News-Record.com

I read the article. Can't say I agree that it's a good one. I don't understand what this means BTW

"Now, granted, it's not hard to get the NASCAR nation riled. How many decals of Calvin urinating on a Ford logo do you need to see to know that?" What does Calvin urinating on a Ford logo have to do with getting riled up?

Now granted, it doesn't take much to get the liberal nation riled. How many articles on how NASCAR should ban the confederate flag do we need to see know that?

I fully agree you should not fire this man, its called freedom of speech. At least that is what you liberals call it, when you roll up beside a car, with the fenders shaking and every other word in that song, is the F word. Are you go shopping and see this F word on a shirt. you never see a liberal complain about this, you call it freedom of speech.
The F word is not Ford, its what I say on the golf course*, when my ball acts like a liberal.
* not * When my ball acts ugly, I say you liberal , that the worst cuss word I know. Off to the golf course. Hope I do not get you that word all day, when I go all 18 holes and to not use the L word, I improve my fiances.

NASCAR's association with the Confederate flag did not merely begin when, as Rob Daniels suggested, "some people started bringing the symbol to races." The two have always been related, as evidenced when NASCAR held the first Rebel 300 on Confederate Memorial Day in 1957.

Since that time, NASCAR and its drivers continued to profit from the public perception that the sport was associated with the Confederacy. NASCAR used Confederate flags well into the 1980s to promote such events as the Mason-Dixon 300 (held in Delaware).

Prominent academics, including Susan Schramm-Pate of the University of South Carolina, Dennis Carlson of Miami (OH) University, and Bruce Schulman of Boston University, have argued in scholarly publications that much of NASCAR's growth is attributable to the national fascination with all things Southern and Confederate.

It seems curious that a sportswriter such as Daniels would not only be ignorant of this aspect of NASCAR's history, but also make so many factual errors about where the sport stands today.

Daniels claimed that NASCAR drivers "have been uniformly reluctant ... to discourage their supporters from waving the Rebel flag." Certainly, NASCAR veterans including Richard Petty and Bill Elliott, who were knowledgeable of NASCAR's history and heritage, refused to criticize the flag when confronted publicly about it by troublemaking sportswriters.

However, there is no shortage of today's modern stars (who do not have such an appreciation of the sport's history) being critical of the flag. Today's most popular driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has said that "the rebel flag represents closed-minded, racist views that have no place in today’s society" and that "anybody who is trying to show that flag is probably too ignorant to know what the hell he's doing."

Furthermore, Daniels criticized the "silence" of NASCAR officials, including CEO Brian France, on this issue. Daniels is apparently unaware of France's interview on 60 Minutes in October 2005, where he said, "It's not a flag that I look at with anything favorable. That's for sure."

Most importantly, Daniels seems to believe that NASCAR officials and drivers are actually concerned about not insulting the Southern heritage of their fans. That may have been true in 1957, but is clearly not the case today.

I have heard the arguement about the historical significance of the conferedate flag for sometime. The problem is that a group of racist Southern people ruined that symbol for Southerners that are not racist - that's just something that Southern people need to deal with and move on.

When you look at t-shirts and bumper stickers that have racist comments on them the background is almost always a confederate flag. The flag did not originate as a symbol of racism - but racist people made it that way. Just like my middle finger is just a finger - but if I point it in the air at someone it sends a message - because people made it that way.

I am white and would never think of flying a conferdate flag for one simple reason - I would never want anyone to think I was a racist or insult or hurt other people. The reality is if I did fly a flag I would insult people, and people would think of me as a racist. You may think that is unfair - but it is what it is. The fact is you can defend the significance all you want but if you fly it - it will offend people - and they should be offended because a large group of people flying it are using it as a symbol of racism.

My suggestion - If your not a racist but proud of your heritage find another way to show your pride that wont insult or hurt the people who also had ancestors that fought and died in the war defending the South.

Remember Imus!!! Fire this bigot! Like Imus, he is nothing more than a anti-Southern racist who wants to promote cultural genocide against the heritage of the Southern people. Put this character on the road!!!

Mr. Robinson,
It was not a good column by any stretch. The reporter lacked common sense and professionalism when he began penning a diatribe that belittled the perennial NASCAR fans who are the very foundation of that organization's success; and, when he insulted the noble heritage of Americans who fought for political liberty, hearth and home.

It is indeed a strange business that considers death threats or calls for firing a badge of honor.

I wasn't born in the South, but I am constantly amused by the self-hating Southerner who feels he/she must prove something to the enlightened Yankee.

I don't care to wave the rebel flag myself and I don't see the link between the flag and racing cars. Yet, the ignorance surrounding the meaning of the flag and labelling it as a symbol of racism is ridiculous and deliberate misrepresentation. It is propaganda that eventually is considered to be the truth if said often enough.

The Civil War was far more complex than that, and the Stars and Bars was merely the battle flag, not even the official flag of the Confederacy. Does anyone really believe that the foot soldier fighting in the South waving the flag was doing so to defend the rich man's right to own slaves?

A better argument against the Confederate flag would be that it is unpatriotic because it represents a rebellion against the United States. However, an equally good argument could be made that such a rebellion was patriotic in defense of the Constitution and limited government.

In any case, the flag has taken on a life of its own, and is better left at home than at the racetrack. But NASCAR shouldn't adopt any rule mandating such a thing.