Mar 6, 2012
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Cooter is fighting mad.
Ben Jones, one of the stars of the hit television show “The Dukes of Hazzard,” is waging a war of words with NASCAR after they banned the General Lee from Phoenix International Raceway because the car’s rooftop Confederate flag.
“It’s political correctness run amuck and I’m outraged,” Jones told Fox News. “It’s an insult to the heartland of America. (NASCAR) did this to please some board member who had some pressure put on him by some political group somewhere.”
Jones, who played Cooter the mechanic in the popular series, is a former congressman from Georgia, who calls himself a progressive Southern Democrat. He owns “Cooters Place” and the “Dukes of Hazzard” museum. He also founded “Dukesfest,” an annual gathering of “Dukes of Hazzard” fans.
Jones accused NASCAR of “making knee-jerk corporate decisions based on political correctness.”
“I don’t know what’s going on here, but it’s getting worse – this political correctness,” he said. “It’s just gone nuts.”
The controversy started last month when NASCAR cancelled plans to have pro-golfer Bubba Watson drive the General Lee at Phoenix International Speedway.
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Watson bought the 1969 Dodge Charger for $110,000 at a car auction. He had intended to drive the car on a parade lap before the start of last weekend’s spring Cup series race.
But NASCAR pulled the plug on the appearance after concerns were raised about the Confederate Flag painted on the car’s rooftop.
“The image of the Confederate flag is not something that should play an official role in our sport as we continue to reach out to new fans and make NASCAR more inclusive,” NASCAR spokesman David Higdon said in a statement released to the Associated Press.
That explanation enraged Jones who said NASCAR “forgot where they came from.”
“So why would they exclude us – all the people who helped them get to where they are,” he demanded to know. “That sport is already in trouble. It’s losing money and it’s in part because they have gone big time. They’ve gotten above their raising as we say down South.”
NASCAR did not return telephone calls seeking comment, but their decision does have supporters – like AOL columnist David Whitley.
“NASCAR is just taking care of business,” Whitley wrote in a column that appeared on Sporting News. “Let’s face it, alienating the majority of American consumers is no way to make money. The fact it’s also the right thing to do is beside today’s point.”
Watson told the Associated Press the only reason the flag is on the car is because that’s the way it looked in the television show.
“Obviously, I don’t stand for the Confederate flag,” he told the AP. “The Confederate flag was not used (in the show) for what people see it as today, so that’s sad. But NASCAR was built on moonshining, so the show was built on moonshining. I thought it was fun. I didn’t buy the car to get publicity; I bought it because I love it.”
And that’s why Jones is so riled up. He said the flag has nothing to do with racism.
“I’m outraged and a lot of other people are,” he said. “We’ve got to put a stop to this kind of thinking. People know better. “I think saying that any display of this flag is an insult to all black folks is an insult to all black folks.”
A USA Today online poll showed that 85 percent opposed NASCAR banning the General Lee.
“We can’t help it if a handful of pinheaded idiots disgrace and desecrate that flag by using it for racial purposes,” Jones said. “They dress up in bed sheets, too, but we still sleep on them – even though they give bed sheets a bad name.”
Jones said that he’s “always fought for Civil Rights and equal rights and was involved in the Civil Rights Movement.”
“I try to judge people by the content of their character,” he said.
But the Confederate flag issue has sparked a fire in his belly.
“We’re all fighting it,” he said. “That’s what we do. We’re truculent people. We like to fight. We’re from the South and when you offend our family, we’re going to stand up. We’re going to say what we think.”
Take that, Boss Hogg.
FOX News Talk
Of all the organizations out there, I can't believe NASCAR has been sucked into the liberal P.C. This is a travesty. Check out this link. It's a program from the 1976 Darlington Southern 500 during the WINSTON CUP series. Makes you wonder where all this B.S. started. This is also back when it was real racing! http://southernnationalist.com/blog/2012/02/17/nascar-demonstrates-bias-against-southerners/
Brian France and his minions have no business in Nascar. It's all about money and fame to them. I hate to say it, but Nascar is going in the toilet thanks to these arrogant SOB's. The latest laugh at these dumb shits….is denying the General Lee to a parade lap. Until France is out of Nascar it will continue to self destruct.
NASCAR has forgotten it's roots! It is now about being politically correct. The sport was built by good old boys who wasnot!
NASCAR has forgotten it's roots! It is now about being politically correct. The sport was built by good old boys who wasnot!
I had given up on NASCAR a long time ago. Now I will never watch another race. They really have a short memory.
A Father Doesn't Come Home
My great great grandfather died under the battle flag. There is no political correctness for a widow and her children. You hear me !
A Father Doesn't Come Home
My great great grandfather died under the battle flag. There is no political correctness for a widow and her children. You hear me !
As an American who happens to be Black, I loved The Dukes of Hazzard and the "General Lee" back in the day! According to the media I'm supposed to be offended, but I prefer independent thinking as preferred to groupthink. The car wasn't meant to be offensive then and it isn't meant to be now! If "my people" can run around calling each other the "N" word and not be offended then why should I TAKE offense at "some good ol' boys that never meant no harm" driving around in a frankly very cool car with a REBEL (which is what they were) flag on it? Get a grip America! You are giving away your rights one step at a time by falling for this PC garbage.
Then the American flag should be banned also because Lincoln purposely started that war and used slavery as a reason to legitimize it when the North had just as many slaves. Lincoln taxed the south 80%. When the south rebelled the US took advantage. Read the history, The Rebel flag was only the battle flag and had nothing to do with slavery.
That flag was the battle flag for a nation (the CSA) that was founded upon slavery. Read the "cornerstone speech" by Alexander Stevens and that explains what the CSA was about (racism and slavery).
