding to the use of the term racist Micks. Descended from 'em, and do take offense. I doubt you would be referring to AAs as what is now known as the "N-word" or gays by the "F-word". What's good for one is good for all. If you want to use words, maintain equal balance.
And to show you how crazy we Irish descendants are, I had to scroll back to the top to see what the thread was!
:)
of course, I wouldn't refer to any American of Irish descent a Mick now but then, those during the draft riots, Yes.
they were violent and hateful and burned down an orphanage thanks to gothamist's link to the draft riots anniversary.
Well, gee, what would you refer to those indigenous of Africa who were also involved in the New York Draft Riots, eh? Got another word to describe them? Sounds like you get your full perspective of American History from watching "Gangs of New York" on Netflix. And I was not aware somebody burned down an orphanage due to a Gothamist story. Simply Amazing!
so you're denying it happened?
The free blacks were innocent victims of hatred and violence. simply amazing doctor. simply amazing.
let me add an exclamation point!!
No, of course it happened. But "Mick"s? Painting with such a broad brush is a perilous occupation. What's next from you based on some people in an episode of history?
Ah the epithets we could toss about based on your justification.
Oh...someone just got schooled!
the south lost. got their asses kicked by us fancypant elitist pc northerners, actually. if someone wants to celebrate being a loser, I say go for it. the easier it is to spot the losers, the better.
Totally. Displaying this flag is like putting up a banner that says "I have nothing intelligent to contribute". Now everyone knows not to waste their time!
If he had a mullet, it'd be a problem.
I bet that stupid flag was made in China.
HA!
You need to step your game up!
You always have the best comment but its also way too far down.
Win!
It is frustrating that many talk diversity until it conflicts with their beliefs.
IMO Flying the Confederate flag is no worse than wearing the Keffiyeh or Che T-shirt you bought at Urban Outfitters.
exactly
I too grew up in the south and can say I've heard the "n- word" far, far more here than I ever did living there.
So much for the myth of enlightened native New Yorkers.
Ignorant, narrow-minded urban hicks (guess that's redundant), some of 'em.
I kind of love John Del Signore. A little.
ay! just let people be. every flag in the western hemisphere is guilty of wrong doing and people still display them in parades and festivals.
yeah let's rip on him for flying this flag, but not all the other ass holes flying their flags you oversensitive hypocrite. And that cletus shit is wack, John.
Haha, thats' great. Too bad we can't have pics here, this should be a good one. Check Obama poster that's popping up all over the country. Too funny.
http://bayridge.net/images/obamajoker.jpg