Last updated on 2016.05.20
A couple weeks ago, two veterans at the Hot Springs VA noticed two Confederate flags in the hospital's "Freedom Shrine," a display put up by the Rapid City Exchange Club in 1995. The two veterans complained that the flags sent a racist message and made black vets like themselves feel unwelcome. The VA took down the two offending flags... then encouraged the two offended vets to leave their PTSD treatment program over two weeks early. A couple of hours after the complaining vets left Hot Springs, the VA had put those Confederate flags back up.
Black Hills VA director Steve DiStasio defends displaying the Stars and Bars:
"The original purpose of the VA's Hot Springs facility was for the care of Civil War veterans," he said. "Out of respect for all of our nation's veterans, from every battle in history, we will maintain the historic Freedom Shrine in its entirety" [Kevin Woster, "Confederate Flags Fly Again at Hot Springs VA," Rapid City Journal, 2013.04.24].
(See DiStasio's complete statement justifying the Confederate display here.)
Woster points out that the Hot Springs VA treated only Union veterans. Back in the early 20th century, we didn't honor those saviors of the Republic by flying the flag of their opponents any more than we would now in the 21st century think of honoring the veterans we treat by displaying Hitler's swastika, Ho Chi Minh's red banner, or Saddam's three green stars over their hospital beds.
Democratic Senator Tim Johnson got on the horn pretty quickly and said the VA should take down those Confederate flags. For that, Dakota War College calls Johnson "stupid" for wading into this issue.
The same day DWC called Johnson stupid, Republican Rep. Kristi Noem waded into the issue, saying the Confederate flags "jeopardize" the VA's ability to offer veterans a comfortable and welcoming health care environment. "The flag I support flying is the American flag," said our Congresswoman. Dakota War College has yet to call her stupid. (Kristi Noem is a past proud sponsor of DWC.)
Republican Senator John Thune is the real dope on this issue, remaining silent until Woster's persistent questioning finally resulted in this obtuse dodge:
I think there is merit in providing a sense of our nation’s history and recognizing the progress this country has made.... However, I believe the VA knows how to best provide an environment of care that makes our veterans feel comfortable [Senator John Thune, quoted by Kevin Woster, "Is Thune Worried about South Dakota or South Carolina on Flag Fuss?" Mount Blogmore, 2013.04.29].
The Confederates were traitors. Their traitor flag has now become a rallying banner for smirking sophist racists and their thoughtless followers. Neither traitors nor smirking racists have any business in our government.
Scanning the photo of the flag display that appeared in the Journal, I noticed that the Lakota flag was not part of the display at the Hot Springs VA. Why not?
The photo actually shows 3 southern flags. 2 are 'X' battle flags and the three bar national flag of the Confederacy. So we are saying to the vets who are there after sacrificing lives and limb, you fought for the wrong cause.
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Why not just take down the USA stars and stripes put up the Confederate flag declaring the south finally won the civil war. Roll back all the post civil war amendments to the Constitution like the Koch Brothers allies want? Declare Tojo and Hitler won!
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The insanity of putting three southern flags on the same footing as the American national flag is completely wrong on all counts.
Teach kids not to be racist, have a black president, and fly a confederate flag. There is a reason the word 'uffda' was invented. Even though some do, it is not necessary to go backwards a step every time we move forward two steps.
Sadly racism is still going strong in this country and its represented by the confederate flag. You see it against our black President. The amount of hatred against him is staggering. It's not just people disagreeing with him it's the outright hatred that is out there. And heaven forbid you call these people out on it. They just say that I'm pulling out the race card. Not all to the right are racist for sure, in fact I think mist of them aren't but there is a large group that is.
The way I look at it is that the Confederate flag is part of the US history. I also agree that there should be a Lakota flag in the display too. This shouldn't be a political issue at all and the politicians should keep their noses out of it. Have any of you that are against this, stopped to think that some of Vets that are of have been treated there might have had ancestors that fought for the Confederacy.
I have a great-great-grandfather who was a Confederate soldier, he was also a traitor to his country, our country, the United States.
Take the Confederate flags down from federal property. If someone feels the need to display them display them on your own private property.
My family is from Ft. Valley, Georgia. My great-grandfather fought for the Confederacy. He was a racist traitor who fought against his own nation in defense of a feudal economic system that exploited both black slaves and poor whites. My grandfather was a member of the KKK. I was named after both of them. That is my family's burden to bear. The flag is a disgusting relic of the age of slavery. Its proper place is in a museum, but not in a modern display of American patriotism.
At a time when the Hot Springs VA is on the chopping block, director Steve DiStasio has picked a curious battle to fight. By pandering to the local rednecks he may just be giving the Veterans Administration more reason to shutter the place.
Sen. Thune: Are you FOR flying the confederate flag at the VA, or AGAINST it?
Sen. Thune seems to be saying that the VA knows best and to leave it up to them on how best to care for their patients. I wonder if he will feel the same way when the VA decides it does not need the hospital anymore.
The confederate flag is a part of history Joan but that doesn't mean it should be put up in a VA Hospital or flown over a capitol.
The African American vets who were in the hospital were offended and thay should be.
As somebody else here said the flag belongs in a museum or in history books so we don't forget what this flag meant. But that's the only place
If the display was to memorialize all the flags flown over US territory for the past 400+ years it would likely be acceptable. To put the 3 contentious hateful right wing flags on an even par with the US flag is not the patriotism we all suppose to learn in grade school.
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The confederacy was based on a false premise of states rights to continue the legalization of human bondage. The Koch brothers and ALEC encourage this legalization through their funding and encouragement. This is not an accidental display. We citizens are having our sensitivities beaten down to accept these displays as an OK thing.
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The meetings I was invited to 30 years ago were to layout this strategy. I remember conversations with a state John Birch Society leader who felt they were going to win because there was no limits to their human strength. It was scary to think then and to see them still at it now should motivate anyone into action against them.
Take down all the flags.
Kevin Woster @rcjWoster 1m
Word comes from a veteran at the Hot Springs VA that the Confederate flags are down, again.
Just wait until the heat is turned off and they will be back.
Proper flag protocol is also being violated in elevating (literally, physically) the traitor flags to the same height as the Stars and Stripes. Perhaps they should be displayed - dirty, wrinkled, moldy, crumpled on the floor - to be walked on.
Can't believe DWC throws names around like that about Tim Johnson but remains silent after Noem does the same thing. How do you think Noem's staff felt after that?
The flags should be taken down and left down. My observation though, is this little nugget
"two Confederate flags in the hospital's "Freedom Shrine," a display put up by the Rapid City Exchange Club in 1995"
Who was the president of that organization at the time and who was on the rest of the board that gave it the green light in 1995? Also, why was this done in the first place? Finally, why doesn't the Rapid City Exchange Club remove them right now?
That's a very good question, Jerry, to which I don't have a quick Google answer. Trivia hunt, anyone?
And wow: star Sam Hurst's second comment!