telltales.....The slavery issue was an issue just like commerce and trade was an issue.You are entitled to your opinion and if you think the Confederate flag is flown ONLY because the person who flies it is racist and hiding behind heritage as a justification,then so be it.I tell you what;the next time you see a Confederate flag flying,stop,go and take it down and see what happens.I'm sure if you feel this strongly about the issue,you're sure to be a human rights activist,right?

As far as the"x" symbol is concerned,whomever wants can fly it.It makes NO difference to me.If a person claims a heritage issue as a justification then more power to them.I'm not gonna cry racism because of it.That is why I love America;we have FREEDOMS here,right?

If I am in need of a history lesson,I hope the teacher is someone that knows history!!Case in point?Slavery has been,through time,catapoulted into the forefront as the cause of the Civil War but I can assure you that it was NOT the only reason.

Wezley, you are the one in need of a history lesson. The slavery issue was like the pit of a peach,at the center, and touching everything around it. This laughable issue of "states rights" is as phony as the tags that read sons of Confederate Vets. there are no sons of Confederate Vets alive today. This "battle" flag flying is meant to cause hurt to African Americans just like the sporting of the "X" is meant to hurt whites.

dcaudle, thank you for definition of patriotism vs fighting.

The intent of my letter was to express gratitude to ALL the brave young men who went to Viet Nam and risked their lives for ALL OF US. Whether enlisted or drafted, they all had some basic training in warfare, guns shoved in their hands, and sent on to FIGHT.

I, too, was against the so called "conflict" that took the lives of so many! I was also disappointed that so many who REFUSED to go to war, attempted to protest by causing so much dusruption right here on American soil! In my opinion, instead of fighting and/or causing fighting right here on American soil over their "war protests", our government should have forced them to go to Viet Nam, just as the draftees were forced. Either way, I am very proud of our PATRIOTIC MEN who have fought in any war. THANK YOU VETERANS, EVERYWHERE. May I ask,"Were you one of our men sent to Viet Nam?"

Ms. Wheeler, you never miss a chance to slam President Clinton and his non-war record. If you do not mind please give the readers the glorious war record of your hero President Bush, who just happens to be the only person elected president who was convicted of a crime. Namely driving drunk and even FOX News noted this in 2000. He went AWOL from the Alabama National Guard and lost his flying status. Mission Accomplished!!!

Ms.Lesesne....Volunteering is derived from willingness;being drafted is being "made" to do something.If I had a choice to fight beside a volunteer or a draftee,I would choose the volunteer.

As far as Patriotism is concerned,I do agree that one can be Patriotic either way.I am Patriotic and I have never served in the military to my regret.

Dittybopper......Your comment about the Confederate flag is unbiased.There is heritage for some and there is hate for some.We all know the KKK uses the Confederate flag as part of their racist program and it is wrong.However,there are some who fly the flag as a symbol of their heritage.Research your history so you can learn exactly why the Civil war was fought.From your comment,it seems that you think slavery is the only reason that war happened.

As far as getting spat upon.You know FULL WELL that many soldiers were spat upon when returning from Vietnam and they were also called names such as BABYKILLERS.Where the soldier was from had nothing to do with it;it was where they landed like CALIFORNIA that the disrespect occurred.You should be sympathetic to this seeing that you yourself served in Vietnam.My Dad did too,in the Navy,and he wasn't spat upon and he is from S.C.

Hamletresident......People from S.C. are Patriotic.Just as Patriotic as any other state;I believe your disdain comes from the fact that S.C. is a Conservative state and not democrat.Who said that you said John Kerry spat on people?I do NOT recall any such statement....I did read that the "likes" of John Kerry,Jane Fonda,and Bill Clinton spat on people.

IN DEFENSE of the Daily Journal Staff......They DO NOT have a"DOUBLE STANDARD".They post fairly for everyone.This is an OPINION blog so if someone tells a NON-TRUTH or ,as you say,LIE,then that is considered an OPINION and well within the guidelines.

Wheeler,

There is nothing anti-American about questioning authority in a democracy. There is nothing anti-American about fighting to end war.

I had the chance to see Pete Seeger's grandson this weekend and he played one of Pete's Vietnam-era protest songs. It was chilling to see how well it applies today. It was probably the most patriotic feeling I've ever had, shouting the chorus with thousands of people:

If you love your Uncle Sam,

Bring them home, bring them home.

