The REAL Story Of The Flag Under Which Slavery Flourished

The American Flag vs. The Confederate Flag

Mandeville, LA – Exclusive Transcript – “I hope I’m making the point here that the American flag is as equally racist, if you’re going to make this accusation, as the rebel flag allegedly is.  I’m now using the 1841 Anti-Slavery League resolutions to flesh that point out.  If you want to start talking about ripping flags down and banning them, then let’s ban that one.”  Check out today’s transcript for the rest….

Begin Mike Church Show Transcript

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The Confederate battle flag may mean many things, but with those things it represents a defiance against abolition and against civil rights. [Mike: I read this and this is just regurgitated from the usual suspects.] The symbol was used to enslave the little brothers and sisters of Jesus, to bomb little girls in church buildings, to terrorize preachers of the gospel and their families with burning crosses on front lawns by night.

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Mike:  The symbol was also used when an invading army had determined that it would train its guns and was willing to kill their fellow man that no longer wished to be governed under the flag of the Union.  By the by, again, the flag of the Union that was carried into battle was no less racist than the flag of the Confederacy that was carried into the Union.  It was the federal union that enshrined the peculiar institution into its law.  It did have a debate on whether or not it would abolish it.

Read my edition of Is Davis a Traitor?  Part of this is covered by Albert Taylor Bledsoe.  If you read Bledsoe, Bledsoe goes back and actually quotes from the Abolition League.  In the Abolition League meetings – and they had yearly meetings – you will fine – as a matter of fact, I’ll look it up for you.

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You want to talk about a – Albert Taylor Bledsoe quotes from the Abolition League.  In one of the summaries of their meetings, they actually said – and these were all Yankees.  These were all Northerners, not that that matters.  I’m looking for the actual quotation right now.  They actually said that they wished that they did not have to live under the horrible symbol of racism that was Old Glory.  They said: Rip down that ragged flag.  Again, these are things that are inconvenient but they’re true.

I am looking for the quote.  I’ll find it in just a moment here.  I’ll finish up with Dreher here and bring some Clyde Wilson into this.  How many of you know who Professor Clyde Wilson is?  He’s one of the most esteemed historians.  I believe he is Professor Emeritus now of History at the University of South Carolina.  Professor Wilson would count among his star pupils Professor Brion McClanahan.  Brion has been on this show many times.  Brion helped me edit Is Davis a Traitor?  He wrote the chapter introductions.  He wrote the introduction to the book.  He wrote Founding Fathers Guide to the Constitution.  He wrote a book with Professor Wilson, Forgotten

Conservatives in American History.  Wilson shouldn’t need any introduction.

In preparing for this, I looked up a little Clyde Wilson and found a story at the Abbeville Institute that deals with this very subject here.  I didn’t print it out.  That’s just another one that I have to print out.  I tell you, the Pile of Prep was overflowing today.  I lost track of all the windows I had open here.  “Lies My Teacher Told Me: The True History of the War for Southern Independence,” this is from the Abbeville Institute from 2014 written by Clyde Wilson.  It’s a good read.  I think we actually discussed this back in the day and read a little bit about this from Professor Wilson.  I’d have Wilson on as a guest, but he has some problems with his vocal cords.  He can write but he’s having trouble talking these days.

I think I found the part from the Abolition League.  “The following resolutions were passed at a meeting of the American Anti-Slavery Society.”  This is from Is Davis a Traitor?  You can get a paperback copy of it in the Founders Tradin’ Post today at MikeChurch.com or at Amazon.com.  The subject is whether or not the Confederate battle flag ought to be ripped down from every place where it’s publicly displayed because it is allegedly a symbol of racism, oppression, etc., etc.  I’m telling you that the American flag is just as large of a symbol of racism and oppression, and here’s some of the proof.  Albert Taylor Bledsoe:

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Such was the gentle and persuasive language, and such were the loyal sentiments, of the abolitionists from 1844 to 1861. The following resolutions were passed at a meeting of the American Anti-Slavery Society: [Mike: Remember, we’re talking about members of the Anti-Slavery Society, which was based in Pennsylvania. These are all Northerners.]

Resolved, That secession from the United States Government is the duty of every Abolitionist, since no one can take office or deposit his vote under the Constitution without violating his antislavery principles, and rendering himself an abettor to the slaveholder in his sin.

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Mike:  I hope I’m making the point here that the American flag is as equally racist, if you’re going to make this accusation, as the rebel flag allegedly is.  I’m now using the 1841 Anti-Slavery League resolutions to flesh that point out.  If you want to start talking about ripping flags down and banning them, then let’s ban that one.

[reading]

Resolved, That years of warfare against the slave power has convinced us that every act done in support of the American Union rivets the chain of the slave—that the only exodus of the slave to freedom, unless it be one of blood, must be over the remains of the present American Church and the grave of the present Union.

Resolved, That the Abolitionist of this country should make it one of the primary objects of this agitation to dissolve the American Union.

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Mike:  Note, there’s not a drop of any of this animus that is aimed specifically at Southern states, not a drop.  This is aimed at Mordor on the Potomac, 1841 to 1861.  Back to Taylor Bledsoe.

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Yet of all the war-spirits in the country, these very men were the loudest and fiercest in their cries for a war of coercion to put down secession, as rebellion and treason. In its burning hate of the Union, the Tribune had become poetical, and addressed The American Flag as follows [Mike: Remember, my theme is, if you want to ban a flag for racism, ban Old Glory.]:

Tear down that flaunting lie!
Half-mast the starry flag!
Insult no sunny sky
With hate’s polluted rag!

But, all on a sudden, that “polluted rag” became the most sacred ensign of freedom that ever floated between heaven and earth! The cry has gone forth: “This Union is a lie! The American Union is an imposition. * * * I am for its overthrow. * * * UP with the flag of disunion, that we may have a glorious Republic of our own.” [Mike: That is a direct quote from the Anti-Slavery League meeting of 1844.] “Down with the flag of disunion, and up with the flag of the Union, that we may ‘preserve the life of the nation,’ the glorious Republic of the fathers.” Even the despised Constitution, “the antiquated parchment” of Henry Ward Beecher, becomes all at once young, and fresh, and beautiful again! and that Reverend gentleman stands before the world at Exeter Hall as the grand representative of the “constitutional union” party of this country.

FOLKS, a message from Mike – The Project 76 features, Church Doctrine videos and everything else on this site are supported by YOU. We have over 70, of my personally designed, written, produced and directed products for sale in the Founders Tradin’ Post, 24/7,  here. You can also support our efforts with a Founders Pass membership granting total access to years of My work for just .17 cents per day. Thanks for 17 years of mike church.com! – Mike

Is there, in the history of the world another instance of a change so sudden, so complete, and so wonderful in the avowed sentiments of any great body of men, as that which took place among the abolitionists of this country in 1861? Now whence all this intense love of the Union, where recently there had been such deadly hate? Whence this new-born desire to be forever associated with “the merciless tyrants, the blood-thirsty assassins” of the South? The truth is, they did not love the Union then, and they do not want the Union now. They raised the cry of “the Union;” because, as one of their leaders said, they believed they could “win on the Union.” And having ridden into power on “the Union;” and consolidated their power in the name of “the Union;” they now resist the persistent efforts of President Johnson to restore the Union.

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End Mike Church Show Transcript