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Political correctness continues its stranglehold on America and has recently reared its ugly mug in southern Oregon. This past week, a Grant’s Pass, Oregon school bus driver was fired for refusing to remove from his personal vehicle’s CB antenna, a Confederate flag, while his personal vehicle was parked at the Phoenix-Talent School District parking lot.  

The driver, Ken Webber, was warned twice to remove the perceived offensive Rebel flag. He refused and was promptly fired by the school District. Webber is an interesting individual, indeed. The married father of four maintains his display of the Confederate Flag is not a political or racist statement, but an expression of his red neck identity and personal individuality. 

The Confederate Flag is part of American history. Its display denotes rebellion. Ole Miss University’s nickname is the Rebels. 

The predictable onslaught by the Left continues. The glaring hypocrisy displayed by this public agency is outrageous. This school district purports to teach our children the Constitution and in the process flagrantly denies one its employees his 1st amendment free speech right. Allow me to remind every citizen who reads this. From this school district parking lot, to city, county, State, and Federal property, it is all owned by the citizens of the United States of America, not by petty bureaucrats who use public office to forward their personal agendas.  

I am repulsed by one such burecrat, Superintendent Ben Bergreen who cites a school board policy prohibiting symbols that could be offensive to minorities.  

This political correctness has gone way too far and tramples on American rights of free expression. It is unacceptable to tolerate this outrageous behavior by Superintendent Bergreen and the Phoenix-Talent School Board. These individuals would be removed from their positions of responsibility, immediately 

Some years back American Nazi leader George Lincoln Rockwell, demanding his right to free speech, was afforded police protection as he paraded through Skokie’s Illinois’ Jewish neighborhoods. On the forefront protecting Rockwell’s free speech right was the American Civil Liberties Union. The most hateful of individuals was protected under his 1st amendment right to freedom of expression yet bus driver Webber is dismissed from his job because the flag he displays may be considered offensive to minorities. I ask, where is the ACLU in protecting Mr. Webber’s 1st amendment rights. I find the school board’s action to dismiss employee Webber short-sighted and very unwise. I further contend the District will pay dearly to Mr. Webber for trampling on his rights of expression on his personal property, his vehicle. 

Webber’s 8 year old daughter says it all. She took the newspaper picture of her Dad to school and told her friends, “This is my Dad standing up for what he believes in and I’m proud of him for that. 

Me, too. I’m proud of you, Ken Webber, as are millions of Americans across this country.  You are a patriot…  

Roger Gitlin is a retired teacher and resident of Crescent City and proud member of the Del Norte Tea Party and can be reached at [email protected]  His commentaries represent his own opinions and not necessarily the views of any organization he may be affiliated with or those of the West Ranch Beacon.