The first shots were fired by the South upon Fort Sumter. Lincoln did not start the war. Are you guys in the South still trying to reinvent history?
I think people should understand that the Dukes of Hazzard was a work of fiction. But NASCAR is corporate, so of course they'll go out of their way to avoid offending people.
I'd be happy to see the General Lee, but I can see how some would see the flag on the car as an offensive symbol. It is used by racists today and it was used by racists (the government of the CSA) in the past. Not everyone who displays that symbol intends it that way, but they should be aware that the symbol is associated with a shameful part of our past.
This is crazy, we are be turned against each other.We are in present day America, where we have to now bow down to people with hurt feeling's.We are a country with a strong history, be it good or bad.We have people trying in every way to change, or minipulate history to serve their needs.There is not one group better than the other in this country, But we do have a lot of hipocrits, that think other wise.
When nascar run the beachs in Daytona it was fine , the tracks of the south dirt was the thrill of the.
weekend going thru salvage yards to get parts, then big money came in its not the same, money talks.
today big money , an the small race tracks they are still hanging on, But the big boys they don't want.
confusion it cost money the drivers or teams can't speak out about NASCAR it could cost money.
now that flag on the LEE could cost money , the folks that don 't come anyway get a kink in there pants.
You tell em Dad….I'm going to have Gary get a Confederate Flag now and fly it from the back of his truck…woohoo…Ban Nascar….
The only flag that should be banned is the american flag because it is the only one to ever fly over a ship carrying slaves. The confederate flag did not. Just because a few redneck houligans drove around harrasing blacks with rebel flags flying from their trucks does not, nor should it, give anyone the right to deny anyone else from owning a rebel flag. I think this is a disgrace that anyone would do this and I truly believe this is why we are so far apart now…it seems we continue to drift in that direction. There is always something dividing us…it is sad. I just wish we had someone…a leader that would bring us together…set an example…ask us to join hands and join hearts…discard the hyphens between our races and our names…and call us all by one name. AMERICANS. If we could ever do that…we could come together and heal, but we will never heal as long as someone looks to find something wrong with everything and everyone. Scars do not heal over night. But until you forgive…they can NEVER even begin to.~P.
I hope all the drivers from the south… Including southern sponsors pull the cars and advertisement from NASCAR!!
Really, Dan…this is not a south/North thing. It is a right/wrong thing. For God's sake this was a movie with a car about a confererate flag. It doesn't make sense. Now if they were driving around the track with confedrate flags hanging out the windows that might be reason to complain…but it's the car…The General Lee….and I bet you Al Shartongue and Jessie Jacktongue were both involved in the banning.
What Next? Dear God !!!
Looks like NASCAR is pandering to Non- Christian /Liberals.
Yes we need to wipe all traces of this symbol from our history books. Here in Texas we use to be proud of "6 Flags over Texas" now we have 5 Flags over Texas. We need to forget Blacks & Hispanics were in the Confederacy Army. We need to forget many died under that flag. We need to forget that the war was not only about Slavery. I am glad that the Texas Democrates stopped the Texas License plates issuance of any Dixie flags symbols. I am glad that all clubs such as the the Texas Confederate Air Force was forced to change it name to Texas Comenatery Air Force. We need to erase this symbol of hate from everywhere according to our Socialist friends Reverand Jesse Jackson , Reverand Al Sharpton, etc. Oh we need to burn movies like "Gone with the Wind" too.
It is history, but there is no need to be proud of a flag that symbolizes the country that was founded on maintenance of slavery. Many died under that flag and they deserved it if they were fighting to preserve for such evil.
Erik Jensen -goverment schools have thaught you well.
E.A. Heras, read the "cornerstone speech" by Andrew Stephens and you'll see where I'm coming from.
Gee NASCAR just freed up some time for me. instead of watching the races on Sunday I'll have to do some thing constuctive with that time. Chock up less TV time to the pc police, see how the sponcers can sell to the public that no longer will watch. I used to think that I was the only one that stopped watching or buying or not seeing a movie because of some political hack , guess what I'm not the only one and until it stops I think the American public will choose not to look past the insults.
It's the General Lee – it's from a TV show for goodness sake AND the Confederate Flag shouldn't be equated with racism. It's not even called the Confederate Flag.
There is the First national flag ("the Stars and Bars"), Second national flag ("the Stainless Banner"), Third national flag ("the Blood Stained Banner"). The one everyone knows is The Battle Flag of the Army of Northern Virginia. Just because some morons used it to represent their ignorance…Dukes of Hazard was in the south so they had that flag on it. Having that on your car or home does not make one a 'racist."
After all is said about nascar. I didn't watch it Sunday or the qualifying. I have turned it off will no longer support nascar. The big city boys can go broke for all I care.They have gotten too big for their pants.
The american flag stood for slavery. The confederate flag stood for their country and heritage. It never stood over a slave ship. Their were white slaves just as there were black slave owners. It was equally done right threw the middle. The only reason CSA wanted to keep the slaves was to pay them more so they can keep farming. America wanted to ship them on a island to die. Yes slaves were payed in crops and land. It wasn't noticed as slavery until the black slave owners cane in. Their was and still is nothing racist about CSA or their flag. Racist people use the American flag just as much as the CSA flag.
http://www.whitebrothersofamerica.webs.com
I disagree that the American flag represented or does represent slavery. Neither does the Battle Flag (which is what the Confederate Flag really is that people know).
Obviously you are a supporter of the what the Confederate states were. I do have to disagree you on your view of slavery with America and the Confederates. That's just my view.
I really just don't get how people can watch NASCAR. I'll watch the races at the dirt track where my uncle races because I know him. But watching it on TV – I just don't get it.
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