Georgia Heritage Coalition - Mr. Waite Rawls & Georgia's flag at the Museum of the Confederacy

Steve Scroggins

Steve Scroggins is a volunteer contributor to the Georgia Heritage Coalition who lives in Macon.

A Reply from Mr. Waite Rawls & the Museum of the Confederacy's flag policy – Commentary by Steve Scroggins

In writing my last commentary, I didn't have all the facts; a clarification is in order. The reply from Mr. Rawls is shown below which should bring the matter into focus.

Based on my previous impressions and assumptions, I implied in that last commentary that the Museum of the Confederacy chose to keep the REAL flag of Georgia (presumably as a show of support for Georgia and the honor of the REAL flag) and I understood that MOC was getting pressure from certain Georgia UDC members to instead fly the Perdue Imposter flag (that part is apparently true). Apparently, a Georgia UDC member has, in fact, supplied a new Perdue Counterfeit flag to be flown at the MOC as soon as they can acquire the equipment with which to replace the '56 Georgia flag currently hanging from the thirty foot ceiling of the MOC's lobby.

The REAL Georgia State flag adopted in 1956

I'm frankly very disappointed in the MOC's stated intent to fly the illegitimate Perdue Counterfeit flag. As I've written before, I see that as an injustice to the people of Georgia. This is not a case of "states' rights" against some central authority. It is simply a choice being made by the director (and those to whom he reports) to display a flag that represents deception, demagoguery, defiance and betrayal---the Perdue Imposter flag.

Obviously, it's much more important to restore the REAL Georgia flag to its rightful place all across Georgia at courthouses, fire stations and schools. The fact that an imposter flag may soon be placed in a Virginia museum pales in comparison to the magnitude of the injustice going on across Georgia. We can understand (but NOT agree with) the politically correct motives of politicians, but I cannot understand the rationale of the MOC.

Below is the first response I received from Mr. Rawls. Aside from the statement below, Mr. Rawls did reveal that the "prominent member and citizen of Georgia" is a member of the Georgia UDC. In addition, Mr. Rawls clarified one question which is stated below.

Mr. Scroggins:

Since the 1990s, we have had a display of flags that hang from the 30’ ceiling of the Moody Court, which is the main lobby of the museum. The First, Second, and Third National flags fly there along with a number of battle flags, including the Army of Northern Virginia, Polk, Van Dorn and Hardee pattern flags and a Confederate Navy Jack. In addition, there are fourteen state flags, including those of the eleven states that formally seceded, plus Maryland, Kentucky, and Missouri—all of which were recognized with rooms in the original Confederate Museum in 1896.

The war-time flags of the states have never been displayed in this area. Rather, the current flag, which is officially recognized by each state, is the flag that we display. As various states have changed their official flag, we have changed as soon as we could get the new flag and display it. As many of you know, the flag design of various states has been contested, sometimes hotly, for over two centuries; yet each state retains the right to select its own flag. And we honor their choice, however it was made.

During the War, the Confederacy had no political parties; but politics were often hot and bitter. At the top of the list was the continuing debate about state rights. The various states vigorously contested the right of President Davis and the Confederate government to interfere with various rights which were deemed to be reserved to the states. Georgia and its Governor Brown were especially vocal. One of the clearest of state rights is to choose their own flag. President Davis would have been well served to keep his nose completely out of any debate about a state flag, which is necessarily internal to a state.

The Museum of the Confederacy will heed that advice and stay out of the current debate about which flag should be chosen by the people of Georgia. We will only display the flag which is the current official flag of the state. We have had the current flag donated to us by a prominent Museum member and citizen of Georgia, and we will display it when we can secure a 30’ lift which is necessary to change any of the flags.

I am your most obedient servant,

Waite Rawls
Executive Director
Museum of the Confederacy

You may contact Mr. Rawls at the following address:
Mr. Waite Rawls, Executive Director
1201 East Clay Street
Richmond, VA 23219

Email Mr. Rawls at: wrawls@moc.org

So there you have it folks, the MOC's "policy" is to display ONLY the official flag of the Southern States in order to remain out of any ongoing "debates" about which flag should be the official flag of any State.

The Perdue 2003 Counterfeit Georgia flag

Given the current climate of hostility to all things Confederate (within P.C. circles and in the media), the MOC is a political statement of its own. The MOC cannot escape politics. If the MOC turns its back on the struggle of Southerners to defend their State symbols, it will eventually find itself with no support.

Based on the MOC's State flag "policy" expressed above, one would presume that the flag currently hanging in the MOC lobby must be the ugly blue 2001 Barnes flag---awaiting replacement. I inquired with Mr. Rawls to confirm.

