RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) – Amid the familiar sights at the North Carolina State Fair, one is getting more attention than it has before and prompting complaints to the fair’s organizers.
At the North Carolina Sons of Confederate Veterans’ booth, people can get stickers with the Confederate Flag that read “I Support Confederate Heritage.”
“The greatest advantage I see in it is being able to educate people,” Paul Berry said as he handed out the stickers.
However, N.C. State Fair spokesman Brian Long says some fairgoers have complained about the stickers to a degree they haven’t in the past.
“As far as I know, I don’t recall the level of attention before,” Long said. “There seems to have been more awareness.”
Following the events in Charlottesville, Virginia some people at the fair say they don’t want to see the stickers.
“It’s just insensitive for things like this to be going around now,” said Anna Fletcher, adding she views the Confederate flag as a symbol of racism.
“Well, they’re free to interpret it that way, but it was back then the way it was,” Berry responded. “What you have is a tear in the fabric of our nation. We’re not going to have a history if we keep it up.”
The Sons of Confederate Veterans have attended the fair for more than 30 years.
“I know it’s a charged issue and that flag is a hot-button topic, but there are First Amendment issues that come into play too,” said Long.
Despite some complaints, the group said it is getting a lot of support and plans to be back next year.