Support our boys in foreign lands,

Bring them home, bring them home...

...There's one thing I must confess,

Bring them home, bring them home.

I'm not really a pacifist,

Bring them home, bring them home.

If an army invaded this land of mine,

Bring them home, bring them home.

You'd find me out on the firing line,

Bring them home, bring them home...

...Show those generals their fallacy:

Bring them home, bring them home.

They don't have the right weaponry,

Bring them home, bring them home.

For defense you need common sense,

Bring them home, bring them home.

They don't have the right armaments,

Bring them home, bring them home.

The world needs teachers, books and schools,

Bring them home, bring them home.

And learning a few universal rules,

Bring them home, bring them home.

HELP! Where is Kevin? This place is heating up, and I miss his humor!

John Kerry never spat on, nor treated a Viet Nam soldier dispicable in his life! Since I have no clue who Bill linton is, I can't speak for him. My parents taught me to do unto others, as I would have them do unto me. That would include "Not bearing false witness against my neighbor" (even if they are a republican fool!)

That would also include not bearing false witness against a former president or former presidential candidate. I have said a lot of unflattering things about George Bush {and he certainly deserved every word I have ever uttered about him}

but I have never told a bald face lie about him on this blog site! Clean up this blog site JOURNAL!!!!!!!!! Stop the lies being blogged by the S.C. republicans. Local people are sick and tired of your double standard on this blog site!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No ditty, he did not and I know he had to change planes but neither did he wear his unifrom. I believe that most ot the anit-america activity took place in certain areas such as California.

I'm very proud and thankful to those who fought in Nam Of course I am glad that I didn't have two sons there at the same time. I remember so vividly the 'Fighting Sullivans' from WW11.

Many of my staunch Democrats changed to Repuplican after Clinton was elected. He took every action possible and enlisted the help of his elite friends to keep him out of the military and he spent two days AWOL and he still became president - sort of likc the anti-American activities of Obama didn't register with the voters in the last election People don't research the candidates - if they did Alvin Greene would not be running against Jim Demin in SC - He's a joke and Democrats are trying to get him to step down but he refuses. Republicans love it!

No, the people from S.C. are not patriotic, they are extremist! There is nothing patriotic about calling our president a commununist or "The Anti-Christ" that is ignorance and bigotry.

I agree with DCaudle!

Did he carry a sign that said he was from S.C.? Did he get a direct flight from Vietnam to Columbia? More made-up junk.

I wonder why my superiors didn't find the need to tell me not to wear my uniform when I flew in? You made that up, didn't you?

But it sounded good... like S.C. being patriotic. What a joke.

Didn't your people fire the first shots against the United States in 1861? Don't you still fly the fly of that foreign country over your statehouse? Patriotic? I think not.

Now you're supposed to write back and tell me about states rights and that many blacks fought for the Confederacy and it's just heritage, not hate.

Dittybopper

No, ditty - my son was not spat on - however he was from S.C and the people here have always been patriotic, however, he was told by his superiors not to wear his uniform to depart the planes because it was happening in airports.

Bonnie,

Was YOUR son spit on? Didn't think so.

I also served overseas during Vietnam. I was not spit on when I returned to the US.

Fonda did un-American things. Clinton hid out in England. Kerry went, came back and said many things he shouldn't have said... some of them true.

Dick Cheney, by his own words "had other priorities in the 60s than military service."

Don't you ever get tired of typing the same old stuff over and over?

Didn't think so.

Dittybopper.

I'm proud of my entire family - those who volunteered and those who were drafted. my husband was overseas 3 yrs and 14 days during WW11 - when he returned he and those who returned with him received a hero's welcome. My Son was in Nam (he volunteered) only a short time before he was wounded and sent back - When the Nam soldiers returned, they were spat on and treated despicably by the likes of Jane Fonda, John Kerry, and Bill linton.

My youngest son joined the NG

I taught my children that God and Country comes first. I am so glad that I did. One who doesn't respect his American and godly values and principles will never respect anyone or anything else including the life of others.

Fighting doesn't make you patriotic. It makes you a person who fights. There were patriots who went to war and patriots who dissented against the war. There were patriots who were drafted and patriots who refused the draft.