There’s more than one way to express your pride.
In the Tampa Bay area, Floridians take their pride a bit differently than liberal Americans who are celebrating same-sex marriage, so supporters of the Confederate flag bedecked more than 300 vehicles with rebel flags for a “Drive for Pride” rally.
Organizer William Pew told TSP-TV that the ride was about Southern heritage.
“This is heritage, this ain’t hate,” he said.
Supporter Lexy Webb said, “It shows about the Civil War, that we lost, Southern states, we lost, it leaves us with the pride we have in the South.”
”The Confederate flag to me means heritage, tradition,” Hunter Greene, the only African-American supporter at the rally, told the station.
Since confessed racist Dylann Roof allegedly shot nine black churchgoers in Charleston, South Carolina, the Confederate battle flag has been facing increased calls for its removal from public land. Major retailers have stopped selling Confederate flag-themed items, including Warner Brothers, which pulled all “Dukes of Hazzard” General Lee toys from the market.
“It was mainly his actions, and the actions of one person, and one man,” Greene said. “Every person has their own mentality. You should not blame it on the whole entire heritage, the whole entire tradition.”
Not everyone was cool with the event’s message.
“It stands for hatred. They’re just little kids,” said Joe Hammerberg, who did not participate. “I don’t think they even fully understand why they’re out here.”
Floridians and others voiced their opinions on social media.
Here they come. Hundreds of Confederate flags driven into Tampa pic.twitter.com/yVORjH7Tx4
— Evan Axelbank Fox13 (@EvanAxelbank) June 26, 2015
@jstines3 @Godwetrust777 and Confederate flag sales. We had a Confederate flag parade in Tampa tonight. — Robert E Williams (@centevar) June 27, 2015
Hundreds gathering in Brandon to wave their confederate flags during a rally that will stretch through Tampa Bay pic.twitter.com/tkhGOssWiG
— Evan Axelbank Fox13 (@EvanAxelbank) June 26, 2015
Florida group to parade Confederate flags through Tampa tonight because Florida http://t.co/OoCYyo0OVP pic.twitter.com/cmpnIaiC0a — Billy Corben (@BillyCorben) June 26, 2015
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