Dear editor,

I see the Confederate flag fly here in my city and I see a part of American history.

This country has been inundated with history revisionists who want to do away with any parts of history they don't like or don't completely understand. The flag being flown at the Lundy memorial is the Confederate battle flag; I actually wear a pin of the true Confederate flag, and no one has taken offense.

It’s a single white star in the middle of a field of blue. Who would know this except historians, Civil War buffs or someone who truly knows their American history?

Most people see the Confederate battle flag as a symbol of slavery, oppression or hate because they affiliate it with hate groups, but the opposite is true. Most people who oppose the flying of the Confederate battle flag don't even know that African Americans fought under the Confederate battle flag, and some were even honored by the Sons of the Confederacy.

I'm retired military, born and raised in the South, but that doesn't make me a redneck racist — even though, as a young airman, I was stereotyped because of my southern accent.

I was taught to respect all people, and I believe we need to learn from the Confederacy’s mistakes but not completely erase the memory of our fallen soldiers of the South by removing the Confederate battle flag because of preconceived stereotypical notions.

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This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Don’t erase history due to stereotypical notions

Dear editor,

My ancestors fought honorably under that flag, as did this Uncle Bill Lundy. It is the soldiers’ flag.  This dear man is not responsible for other people who came along later and used that flag for other purposes. 

Hate groups use the American flag as well.  Perhaps it should be banned. Oh, the Christian cross has been used by some hate groups; we should ban that, too. 

Banning flags — symbols — begins a slippery slope, and erodes the liberty our founders intended for us to have, just to appease the perpetually offended.

This man fought under that flag as the soldiers’ flag.  He deserves his memorial to have that flag.

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This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Lundy deserves the battle flag memorial

Dear editor,

The Crestview News Bulletin keeps getting better every Wednesday and Saturday

you read it — it’s becoming the newspaper to read in Okaloosa County.

Loved the Diamond Jubilee on the Big Red Machine.

Editor Thomas Boni and the Crestview Bulletin, keep up the outstanding work — and always keep reaching for the Stars.

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This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: LETTER: News Bulletin is becoming ‘the newspaper to read’

Dear editor,

This is a soldier’s flag and not the official flag of the Ku Klux Klan. The KKK’s official flag is the stars and stripes. So why not direct (criticism) to the stars and stripes?

Leave the flag to fly over a soldier’s monument and let a soldier rest in peace, for he fought for this nation, as did all who came before and after him.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Leave Confederate flag at Lundy’s memorial

Dear editor,

It’s amazing how so many people believe or see things the way they want to see them.

There is a lot of information — facts — out there on the Confederate flag; search online for “Confederate flag history” or check out books at the Crestview library.

Eighty-five percent of people who complain that the flag reminds them of one’s southern heritage apparently do not know that northern civilians owned slaves prior to, during and even after the war.

The biggest myth everyone wants people to believe is that the war was fought over slavery — terribly untrue. The North fought the war over money, land to grow food and sea ports.

The war was about splitting the South and the North (like North New Jersey and South New Jersey — that fight goes on to this day).

Did you know that all the southern states still have some form of the Confederate flag — and if you still want to kill history by doing away with the flag, how about the USA flag? Many slaves served William T. Sherman until well after the war was over; Sherman did not free them until late 1865. The same was true of Ulysses S. Grant — and when asked why he did not free his slaves earlier, Grant stated, "Good help is hard to find."

It is a myth that the Confederate battle flag was flown on slave ships.

Actually, all the slave ships were operated by the English, the Dutch and the Portuguese.

When the war of 1861-1865 officially commenced, the southern states were actually in the process of freeing all slaves in the South. Russia had freed its servants in 1859, and the South took note of this.

Had military intervention not been forced upon the South, a very different America would have been realized then and now.

Why does Mae R. Coleman want to do away with the Confederate flag? Is it really a sign of slavery when the North had just as many slaves, and most of the northern states at first rejected the 13th Amendment because Lincoln only gave freedom to slaves in the South and not to the North? Delaware did not free slaves until 1901, so one might think you would also want to do away with the American flag, too.

