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Editorial: Greensboro takes advantage of South Carolina flag trouble

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

(Updated 3:00 am)

The Atlantic Coast Conference isn't clear about its relationship with South Carolina, but it certainly likes its North Carolina hometown.

That's good for Greensboro, which Monday was awarded another ACC championship event. The city will host the league's baseball tournament in 2012.

It's a nice addition to the local sports landscape. ACC baseball is becoming big business. Thousands of fans will come to see some of the nation's best college teams in action over six days.

The tournament already is set to play at Greensboro's NewBridge Bank Park next May 26-30, giving the city four ACC championship events in 2010 -- men's and women's basketball and women's golf in addition to baseball.

The Greensboro Grasshoppers and President Donald Moore deserve credit for offering an attractive venue.

Stubbornness by the state of South Carolina also accounts for Monday's news. Two months ago, the ACC awarded the 2011, 2012 and 2013 baseball tournaments to Myrtle Beach, only to change course Monday at the urging of the South Carolina NAACP. The civil rights organization promotes a boycott of South Carolina in protest of the Confederate flag that still flies on the grounds of the state Capitol in Columbia.

The ACC isn't consistent in its view toward South Carolina events. Its men's and women's outdoor track and field championships are scheduled for Clemson next spring, and its rowing championships use South Carolina's Lake Hartwell almost every year. Either it's supporting a boycott or it isn't.

South Carolina's legislature could make it easier on everyone by removing a flag that evokes images from uglier times in our nation's history. But that's a question South Carolina has to settle for itself.

Until then, Greensboro can take advantage of a timely opportunity to host another ACC tournament.

What do you think?

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tell it

July 8, 2009 - 6:35 am EDT

Why should S,C give in to this terrorist organization.I could care less about Myrtle Beach,the NAACP is nothing but a bunch of hypocritical racist ,that has long ago outlasted it's usefulness,if it ever had any legitimate use,to begin with.I bet the same person that wrote this editorial probably sides with Augusta golf course that does not allow women members. NAACP get over it and quit playing on the emotions of your ignorant ,rabid,followers that are always looking to for ways be offended ,instead of looking for a way to succeed..

drewwindsor

July 8, 2009 - 9:20 am EDT

I completely agree with the comment above. In reference to the point on hand, the Confederate Flag in SC, Southerners see the flag as symbol of independence against the industrialized tyranny of the North. The Flag has nothing to do with racism as the NAACP would have you believe. Anyone who has studied the Civil War knows that the war was over the right for the Southern states to govern themselves rather than be dictated to by the aggressive north. Slavery was a minor issue, but certainly not the cause or the drive for the war. South Carolina has every right to continue to fly the Confederate Flag over its capital. Just as every black man has the right to wear clothing with Malcolm X symbols. The NAACP would have you believe that the Confederate Flag is racist, so they perceive it as such. Many white people perceive Malcolm X and the Black Panthers as racial terrorists. However, no white organization is calling for the riding of such symbols and references. Primarily because, as this is America, black people have the right to wear what clothes they want with whatever is written on it. Honestly, I just don't care what any one wears.

As for the NAACP, this organization started off with the best of intentions to create a society where people of any race could live with equality. An extremely noble cause. However, over the years it has become just as racist as the KKK, and has managed to create a society where a competent white person will be over looked for a job in "favor" of a less competent non white person. All in the name of "Equality". The NAACP hollers racism at every opportunity over anything, pointing out how racism still exists in our country. I have always been told, "look and you will find." If you look for racism everywhere you will see it. If anything, the practice of looking for racism is what propagates it. We should not ignore it, but by pointing and screaming racism at everything that moves does nothing but call attention to racism itself, even if the situation is not racist at all. As a society, we should focus on pointing out how the various cultures in America get along and help each other. Yes racism exits, we may never completely get rid of it, but the best way to conquer it is to praise the way people get along. and not look for and scream about issues that in large part do not exist, thus drawing attention to our progress rather than regress.

victorre

July 8, 2009 - 12:51 pm EDT

Great this stubborness of the political think tank of the Good Ole Boy Network// will continue to be hurt Financially by backwood thinking--this is indeed new times// but before you make accusations against the NAACP of being a bad organization-- you have no CLUE how many great things that they have done!!! typical,typical--backwood thinking of those who haven't struggle or been part of the struggle-- that Flag is a constant reminder//you can print /type/holler all you want-- but the flag -- will ALWAYS represent prejudice--and is still being use as a racist tool today by white supermacy groups,,, we have a long way to to mend ours fences--Its time for equality!!!

bigwill

July 8, 2009 - 3:36 pm EDT

You are trying to compare apples to oranges here. There is a difference between a flag flying on a flag pole and a white supremicist waving the flag as a racial slur. If that's the case then I guess any building with a cross on its grounds would represent prejudice too. A cross was used during this period also to represent racism. Granted they were burned, but the burning of the cross is the only thing that causes it to be racist. Just like someone holding a flag and saying racial comments is the only way the Confederate Battle flag can be racist. People like you are the only ones that are stubborn because you ALWAYS will represent anything from the past to be racist. Unless someone is waving the flag while hanging on the flag pole yelling racial terms, then no flag can at all be considered to represent racism. YOU choose to allow it to be racist, the flag has no choice in the matter. Only the person holding it can make it racist. You also speak about equality. Last I knew every person in this country now has the right as any other person. In fact if you want to get technical about it, minorities have more rights today than any other American. If this flag still stands for so much racism and it offends so many people, then please tell me why blacks are still living and even moving to South Carolina? You know why, because some people have been educated and are intelligent enough now to realize that that flag does not stand for what some are still trying to claim. Please get over your ignorance.

victorre

July 8, 2009 - 5:03 pm EDT

ONLY YOU A RACIST WOULD REPLY GRAND WIZARD

bigwill

July 8, 2009 - 5:30 pm EDT

Again you have shown your lack of intelligence, immaturity, and ignorance. I reply to your comment with facts and this is the only thing you can say? Thanks, you just proved my point.

Beachwalk

July 8, 2009 - 7:42 pm EDT

Great Post bigwill.
And thanks to victorre for proving your point.

Dogwood

July 8, 2009 - 3:03 pm EDT

I am glad the ACC baseball players are coming to Tournament Town! I am glad our city is neutral half-way from Boston/ Florida and all are welcome. I think we can get the rowing event if Randleman Lake is long enough. We have an excellent track at A&T. If we try hard enough we can bid on rowing, track, basketball, golf, tennis. soccer at Bryan Park etc. We don't do football but have hospitality, spirit, a great airport, roads etc and love college honest sports.