KKK alive and well in Cork

**max power** · 05/08/2004, 1:18 PM

from www.breakingnews.ie

Cork�s army of loyal GAA fans vowed today to rebel against calls to ban the red and white American Confederate flag from matches.

The Socialist Worker�s Party (SWP) claim the flag is racist and insults people from ethnic backgrounds but the Cork County Board insist fans are unaware of its connotations.

A vast red and white sea of flags proudly flutters in the breeze at the Rebel County�s All-Ireland Championship matches, but the SWP is determined to have one of them banned.

Joe Moore, SWP Cork spokesman, said: �We know the county colours are red and white but it�s unfortunate one of the flags being flown is the Confederate flag from America.

�It represents the promotion of racism and slavery but Ireland is a multi-cultural society and such symbols should not be on display.

�Cork is the Rebel County but the name comes from the fight for national independence. The rebel flag comes from a totally different context where people in the US were protecting slavery.�

He believes the Cork board should take on the responsibility of educating fans about its history and then call for a voluntary ban before taking further action.

But the board and supporters have laughed off the calls, claiming supporters have simply chosen the flag for its colours.

Mick Dolan, the board�s vice-chairman, said the idea of banning a certain flag and checking them before games was completely impractical.

�It�s ridiculous, the flag�s just red and white,� he said. �Our fans also wave the Japanese rising sun flag, the Canadian flag, the Ferrari flag, but they mean nothing except for the colours.

�I don�t think the people waving the Confederate flag even know what it stands for and it would certainly not be my place to tell them what flags to use.�

Donncha O�Leary, the owner of Cashman�s pub in Cork city, a popular supporter�s bar, said he was disgusted that GAA fans were being linked to Confederate America and said the SWP should be concentrating on more important issues.

�It�s just about the county colours, the SWP is picking on one flag and don�t have a clue,� he said.

�The local market sells flags from around the world and supporters pick this up but have no idea where it�s from.

�There are more important things to worry about, this is maybe just one flag flown amongst some 30,000.�

The red, blue and white Confederate flag represents the 11 US Southern states which formed a republic in 1861 in order to preserve slavery and states� rights.

It was associated with the Ku Klux Klan and still sometimes used as a symbol of oppression and racism.

**Pablo** · 05/08/2004, 1:21 PM

whats that got to do with City?

**Peadar** · 05/08/2004, 1:24 PM

Originally Posted by max power

The Socialist Worker�s Party (SWP) claim the flag is racist and insults people from ethnic backgrounds but the Cork County Board insist fans are unaware of its connotations.

If that useless shower of bastads might go away and do a decent days work and pay their tax they'd have less time to be thinking up ways to annoy people over something so bloody trivial and irrelevant!

**max power** · 05/08/2004, 1:24 PM

i thought the rebel bit would be of interest if city fans ever flew that flag, which is possible.It also show the PC society we live in.

**fosterdollar** · 05/08/2004, 1:59 PM

...i know the first two stands for Kilkenny but what about the third one... i just don't get it...

**WeAreRovers** · 05/08/2004, 2:02 PM

Originally Posted by Conor74

From what I understand the same flag flies over many courthouses and buildings in the USA.

Not true, it's illegal to fly the Confederate Flag AFAIK and it is considered racist by most anti-racist/anti hatred groups in the US.

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/confederate1.html

That said, you're right it's a typical SWP non-story. What would be the point in all the Rebel Army/Rebel County nonsense without the Confederate Flag?

KOH

**Peadar** · 05/08/2004, 2:06 PM

Originally Posted by WeAreRovers

it is considered racist by most anti-racist/anti hatred groups in the US.

Maybe the SWP should f�ck off over the the US then.
If the SWP were a race then they could call me racist because I despise the crusty bastads!

GavinZac · 05/08/2004, 2:17 PM

ah come on Peadar the people have spoken Mick Barry topped the polls in CNC

its just your enjoying your capiltalist-inspired multi-national globetrotting career thats making you say that!

**max power** · 05/08/2004, 2:19 PM

Originally Posted by GavinZac

ah come on Peadar the people have spoken Mick Barry topped the polls in CNC

its just your enjoying your capiltalist-inspired multi-national globetrotting career thats making you say that!

na i agree with peadar as well, i love capitalism

**ccfcman** · 05/08/2004, 2:28 PM

rebel flag for rebel county

**NorthoftheLee** · 05/08/2004, 2:28 PM

can someone move this to off topic or else the gaa boards wherever they may be....

what about the dukes of hazard?? are they racist too......?????

its like saying that the tricolour or union jack is a racist flag...they're both used by nationalist front orgs so they must be racist too? right?

**max power** · 05/08/2004, 2:29 PM

Originally Posted by ccfcman

rebel flag for rebel county

that was the main point i was trying to make at the start

**WeAreRovers** · 05/08/2004, 2:31 PM

Originally Posted by Peadar

Maybe the SWP should f�ck off over the the US then.
If the SWP were a race then they could call me racist because I despise the crusty bastads!

Something we agree on.

Conor - Take your point about the Confederate Flag and the 1st amendment but plenty of redneck mayors have lost cases where they tried to fly it as the official flag of their particular chithole.

KOH

thecorner · 05/08/2004, 2:37 PM

any mods around to move this to rubbish and lock it

got fcuk all to do with city or football

**max power** · 05/08/2004, 2:41 PM

wondered that myself, if i had known it would take the roadit did i would have put it there in the first place

thecorner · 05/08/2004, 2:42 PM

Originally Posted by Conor74

Would have thought it should be moved to 'off topic'. Why lock it?

COS ITS ****ING RUBBISH

**liam88** · 05/08/2004, 2:43 PM

To be honest it's the way the flag is used/viewed by society that matters.
See a Union Jack in France, Germany, Belgium etc. would represent Britain, the Union Jack on top of Buckingham palaca represents the monarch and the common coneption in ENGLAND of someone with a Union Jack on the front of their house is a racist where as in other European it would have no racist conations at all.
Smilarly a Celtic cross in Irish/Scottish communities stands for the Celtic heritage but wave it at a BNP march and your expressing your support for them.
Taking this view in Cork the confederate flag means Cork GAA support because of it's colours whereas in America it may be seen as racist.

**Snatch** · 05/08/2004, 2:46 PM

Originally Posted by max power

from www.breakingnews.ie

�Cork is the Rebel County but the name comes from the fight for national independence. The rebel flag comes from a totally different context where people in the US were protecting slavery.�

As it happens I don't think the term "rebel county" comes from the county's fight for Irish independence. However, that is what it is percieved as now and the "Rebel Army" branding has been a idea for City in terms of encouraging cross county support.

Anyway, I doubt the confererate flags would be used for City matches as they're red, white and blue instead of green. However, I think it is important to realise that were they used at European games, they would be perceived as a racist statement.

**�anna** · 05/08/2004, 6:24 PM

I've heard this one before. The point is that people don't wave that flag intending it in a racist manner. So if the intention isn't racist its a non-issue in my opinion. that said, I don't see what great loss it would be if people were to use other flags. non-story- i'm disappointed that a party with an intelligent contribution to make to irish politics has started scraping the barrell for crap like this