The Issue was: 
Is the NAACP's boycott of South Carolina for flying the Confederate flag over the State's Capitol a good idea?

 Is the NAACP's boycott a good idea? - No
Name - Mariah Heape
Age - 24
E-Mail - <mheape@uswest.net>
Comment - It's time to get over it. Let's not harbour old feelings of hatred.

- Wednesday, September 22, 1999 at 01:59:21 (EDT)

Is the NAACP's boycott a good idea? - Yes
Name - Malinda Kleucker
Age - 50
E-Mail - <mfkleucker@cs.com >
The NAACP boycott is a great idea. Only two flags should be flown over any statehouse: 1) The Stars and Stripes and 2) the state flag. The Confederate battle flag is a symbol of slavery and Southern white power. The NAACP realizes that the only way to make the state legislature hear what they are saying is to resort to a tool that was developed when America was still a colony of England: the boycot. The Boston Tea Party was the first American boycott, but African Americans have used this tool most effectively in the 60's. Already Beufort and Hilton Head city councils have endorsed taking the flag down. It cannot remain flying over the statehouse for very long.

- Friday, September 17, 1999 at 01:15:09 (EDT)

Is the NAACP's boycott a good idea? - Yes
Name - roger guy
Age - 36
E-Mail - <rguy@txlutheran.edu@cs.com >
again we see vestiges of darkest days in this nation's history being defended by a state that played a large role in the enslavement, and oppression of African-Americans. I applaud the NAACP for the stand that they are taking. There is no reason to keep the confederate flag flying over SC except an adherence to and condining of past and current racism. It is an insult to all Americans.

- Thursday, September 16, 1999 at 21:30:22 (EDT)

Is the NAACP's boycott a good idea? - No
Name - Dr. Douglas W. Schell
Age - 58
E-Mail - <dschell@ac.net >
Providing some perspective of the Flag Controversy. FLAGS AS SYMBOLS OF HATE: A PARODY Dr. Douglas W. Schell Professor of Business Chairman, Southern Party of NC As President of the National Association for the Advancement of Native American Peoples (NAANAP), I wish to protest the media coverage of the NAACP boycott of South Carolina for having the Confederate Flag flying over the capital building in South Carolina while totally ignoring the NAANAP's protest against the flying of the Stars and Stripes. This is RACIAL discrimination in its worst form. The NAANAP demands equal coverage by the media of our protest of the flying of the Stars and Stripes over EVERY public building in EVERY state of the USA. The Stars and Stripes is a hate symbol which MUST no longer be sanctioned by government at any level in the USA. It was the Stars and Stripes, a flag of hatred, which was carried by Generals Sherman, Shedidan, Custer and other official representatives of the federal government whose stated goal was the genocide of the Indian Peoples. It was this flag of hatred which flew over Government sanctioned and run Indian Trading posts where paid government officials passed out blankets KNOWN to contain the small pox virus. There are plenty of scholarly books which document the Native American holocaust perpetrated on the Native People by the government of the USA. Many historians estimate that before the hate filled Stars and Stripes flew over this land there were millions of Native peoples. This population was purposely exterminated under the Stars and Stripes until less than 300,000 Native Peoples were left a few decades ago. The NAANAP asks that hate crime charges be brought against ANY public official who continues to fly the Stars and Stripes over ANY public building. Native peoples are HIGHLY offended by this bigotry. The NAANAP further calls upon all businesses considering holding a Convention in ANY city in the USA who continue to fly the Stars and Stripes to boycott that city. To do otherwise, will be considered by the NAANAP as a RACIST act on the part of that business or organization. We totally reject as a "slight of hand" trick, a sign of latent racism, anyone who might argue that the Stars and Stripes represents pride in the USA Constitution, pride in USA history or pride in USA heritage. Anyone using this argument is a "hidden" racist. Chief Running Off at the Mouth Dr. Douglas W. Schell Professor of Business 1709 Crest Dr. Aberdeen, NC 28315 (910) 944-5757 (HOME: Voice Mail) FAX (419) 828-7074 dschell@ac.net (HOME) schell@sassette.uncp.edu (WORK) I support the Southern Party of NC. For further information, go to http://www.ac.net/~dschell/south.htm GOD'S CONDITIONAL PROMISE TO AMERICA "Behold, this (America) is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall possess it SHALL BE FREE from bondage, and from captivity, and from ALL other nations under heaven, IF they (the people) will but serve the God of the land, who is JESUS CHRIST" (Ether 2: 12, Book of Mormon)

- Sunday, September 12, 1999 at 07:59:32 (EDT)

Is the NAACP's boycott a good idea? - Yes
Name - Devon Walsh (company e-mail - don't send any notes)
Age - 36
E-Mail - <NorthAm4U@aol.com>
Some good comments here! Can't add much more to that but keep it up! Read the one from SouthernParty@aol.com below. Awesome!

- Saturday, September 11, 1999 at 21:37:11 (EDT)

Is the NAACP's boycott a good idea? - No
Name - Steven
Age - 48
E-Mail - < Steven1996@aol.com>
I thought this was a question about the flag and the NAACP, not a discrimination lawsuit. Why does NAACP waste time and money on this meaningless symbolic nonsense in South Carolina -- which isn't even about discrimination anyway -- while good people are getting poorer and less educated every year? Sure, keep telling us about the "great economy" that keeps us employed for less money at McDonalds while Wall Street gets richer. No, don't try to impress us with your flag-chasing efforts - help make people's lives better and quit wasting time on ridiculous symbolism. Get real and look at the bigger picture instead of licking the boots of Democrats who make a living keeping blacks in a constant state of struggle. Wake up!