It seems to me that we perceive what we want to see; it’s always in the eye of the beholder. The Confederate flag is not what you think it should be; it doesn’t stand for what you think it does.

It’s simply history — it will always be history.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Confederate flag is beyond definition; it’s history

Dear editor,

I think most black Americans in the south realize that people displaying the Confederate flag no more support slavery than the black folks who wear an "X" on their caps — symbolizing Malcolm X — support his early radical beliefs on violence and isolation from white America. 

Nevertheless, I was somewhat surprised no one has raised a fuss until now!

Perhaps a compromise is in order: Fly the American flag also, or do away with the flagpole all together and put up a larger memorial stone with the Confederate flag engraved on it.

The display of just the Confederate flag does convey a message of racism to some people, and even if they are mistaken, it would be a shame to convey this false image of Crestview to anyone.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: LETTER: Confederate flag shouldn’t fly alone in Crestview

Dear editor,

Convicted felon and former Crestview PD Maj. Joey Floyd chuckled with great delight in his jail cell Friday morning, when he learned that his whistleblowers were told that their services were no longer needed by the city of Crestview. 

Yes, sweet revenge for Joey Floyd — and he never even had to lift a finger to get it. Yet, oddly enough, others involved in the Floyd case still remain paid employees at the police department and in city government — some who were even loyal to Joey Floyd up to his final demise. 

Ironically, these officers — whistleblowers — were courageous enough to man up and admit they falsified documents — of course, while under threats and intimidation by Joey Floyd — during Floyd’s trial, and even admitted to it years prior.

Without them going to the State’s Attorney’s Office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Joey Floyd would still be actively racketeering, terrorizing his subordinate officers and the citizens of Crestview. 

Instead of these courageous officers being fired, they should be brought before the city of Crestview, awarded medals and deemed heroes! By reporting Joey Floyd to the authorities, they probably saved the city of Crestview countless millions in future lawsuits, and might have even ultimately saved someone’s life.

But instead, they have lost their jobs and their livelihoods — for nothing more than doing the right thing.

One could also question whether these officers were targeted only because, through their admissions, they appear helpless to any recourse. Yet those who remain, who did not admit to any wrongdoing, could potentially bring lawsuits against the city if suspended or fired, so their jobs are secure. 

I hope the citizens of Crestview see what an injustice has been done to the courageous officers who went forward and reported the atrocities of Joey Floyd to the appropriate authorities.

In Saturday’s Crestview News Bulletin, they have been made out to be common criminals, yet they haven’t been charged with any crimes. 

I believe they deserve much, much better.

What's your view? Write a letter to the editor.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: LETTER: Floyd whistleblowers deserve the public’s honor, not scorn

Dear editor,

Government is tasked with providing for its citizenry’s public safety and infrastructure needs.

Besides physical infrastructure such as roads and utilities, it must also provide for its citizens’ informational infrastructure needs.

The library’s budget is less than 5 percent of the general fund or 2 percent of the total budget of the City of Crestview. 

With the informational tasks and demands faced by citizens in today’s society, that is unsustainable.

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This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Low library budget ‘unsustainable’

Dear editor,

I want to suggest changing Crestview’s bus schedule instead of canceling it.

How about three times a day instead of all day, and maybe they can do the east and west side of town.

What's your view? Write a letter to the editor.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Change bus schedule to save routes

Dear editor,

From my experience, law enforcement cannot cure underage drinking without the parents getting involved and supporting the issue.

Too many times, parents deny that their child has a problem and, when it is brought out in the open, want someone else to take charge. 

I could no more stop a teen from drinking than fly to the moon. Sure, you can get tough, and you can start hauling them to jail, but the parent will be the first to complain.

This is a job for all, including teens. Someone has got to show them respect and teach them to say no and walk away.

What's your view? Write a letter to the editor

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Curb teen drinking with parental involvement