Clueless in Tennessee

Texanna Edwards, 18, of Trenton, Tenn., said she wasn't allowed inside Gibson County High School's prom on Saturday because officials deemed the knee-length red dress trimmed with the stars and bars of the Confederate flag, was "offensive and inappropriate," she told the Tennessean.

The controversial flag is seen as a symbol of slavery-era racism by many, though others believe it stands for the heritage of the South.

School officials, however, said a teacher warned Edwards two months ago that the dress might be problematic. The teacher, who served as prom sponsor, suggested to Edwards in February that she should clear the idea with the principal, but Edwards did not do so, according to Eddie Pruett, director of schools for the Gibson County School System.

Race-related issues have occurred at Gibson County High School in recent years, Pruett said, and Principal James Hughes thought Edwards’ dress could have caused a problem.

Miss Edwards had been told by teachers that if she went home and changed she would be allowed into the school dance but she decided against it. Can't tell if her earrings are replica musket guns, or not, but Texanna's dress got the boot. 

Besides race related issues in her school, the Trayvon Martin case has ignited the nation, in what seems to be a racist incident that resulted in murder. 

One could see where Texanna could be confused...

the State issues Confederate license plates

But they also sell this CREEPY license plate:

And this one~ So much for Separation of Church & State.

Comments from Tennessee residents about the Confederate Flag License plate:

I don't have any problem with people advertising their racism on their car. I do have a problem with using the official capacity of my state to do it.

The war is over, the confederacy lost. The LOSERS need to let go and move on! The flag does make it easy to recognize when there is an idiot at the wheel!

I grew up in the North, so in my childhood the Confederate flag stood clearly for racism, for slavery.

I'm not so sure its symbolism is so simplistic here.

That flag clearly stood for segregation all across the South...and I love the South but don't love it's burdens.

Texanna's Grandmother put a Fox news-like spin on it: "I can't believe they would not let a girl wear Red White & Blue on her prom".

The party line response is that "It's history, not hate". I would argue it was hateful history, when a war was fought to be able to keep slavery legal.