My Gephardt letter
From: boatrokr@hotmail.com
Dear Sir:
I was saddened and disappointed to hear your recent opinion of the Confederate battle flag (and it was a BATTLE flag carried by the troops; NOT the Confederate National flag).
I am the descendent of a Confederate veteran who was a Cherokee/Choctaw Indian. His grandmother was marched away to Indian Territory under the U.S. flag, which he certainly could have considered offensive if he had chosen.
Either there is room for all people, cultures, and heritage groups in America, or there is room for NONE of us. We don’t have a right not to be offended; that is a personal CHOICE. I, for instance, am offended by flag-burning, but I would defend to the death someone else’s right to do it. That’s what America is all about.
We can’t know where we’re going if we don’t know where we’ve been. That means that we must accept all parts of history – whether we believe in them or support them or not.
I come from a very long line of Southern Democrats, including several Texas and Virginia legislators and am distant cousin to five U.S. presidents (all Dems). I hope that you will revise your opinion on this issue, sir, or I and my family will be forced to do something that NOBODY in my family has ever done – vote for a candidate who is not a Democrat.
Sincerely,
Helaina Hinson Burton
Raleigh, NC
