Letters: Wal-Mart pulls Confederate merchandise; flying the U.S. flag
Wal-Mart pulls Confederate merchandise
Following the tragic events in Charleston, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. announced it is removing “all items” promoting the Confederate flag for sale from its stores and its website.
Wal-Mart’s CEO Doug McMillion says it is seeking ways to make a “positive difference.” “We are a retailer, we are a merchant, that is our business. But we look for places to make a positive difference. We do not want to sell anything that offends people.”
A little hypocritical wouldn’t you say, seeing that Wal-Mart still offers shotguns and assault rifles in many of their stores. The tragic events in Charleston was the result of a deranged sick person with a gun, not a flag.
Gary Kirkland
Lake Wylie
Follow flag etiquette
As we approach the Fourth of July holiday, I thought this would be an appropriate time to review proper flag etiquette.
The universal custom is to display the U.S. flag from sunrise to sunset, but when a patriotic effect is desired, the flag may fly 24 hours a day with proper illumination.
Only an all-weather flag should be displayed in inclement weather.
When grouped, the U.S. flag goes above any others, which should all fly at the same height. The flag must be above and behind a speaker on a platform or to the right of a speaker on a staff.
A headdress should be removed when saluting the flag.
The flag is never to touch the ground; do not use as clothing, decoration or carry things in it. Do not store where it can get dirty, or draw on it; do not use it as a cover. Do not fasten or tie back flag. The disposal of a flag is to be by burning and the ashes buried.
Celebrate safely and enjoy your flag.
Suzanne Krause
Lake Wylie, president of Lake Wylie Republican Women
Rebel flag
The tragedy of the shootings in Charleston has been subverted to attacking the Rebel flag flying over the State House.
The anti-colonial, anti-American forces are using the tragedy to destroy an important symbol to our nation. Hundreds of thousands of Southern Soldiers fought, bled, and died under that flag. They sincerely believed that they were fighting to protect their homeland against a foreign invader. The anti-colonialists, anti-Americans want you to think that the Rebel flag is a symbol of oppression. On the contrary, the flag stood for OPPOSITION to oppression.
Why else would it be called the REBEL flag? They were rebelling against the tyranny of the northern unionists.
Paul M. Clements
Gaffney
This story was originally published June 29, 2015 at 9:43 AM with the headline "Letters: Wal-Mart pulls Confederate merchandise; flying the U.S. flag."