Mr. Rawls replied that the '56 Georgia flag is currently hanging there. Oh, really? In a clear violation of the MOC's "policy" the ugly blue 2001 flag was never placed because it, according to Mr. Rawls, "was never received." So...apparently, their "policy" to display "only the current official State flag" is not enforced unless someone donates a current flag to the MOC....and apparently no one supplied the ugly blue rag. Mr. Rawls also indicated that they have a 2003 Perdue Imposter flag in their possession that was sent to them by a Georgia UDC member (last spring), however, they have not hung it on display (yet) because it costs $500 to rent a lift.

Since the "policy" of the MOC has been ignored for almost four years now, it must not be a really important "policy" and therefore, I'd like to suggest that the MOC should continue to ignore it going forward. There is certainly no urgent need to suddenly enforce it...unless there is some political force at work that is not immediately apparent. As I've stated at length, neither of the last two official Georgia State flags represent the will of Georgians, neither is a legitimate flag and both reek with the same foul dank odor of corruption and deception. The MOC could save $1000 ($500 now and $500 in the near future) by simply deciding to leave the REAL flag in place.

When the people of Georgia resume their sovereignty and elect a government that obeys their will, the 1956 flag will be restored to its rightful place as the official flag. Hanging the Perdue Counterfeit flag now would be both an insult to Georgians and a waste of resources that the MOC obviously cannot afford to waste. In addition to avoiding direct costs, the MOC would gain heretofore unrealized support from Georgians in appreciation for doing the right thing.

At this time, I'm not advocating any specific course of action for Georgians relative to the MOC. Georgians can think for themselves when presented with the facts. I know for certain that the majority will NOT be happy with the MOC if they display the Counterfeit flag. Mr. Rawls and the MOC should consider this and decide whether the ongoing support of the majority of Georgians is more important than the support of a few "prominent members" and a "policy" that has been routinely ignored for four years. For the sake of our common Heritage and the fine preservation work they've done so far, I hope they make the right decision.

I have expressed my disappointment to Mr. Rawls and I presume that many of you will as well.

One correspondent indicated that he was "one of the few Georgia members" of MOC. His suggestion was that more Georgians should join the MOC and change it from within rather than "sitting on the sidelines and complaining." Note that my last commentary did not "complain" about the MOC...it did express annoyance that Georgia UDC members would pressure the MOC to display a politically correct flag of corruption for questionable motives. In any event, the correspondent did point out a course of action that might work. How many new Georgia members would it take to offset the influence of the "prominent member" who donated the flag?

I do believe that the 2001 and the 2003 Georgia flags of corruption need to be put in a case in a location properly marked as a "political Hall of Shame," along with explanatory text, to illustrate to future generations the extent to which the heritage-haters, demagogues, greedy merchants and their puppet politicians will go to displace and erase the honorable symbols of the South.

Rather than limiting the expression of disappointment to Mr. Rawls and the MOC, the outrage should be directed to those Georgia UDC and SCV members who support the Perdue Counterfeit flag for political expediency (or other unstated but questionable purposes) and thereby support and endorse the lies and distortions of our enemies.

How can Georgia UDC or SCV members justify aiding and abetting the enemies of our Southern heritage? Supporting the Perdue Imposter flag is precisely what the heritage-haters and their puppet politicians wanted, therefore doing so is a betrayal of our Heritage as it insults and denies the honor represented by the REAL Georgia flag---the 1956 State flag.

Supporting the Perdue Counterfeit flag is essentially an endorsement of the lies and distortions heaped on the '56 flag and, in effect, on all Confederate flags with the St. Andrews Cross. Supporting the Counterfeit flag is a statement of agreement with Tyrone Brooks, Julian Bond, Al Sharpton and others who equate our honorable symbols with hatred and Nazi swastikas.

It should be evident to anyone with eyes and a passing awareness of recent history that "those people" intend to complete the ethnic cleansing of Dixie, to totally erase our Heritage. There can be no more "compromise" with these hateful people. In closing, the words of the great John C. Calhoun seem appropriate here...

In this case, in particular, I hold concession or compromise to be fatal. If we concede an inch, concession would follow concession—compromise would follow compromise, until our ranks would be so broken that effectual resistance would be impossible. --John C. Calhoun

Steve Scroggins is Adjutant of the Lt. James T. Woodward Camp 1399, Sons of Confederate Veterans, in Warner Robins, GA and a frequent GHC contributor of parody and political cartoons and graphics.