- Saturday, September 11, 1999 at 16:53:14 (EDT)

Is the NAACP's boycott a good idea? - No
Name - Wallace
Age - 34
E-Mail - <SouthernParty@aol.com>
Comment - Brothers & Sisters: The Confederate flag does Not symbolize race ... but the mainstream media keeps banging on that racist drum, and now most of us believe it so. What a shame. It seems that they just love driving that wedge between races ever deeper. So sad. The issue of Southern sovereignty/independence in SC is a color-blind matter. Why confuse the issue with old stereotypes and images of The War Between the States? Southern patriotism in 1999 has nothing -- I repeat, NOTHING -- to do with race. The idea that ALL Southern symbols are tantamount to racism is laughable if you think about it. OK, we know that there are some flag-waving redneck maniacs out there, but c'mon! Doesn't the NAACP have bigger fish to fry? This is 1999, not 1859!! We don't need the Flag Police chasing down legitimate Southern Patriots, who love their independent home state, yet want Washington to mind their own business... if the NAACP is looking to help, why don't they take issue with ! the NEA and force them to answer for all the poor black children who can hardly spell their names? By bowing to The Left, they allowed an intellectual holocaust to take place right before our eyes. Now, that's the worst kind of racism: planned ignorance. Read some of Walter Williams' articles [www.gmu.edu]. Do you see any new schools being built in Black neighborhoods? Where's all that Education money going? THAT, my friends, is where blacks are really getting hurt ... let the flags fly - who really cares about some stupid patriotic sentiment?! HOWEVER, let's get down to serious business and make sure blacks have real hope for a future in this country. Education -- and I'm talkin' about LEARNING -- is where we should focus our attention ...forget the flags folks.

- Friday, September 10, 1999 at 21:37:27 (EDT)

Is the NAACP's boycott a good idea? - Yes
Name - Brock Harris
Age - 46
E-Mail - <bsh5812@aol.com>
Comment - Yes I think it is a good idea. We have been conditioned to accept being disrespected and insulted. That flag respresents treason,murder,rape,theft and death,death,death. If that is considered a representation of South Carolina's history,then what a sorry history that is! If we were to fly a swastika over New York State capital there would be an outpouring of resistance. When I am driving down a southern highway and see that flag in my rear view mirror I become very uneasy. I don't know if I have a killer on my bumper or not. There are other issues that the NAACP should concentrate on like South Carolina being NO.50 in SAT scores.As we know South Carolina has the state with the largest Black population so you see the pattern here but that flag still has to go!!!

- Monday, September 06, 1999 at 12:17:44 (EDT)

Is the NAACP's boycott a good idea? - No
Name - Patsy Matthews
Age - 42
E-Mail - <pmcmatt@aol.com>

Comment - The NAACP is wasting valuable energy and resources on an issue that is not going to solve any of the myriad of problems that exist in our community. We need to be about the business of raising our children; creating jobs; cleaning the drugs out our community, etc. Let us first look in the mirror and deal with what we see there.

- Friday, September 03, 1999 at 22:48:45 (EDT)

Is the NAACP's boycott a good idea? - No
Name - Waylon R.Wallace
Age - 50
E-Mail - <mizanne@webtv.net>
Comment - I think it is a bad idea because it wastes time on an image that that reflects an historical fact. We, as a race, cannot say what it means to others and we should not care. We should be concrned about what people do not what they think or feel. If the N.A.A.C.P. wants to boycott somebody why don't they call for a boycott of Charlotte for murdering black people. Let them advance our people into respecting one another instead of always crying for white people to love us and be considerate of our feelngs. These organizations need to be proactive instead of reactive if they ant people's support.

- Monday, August 30, 1999 at 13:41:00 (EDT)

Is the NAACP's boycott a good idea? - Yes
Name - Ted Mangum
Age - 49
E-Mail - <mangum@yahoo.com>
Comment - Instead of "chasing" the confederate flag--why aren't our so-called "leadership"--including the NAACP--chasing the more than $6 billion spent annually by schools systems throughout North Carolina (including Charlotte) on "goods and services" with less than 1% or $800,000.00 with all minority businesses combined? Certainly ten per cent of $6 billion would have more of an economic and constructive impact in African American communities throughout our state than, pulling down the Confederate flag. Why are North Carolina schools systems allowed to practice this form of economic racism without ANY protect or DEMAND for action from our LEADERSHIP?

- Monday, August 23, 1999 at 13:46:32 (EDT)

Is the NAACP's boycott a good idea? - No
Name - Jessie Martin
Age - 62
E-Mail - <jmartin5097@aol.com>
Comment - No. There is no good reason for it. It will only make more trouble and we don't need that. It will start more hurting and hatred. It doesn't solve any problems,it causes them. Why doesn't the NAACP realize that? The confederate flag is a part of the history of South Carolina. That is why it is flying there. There's just other things for them to worry about. This is my opinion. Thanks for having this paper here on the internet. I enjoy reading it.

- Friday, August 20, 1999 at 15:57:27 (EDT)