In this Sept. 8, 2011, photo, Annie Chambers Caddell poses for a photo outside her... (AP Photo /Bruce Smith)
SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (AP) - A year ago, dozens marched to protest the Confederate flag a white woman flew from her porch in a historically black Southern neighborhood. After someone threw a rock at her porch, she put up a wooden lattice. That was just the start of the building.
Earlier this year, two solid 8-foot high
Late this summer, Caddell raised a flagpole higher than the fences to display the flag. Then a similar pole with an American flag was placed across the fence in the yard of neighbor Patterson James, who is black.
One hundred and fifty years after the Civil War began about 20 miles away in Charleston Harbor, fights
"I'm here to stay. I didn't back down and because I didn't cower the neighbors say I'm the lady who loves her flag and loves her heritage," said the 51-year old Caddell who moved into the historically black Brownsville neighborhood in the summer of 2010. Her ancestors fought for the Confederacy.
Last October, about 70 people marched in the street and sang civil rights songs to protest the flag, while about 30 others stood in Caddell's yard waving the Confederate flag.
Opponents of the flag earlier gathered 200 names on a protest petition and took their case to a town council meeting where Caddell tearfully testified that she's not a racist. Local officials have said she has the right to fly the flag, while her neighbors have the right to protest. And build fences.
"Things seemed to quiet down and then the fences started," Caddell said. "I didn't know anything about it until they were putting down the postholes and threw it together in less than a day."
Aaron Brown, the town councilman whose district includes Brownsville, said neighbors raised money for the fences.
"The community met and talked about the situation," he said. "Somebody suggested that what we should do is just go ahead and put the fences up and that way somebody would have to stand directly in front of the house to see the flag and that would mediate the flag's influence."
Caddell isn't bothered by the fences and said they even seem to draw more attention to her house.
"People driving by here because of the
The Confederate flag remains a sensitive issue in South Carolina.
The battle emblem of the Confederacy had flown on the dome of the Statehouse in Columbia since the Civil War centennial in the 1960s when state lawmakers voted in 2000 to move it to a Confederate monument in front of the building. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People has waged a tourism boycott on the state since then as it seeks to have the flag removed from the Statehouse grounds.
Caddell, Brown and James all say things have been quiet in Brownsville in recent months.
"She's got a right to do what she wants to do," James said. "That's all I really have to say. She can do what she wants to do in her yard, but I don't share her beliefs."
I agree she has the right to fly the flag on her private property, regardless of intentions. If people don't like it they have the right to write a protest but if there are no HOA laws in that neighborhood there isn't much more that can be done.
I think it got out of hand with the media putting it in the spotlight. You dont have to like it but cant enforce your opinion on someone else's right.
Caddell tearfully testified that she's not a racist.
Local officials have said she has the right to fly the flag, while her neighbors have the right to protest. And build fences.
Quoting conweis:
I agree she has the right to fly the flag on her private property, regardless of intentions. If people don't like it they have the right to write a protest but if there are no HOA laws in that neighborhood there isn't much more that can be done.
Opponents of the flag earlier gathered 200 names on a protest petition and took their case to a town council meeting where Caddell tearfully testified that she's not a racist. Local officials have said she has the right to fly the flag, while her neighbors have the right to protest. And build fences.
I think it got out of hand with the media putting it in the spotlight. What's the outta' hand part? You dont have to like it but cant enforce your opinion on someone else's right.
"She's got a right to do what she wants to do," James said. "That's all I really have to say. She can do what she wants to do in her yard, but I don't share her beliefs."
In the end they came to a reasonable decision. To ignore her and her flag.
After someone threw a rock at her porch, she put up a wooden lattice.
Last October, about 70 people marched in the street and sang civil rights songs to protest the flag, while about 30 others stood in Caddell's yard waving the Confederate flag.
But this got the attention on national news. It wasn't a city, state or federal building. It was a house in a neighborhood.
Quoting Princess223:
Quoting conweis:
I agree she has the right to fly the flag on her private property, regardless of intentions. If people don't like it they have the right to write a protest but if there are no HOA laws in that neighborhood there isn't much more that can be done.
I think it got out of hand with the media putting it in the spotlight. What's the outta' hand part? You dont have to like it but cant enforce your opinion on someone else's right.
Quoting conweis:
I agree she has the right to fly the flag on her private property, regardless of intentions. If people don't like it they have the right to write a protest but if there are no HOA laws in that neighborhood there isn't much more that can be done.
I think it got out of hand with the media putting it in the spotlight. You dont have to like it but cant enforce your opinion on someone else's right.
This ^
She had the right to put whatever flag on her property, he had the right to build the fence, I find it awesome that the neighbor raised the AMERICAN FLAG - the flag of the UNION (you know the guys that won) at a higher level.
How would you feel if your neighbor came in and flew a Nazi flag on their porch? Mind you, I didn't ask if they had the right to, of course they do. However, what would your gut say?
When I lived in the city I thought the confederate flag was for racism only. Then I moved to the country and a lot of people (black and white) were flying the flag, on their homes, cars wearing shirts with them all on it. They had another meaning for it.
I would be unsettled cause I know the main reason for the flag was in support of Nazi Germany. Its not even flown anywhere unless it is in support for Neo Nazis. I would disturb me greatly.
Quoting mommajen32:She had the right to put whatever flag on her property, he had the right to build the fence, I find it awesome that the neighbor raised the AMERICAN FLAG - the flag of the UNION (you know the guys that won) at a higher level.
How would you feel if your neighbor came in and flew a Nazi flag on their porch? Mind you, I didn't ask if they had the right to, of course they do. However, what would your gut say?
Quoting conweis:
In the end they came to a reasonable decision. To ignore her and her flag.
After someone threw a rock at her porch, she put up a wooden lattice.
Last October, about 70 people marched in the street and sang civil rights songs to protest the flag, while about 30 others stood in Caddell's yard waving the Confederate flag.
But this got the attention on national news. It wasn't a city, state or federal building. It was a house in a neighborhood.The Confederate flag remains a sensitive issue in South Carolina.
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People has waged a tourism boycott on the state since then as it seeks to have the flag removed from the Statehouse grounds.
To fly a confederate flag in a black neighborhood she knows damn well what she's doin'. U order shit U get shit.
Quoting Princess223:Quoting conweis:
I agree she has the right to fly the flag on her private property, regardless of intentions. If people don't like it they have the right to write a protest but if there are no HOA laws in that neighborhood there isn't much more that can be done.
I think it got out of hand with the media putting it in the spotlight. What's the outta' hand part? You dont have to like it but cant enforce your opinion on someone else's right.
Year Round Holidays
- conweis
on Sep. 26, 2011 at 1:51 PM