Clark Blasts Confederate Flag, But Not in Home State

Presidential candidate Gen. Wesley Clark blasted South Carolina officials on Friday for flying the Confederate flag on Statehouse grounds, even though his home state of Arkansas still celebrates "Confederate Flag Day" - and his most prominent political patron, Bill Clinton, signed into law a measure honoring Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee in 1985.

"I don't believe we ought to be honoring flags that divide us," Clark told reporters during a conference call, adding, "We need to be honoring flags that unite us."

"I don't believe we ought to be ... keeping that flag on state grounds or federal grounds," Clark complained.

But the former NATO commander said nothing about the celebration of the Confederate flag in his own backyard, Arkansas, where Clark grew up and still lives.

As noted two years ago by Landmark Legal Foundation President Mark Levin, "In April 1985, Governor Bill Clinton signed Act 985 into law, making the birthdates of Martin Luther King Jr. (the preeminent leader of the civil-rights movement) and Robert E. Lee (the general who led the Confederate army) state holidays on the same day."

Writing in National Review Online, Levin described Arkansas Code Section 1-5-107, which stipulates: "The Saturday immediately preceding Easter Sunday of each year is designated as 'Confederate Flag Day' in this state."

The law continues: "No person, firm, or corporation shall display a Confederate flag or replica thereof in connection with any advertisement of any commercial enterprise, or in any manner for any purpose except to honor the Confederate States of America."

In 1987, Clark's political patron signed a bill that designates a star in the Arkansas flag as symbolic of the Confederacy and issued a proclamation designating a birthday memorial for Jefferson Davis, the president of the Confederacy, according to the Washington Times.

Still, though Clark has touted his opposition to South Carolina's Confederate flag for months, he has failed to oppose, in any public way, tributes to the flag in his home state, let alone criticize Clinton for using Arkansas state law to celebrate what many of Clark's supporters regard as a symbol of slavery.

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