Readers Respond -- Residents discuss what’s in a flag

Hogwash! “A lesson in semantics . . .” indeed. Can’t you get off the

politically correct attempt to be all things to all people and take a

sincere, reasoned position instead (“Flag’s meaning can’t be ignored,”

Sunday).

The public, both those “victimized” and others not quite so

supersensitive and shallow, would have been much better served had you

rerun Byron de Arakal’s published column on the whole ridiculous affair

(“Civil War requiem wasn’t whistling Dixie,” Wednesday).

GENE BEAVIN

Costa Mesa

I have been going to Newport Harbor football games since 1983. Our

three children graduated from this fine school, our two girls were

cheerleaders and my son played on the team in 1993. The Nov. 9 game was

one of the finest games I have had the pleasure to attend.

This joy and pride was demolished by the insensitive halftime show

(“Newport Harbor High apologies for halftime show,” Nov. 15). Someone

needs to attend diversity training classes.

KEITH FEARNLEY

Newport Beach

As a graduate of Newport Harbor High School and its music program, I

closely follow the news surrounding my alma mater. I am quite surprised

at the attention that this year’s marching show is receiving this late in

the season, and must ask “Why is this legitimate representation of an

integral part of our history causing so much controversy while the

sexually suggestive, inappropriate, mature-viewers-only content of the

cheer squad ‘dances’ not being equally examined?”

The answer is really quite simple: Sex sells, Confederate flags do

not. Some might suggest that the Confederate flag is degrading to the

African American population of this country. . . . What then is said of

the cheer squads dances being humiliating and degrading to women? I must

remind myself that challenging the cheer and athletic programs in this

city could be likened to challenging God Himself. For he who dares to

challenge God most assuredly will not win.

Those programs that bring home the championship banners to line the

gym, fill seats and bring home national titles, control the eyes, ears

and pocket books of an old liberal city that lines up on Friday nights to

pay homage to the almighty football empire. But as Rome fell, so will

they, and all the while the patient and talented musicians in the music

program wait for their equal opportunity to shine brightly.

Great controversy has often surrounded the Confederate flag as it

represents a less than happy-go-lucky era of our great nation’s history.

That, however is precisely the point. The Confederate flag is as much a

part of our history as Old Glory that stood by the dawn’s early light.

True, it represents an age that many would just assume cast it into the

“Sea of Forgetfulness,” but we as Americans don’t get to pick and choose

the parts of our history we celebrate.

No, a swastika would not be paraded down the field just to offend the

Jewish culture as the Confederate flag was not intended to offend anyone

at Westchester High. They are simply symbols that represent a time long

ago and history that is preferred not to be repeated. Not to hang our

heads in shame or disbelief about, but to remember and reflect upon.

How noble and patriotic of Newport Harbor’s music director to

celebrate the growth of our nation since the Civil War era, and to

inspire our great nations’ youth to embrace history as it occurred.

Congratulations on Tournament of Champions and the honor of representing

Newport Harbor in yet another distinguished field. It makes me proud to

be an American and a graduate of Newport Harbor.

May past and future generations celebrate our true history and not the

warped, politically correct versions we are often taught in school and

forced to accept as truth so as to not offend anyone. God bless America

and each of you as well.

AMIE LAMANTIA

Newport Beach

EDITOR’S NOTE: Amie LaMantia is a 1997 Newport Harbor graduate.

Newport Harbor High School students decided to have at their football

games this season a halftime show that presented the idea that unity can

triumph over past divisions. Their premise was that these here United

States were once not so united, as they were then the Confederate and the

Union states. We fought each other and killed each other over our

differences, one of the main differences being slavery.

This is our history. The Confederacy is part of this history. Right or

wrong, we cannot eliminate and kill off part of our history because it

makes us uncomfortable. The Union won the Civil War and slavery was

abolished, but the history remains. I commend the students at Newport

Harbor for their production, including the use of the Confederate and

American flags. This production shows an understanding that wounds can be

healed and people can come together after terrible diversity,

bloodletting and carnage. We cannot let some of the overly sensitive,

overly sanitized politically correct people from Westchester or Newport

Beach dictate what our students on their own accord have the right to

present.

Freedom of speech is an issue here, and so is the freedom of

expression. Now, I do believe that there are lines not to be crossed

here, such as burning crosses on someone else’s yard, advocating the

death of someone we do not agree with, or blowing up the twin towers.

These acts are all terrorism. But, in my view, it is terrorism on our

Bill of Rights, our Constitution, to manipulate and control what and how

we describe and reflect upon history. Especially when our students are

trying to show what a great country this is, partly because our past was

a Union and a Confederacy (with the Union Jack and the Confederate flag).

There were deep divisions that we overcame and became stronger because

of. We, as a people, can only remain strong and expect to get stronger by

appreciating our past and accepting our past.

Newport Harbor students were not trying to offend anyone, but to show

unity, hope and a way toward the future. This does not deserve an

apology, this deserves a commendation.

PAUL JAMES BALDWIN

Newport Beach