Racists converged on the Capitol over the weekend…

1:33 PM EST on March 7, 2016

This past weekend, a small group of Donald Trump supporters gathered on the State Capitol to honor and celebrate their racist roots. The Oklahoman has all the details:

Several dozen people rallied Saturday at the state Capitol in support of the Confederate flag.
The event was coordinated by the Oklahoma Division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans to commemorate the March 4, 1861, adoption of the first national Confederate flag.
Immediate Past Commander Larry Logan said the rally was meant to honor those who fought for the confederacy during the Civil War and to distinguish the flag for what he said it really stands for.

I don't have a big problem with this. As long as they "distinguish the flag for what it really stands for," which as we all know is a universal symbol of racism, hatred and bigotry, who cares if Larry and his buddies meet up to recognize and honor their racist ancestors who fought and died in the Civil War. I think it's kind of silly, but at last check, we still print portraits of racist slave owners on American currency. What's the problem with honoring some of the poor, illiterate, indoctrinated, hardtack-eating soldiers who died fighting to protect that institution?

Let's see how Larry distinguishes the flag for what it really stands for:

“Well we wanted to do something to kind of show what the Confederate flag means to us,” he said.
“We just want to get a point across of how proud we are of our ancestors and how proud we are to be descendants, and we want to clearly distinguish between those who use that flag for purposes it was not intended and us who are very proud of it. It's a symbol of personal and family pride.”

Oh, so the confederate flag doesn't represent racism, it simply represents appreciation for racist ancestors. Big difference.

According to The Oklahoman, the rally was attended by several dozen people. Some of those in attendance included tourists who were visiting OKC for the Big 12 women's basketball tournament:

Logan said there are about 350 members from across the state that make up the Oklahoma Division. Members must be able to prove their lineage to a soldier who fought for the Confederacy and served honorably.
Troy Sim, 41, of Houston, said he was in town to watch the Big 12 women's basketball tournament in downtown Oklahoma City, but decided to come out to the rally in between games.

First of all, it's nice to see that tourists have found racist events to attend while visiting Oklahoma City on vacation.

"What do you kids want to do next? Science Museum Oklahoma? Banjo Museum? Frontier City?

"Hey dad, How about the Confederate flag rally at the State Capitol?!!!"

Seriously, sometimes I think our state's best trait is in how we embarrass ourselves on the national level. Also, how did these tourists even find out this was happening? Was it on the TravelOK.com website under "Racist Getaways?" If so, that's one part of Adventure Road that may need to be closed.

Here is what Troy Sim thought of the event:

“For me, I have no ancestors who fought in the Civil War; I had no ancestors who owned slaves or anything like that. I identify as a southerner, and so for me this flag is part of my identity as a southerner, and it's unfortunate that extremists have co-opted the meaning of the confederate flag,” Sim said.
“I realize people look at me, I'm Asian, my father immigrated to the U.S. in the 1950s. So I know people may look at me and say ‘that's odd, he's not a white dude' and so I'm doing what I can to try to redefine the flag, that it's not a racist flag.”

The Confederate Flag has always been and will always be a symbol of racism to us non-racists living in the world. Instead of trying to "re-define" the flag, which is something Troy Sim criticized "extremists" of doing in a previous quote, why doesn't he and his friends find a new, more fitting symbol for southern pride that isn't so racist. I'd suggest truck nuts or the American flag.

Anyway, The Oklahoman published several photographs from the rally. You can check them out and laugh at people here.