The Wayne County Fair board thinks restricting the sale of Confederate flags and related apparel would be a violation of free speech protected by the First Amendment. It is interesting the Ohio State Fair board has taken the opposite position.
An individual does have the First Amendment right to fly a Confederate flag and to wear clothing displaying its image, but how does banning its sale at our local fair violate the right to free speech? Would the Fair Board not object if a vendor sold the Nazi flag, or, worse today, the ISIS flag?
The Confederate flag is a symbol of racism, hatred, and slavery. It represents the enforced subjugation of millions of African-Americans. It represents a cause that almost tore our country into two and led to the death of hundreds of thousands of our countrymen in the 1860s. The Confederate flag represents a shameful part of American history that we should remember, but not glorify. Even the state of South Carolina has retired the Confederate flag from public display at its statehouse to a museum of history.
The Wayne County Fair bills itself as family friendly. It has banned the sale of cigarettes and alcohol. Why not the Confederate flag, which is deeply offensive to families with persons of color? It is past time for the Confederate flag to go. Our fair board should rescind its decision to allow its continued sale.
James H. Bay