Not all symbols of the Deep South are clinging to an outdated symbol of "heritage," so hold your NASCAR jokes, please. The family-owned stock-car racing organization will take your rebel flags and give you an American flag instead at Daytona this weekend.
NASCAR chair Brian France called the flag an "insensitive symbol" and told Associated Press reporters he found it offensive. The racing giant has also asked fans not to display the flag at NASCAR events or at NASCAR facilities, although NASCAR has not banned the flag outright. Although NASCAR doesn't directly cite the Charleston shooter's affinity for the flag, Daytona Speedway track president Joie Chitwood said the rebel flag "doesn't have a place in our sport."
"We want to be inclusive to everyone, and the last thing you want is for anyone to come to a sporting event and really not enjoy that experience because of symbols that really represent things we're not proud of," Chitwood said.
"Obviously, we have our roots in the South, there are events in the South, it's part of our history like it is for the country," France told The Associated Press. "But it needs to be just that, part of our history. It isn't part of our future."
Well, duh. At least for most of us. Many NASCAR fans, though, aren't on board with the decision. Some fans called for a boycott of NASCAR on its Facebook page.
"No Confederate flags at NASCAR tracks? Guess what else you won't see at any NASCAR track? Me or my family. This PC BS [sic] is killing our country. This is knee-jerk stupidity at it's [sic] worst," Darren Pope (no home state listed on his profile) posted.
"Your [sic] right nascar only did it cause of the money period I think they are trying to going international. Which makes me and you the minority and not the majority all about the money And nascar does not listen to no one but the dollar [sic]," Mark Lowe (Indiana) responded.
Sigh. At least they aren't from Florida.
This article appears in Jul 2-8, 2015.