Lee Surrendered; I Didn't

To the Editors of The Crimson:

I would like to thank Harvard undergraduates Bridget L. Kerrigan '91, John Eggert '91 and Jon P. Jiles '92 for their attempts to display our battle flag, as we Southerners know it. For they, like I, love the South without qualms, apologies or qualifiers.

Each was "forced" to take the monument of the Confederacy down for different reasons, including selective enforcement of a Harvard housing rule, threats and basic lack of tolerance and understanding. The purpose of this letter is to educate those who are looking for something sinister in our affection for the flag of our forefathers.

The flag stands for many things to me, and it is the symbol of good 'ole Dixieland. The South stands for fried okra, fried squash and fried catfish. The South stands for and stands up for religion: The South is the Bible Belt. The South stands for big 'ole mosquitoes. The South stands for the southern accent, including y'all, tar (can go flat), bud (e.g. the mockin'), rasslin' and tin (after nine).

The South stands for ladies and gentlemen where the latter still open car doors for the former, and the former still say "thank ya', honey." The South stands for iced tea, even in the wintertime.

The South stands for Robert E. Lee, a legend, a Southern hero and ultimate hero of the War Between the States, and a man who is admired, esteemed and revered. He is the embodiment of the South which stands for independence, states' rights, the right to rebel against wrong, an accomodating nature and tenacity, to name a few.

It is nice to drive across Georgia, and see the state flag--one-third of which contains the state seal while the other two-thirds of which depict the Confederate battle flag--flying in the southern breeze.

This is the South I know and love. All symbols stand for many things, some of which are amoral. I am embarrassed every time I see fanatical groups like the Ku Klux Klan waving the Confederate flag. This perverse element is the proverbial exception to the rule and does promote racism.

With that exception, we display the flag because we are proud to be Southerners. As Southerners, I see it as our duty to educate those persons who are misguided about affection for the flag, not to acquiesce and submit to their desires and haul the flag down.

In practice, this is not always possible. In diverse societies, people cannot be myopic, and as Lawrence Duncan III notes, must be "tolerant and understanding." These ideas must be, however, applied in all walks of life, not just with respect to race, culture, or similar issues.

Certainly, to espouse a view that "When something is in public view and it offends, it should be removed," as stated by Leverett House Master John Dowling, is not responsible. With all due respect to Master Dowling, in a diverse community something always offends someone and dialogue about the offending matter seems more appropriate.

We in the Harvard community must begin to practice what we preach, especially with regard to the First Amendment principles of freedom of expression and diversity of opinion that this institution purports to cherish. Joey McCutchen   Harvard Divinity School