Atlanta reporting on Georgia flag rally 'stooped' to new low level

Editor:

We've known for quite some time that many media outlets are totally against Southerners who choose to promote and defend their Southern heritage, but not until recently was I made aware of the levels to which their agents will stoop.

Because Georgians are still insisting on a fair vote regarding their 1956-2001 Georgia state flag, the media, the Sonny Perdue camp and others have become even more desperate in their attempts to discredit and/or silence all opposition. This entrenched oligarchy wants desperately to silence the will of the people.

The April 1 Georgia state flag rally at the Capitol was an absolute success. With approximately 500 participants, it was clearly demonstrated that the joke was on those who claim that the flag debate is over. However, it certainly appeared that security had been instructed to create confusion in the hopes of provoking an incident. This, while at least one reporter for an Atlanta-area newspaper was blending in with the crowd.

While initially being told that flags would be allowed inside the Capitol, participants were told after they had begun to enter the building (not before entering) the they must remove their flags from their poles. The overwhelming majority of participants complied, while others understandably went back outside, choosing not to "dishonor" their flags.

As if this wasn't enough, orders from security changed again. Hence, participants who had just removed their flags from their poles were then told that not even their flags would be permitted into the gathering. Only small hand-held flags (of which there were very few) would be allowed.

This was a planned and scheduled event. Why wasn't security outside the Capitol informing participants of these rule changes before the participants began entering the building? Big question.

Furthermore, even after this peaceful program had gotten underway, security began working its way through the assembled crowd, removing a couple of people with flagpoles that had already passed through the metal detector and had been allowed in. Without incident, there were many flag functions during Gov. Roy Barnes' term; but this time, under Gov. Sonny Perdue's watch, these Georgians were not welcome in their own state Capitol.

To put the icing on the cake, however, was a politically correct reporter from an Atlanta newspaper. This reporter was not asking participants their names so he could conduct honest interviews; he was grabbing names and running with them.

Not al all interested in hearing what participants wished to say clearly and understandably, this slickster's only desire was to acquire names that he could tie with misquotes and quotes taken out of context. This is definitely something all Americans need to consider should a stranger ask their name.

What a shame it is that sometimes our only means of fair and balanced reporting is via letters to the editor. Still, we are very grateful for that.

P.K. Fitzgerald

Harlem