Ah yes...one of those conservative parts of the state that's always first in line for those government handouts when disaster strikes.

I don't like the confederate flag or what it (actually, historically) stands for, but I am not in favor of any protests that go beyond a) simple economic boycotts, i.e. voting with your feet/wallet, or b) peaceful, polite protests such as letter-writing, or sign-carrying at a reasonable distance from the place of business in question. Frelot's behavior in that clip was just a little over the line, in my opinion (Yelp reviews are fine).

P.S. Before anyone misunderstands me, I do NOT support any sort of federal, state, or municipal government endorsement of the Confederate flag. I'm just talking about private sales and ownership.

you stock what sells, and they probably stocked these when they might have sold. ignorance and thoughtlessness as much as confederate pride.

Dan, I thought you read "So You've Been Publicly Shamed" by Jon Ronson? If you did you certainly either forgot what he was trying to caution us about or walked away with a very different message than I did.

Wouldn't it be better just to let them have their tantrum and try to sell their flags, eventually get ignored, and eventually disappear into the annals of history?

@2 That store proudly displays at its front door merchandise that honors a slave-owning, Jim Crow, racist heritage. A black man comes in with a video camera and comments on it...he doesn't tear the shirts off the rack, he doesn't throw punches, he simply makes a statement. Someone crossed a line, and it wasn't the guy with the camera.

That's not hate, that's just juvenile contrarianism.

It's all 'bout the freedumb

Don't know about you, but I'll be making sure the local Winthrop/Methow chamber of commerce knows my decision to visit and spend my vacation monies in Winthrop is now a non-starter. Used to hope this kind of racist crap didn't happen in Washington, so sad to see that greed and racism are still more important there.

My issue with this tactic is that it doesn't ever really solve the problem. A yelp comment campaign might give the store enough bad press to stop selling the shirts, but they'll still resent it. People who want to buy the shirts might not be able to find them at the store, but the whole story will just fuel their indignation at people trying to police their opinions. It feels more like harassment to me. The result wont help change anybody's mind even if it does slightly restrict their ability to express their misguided opinions.

Ha! A bunch of us in my family go to Winthrop every year (and in a couple weeks). It is charming, and kitsch, and more than a little conservative. And not at all surprising to me that Shotgun Nellies is so clueless. In that part of the world, they might get some "sympathy shopping", but that town is so dependent on tourist dollars from Seattle, that I am hoping it hurts more than it helps.

Because "profit" should be the headline. Believe it or not, a lot of people outside of your liberal bubble like that flag and fly/wear it.

Is public shaming ok or not? It is hard to tell how fast people swing back and forth on the issue.

What about stores that sell flags of nations that still have slaves, or nations that engaged in ethnic cleansings or other historical horrors? Should people selling Nigerian flags or Saudi Arabian flags be shamed as well?

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...........

@1 A little off topic buuut....the Methow Valley was refused aid from FEMA after the massive fires (Carlton Complex) last summer. What government handouts do they receive? Food stamps? Okanagon county is one of the poorest in this state and Winthrop relies on so much seasonal tourism it can be hard for families to make ends meet during the off season. It's even harder now given the housing shortage after so many homes were destroyed.

I don't support the actions of this shop owner in selling confederate flag merchandise, I find it deeply disgusting. Unfortunately there are still a lot of people around the area that hold racist/bigot viewpoints but not everyone should be generalized in the Methow as being racist and in support of the confederacy. Many people I know have stopped in to express their distaste with the merchandise in Shotgun Nellies and request it be removed. I'm glad this is receiving attention.

That's funny, you can also buy a Che Guevara coffee mug from Shotgun Nellies. Excellent quality ceramics.

@15 stopped reading after 'fascist'.

I live in the valley and what truly makes me sick is how many ppl didn't even give a crap about this flag before this horrible act.... seems to me the ones who are against this flag are just as bad as what they claim to hate so much....might as well hate cotton and tobacco to.....

Confederate flag supporter: Why cant you just leave me be, and let me support my white supremacist heritage symbol in open?!!!

Descendant of victim of confederate flag wearing klansman/schoolbombers/churchbombers/lynchers/slavers : "Are you fucking serious, or are you just fucking stupid?"

@15

Do racist white conservatives always premise their arguments on strawmen, then argue them towards the air (or in circlejerk motion toward other racist trolls)?

Lol censorship? Arent you the same fuckers who bash heads at Blacklivesmatter and OWS protests?

Also, you do realize that the FLAG you are supporting IS (not just was, IS) a UNIVERSAL symbol of
1- Treason (confederate government),
2- Racial terror aimed at blacks (The kkk, Church bombings, school bombings, lynchings, burnings of women and children),
3- Anti Semetism (Dissappearances of jewish civil rights protesters),
4- Racial segregation (every modern white right wingers hardon)
5- A region of the country you fuckers dont even LIVE IN?

Do you realize 1 - 5, or do you just enjoy making racist asshats of yourselves? Because, I dont know if youve noticed, but 75% of America has moved on from this topic. Its a racist flag. Get over it. The south lost. Move on. Segregation is over (legal open segregation anyway). Deal with it, clowns!

just another flag on a t shirt made in china/vietnam/pakistan/india/laos/mexico/nicaragua/el salvador

Also, you do realize that the FLAG you are supporting IS (not just was, IS) a UNIVERSAL symbol of
1- Treason (king george of england),
2- Racial terror aimed at indians/native americans (ironic that we call them native americans, what did the indians call their land before it was named america?),
3- Anti Semetism (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of…),
4- Racial segregation (as far as the 1960's and every modern white right wingers hardon)
5- the country you fuckers LIVE IN?

kind of ironic

winners go home and fuck the prom queen, losers don't get to fly their flags.

we stopped slavery and racism, now we lock people up for petty offenses and make them work for pennies an hour, or choke them for selling loose cigs. you know the type of ideals that freedom represents.

The Confederate battle flag is a symbol of white supremacy that's ironically favored by those who are doing the most to advance white inferiority. I've yet to hear an argument in favor of the Confederate battle flag that doesn't amount to "Wah, I want to be free to be an ignorant racist asshole with total impunity." Too bad, personal responsibility means accepting the social consequences of being insufferable. That flag should be moldering in the dirt along with their beloved dead racist ancestors.

the power of the people is apparent with this mighty display of democracy.

@2: Agreed. Tolerance goes both ways, and as long as those buying or flying it aren't harassing anyone they should be left alone. In many ways the Confederate flag is the Gadsen "don't tread on me" of the South more than it is a comment on slavery.

The thing that really puts the Confederate flag in perspective is finding out about the time German neo-nazis adopted it--since they're not allowed to use the swastika, and decided that the Confederate flag is the next best thing.

@21 nazis are real good at stealing symbols. the swastika was originally a buddhist symbol, not a lot of people think buddhism when they see a swastika.

getting pissy about an old N virginia battle flag that was used in war by a failed state that was adopted by hate groups is pretty trivial. cops and soldiers wear american flags on their uniforms when they wantonly kill people. if they wore mickey mouse on their uniforms would there actions be seen any differently? would real action be taken against those killings or would we all just yelp about people selling depictions of mickey mouse

racist people eat at mcdonalds and wear mcd's merchandise. does that mean the golden archers are a symbol of racism?

In case you didn't hear the update, the town of Winthrop has decided to back Shotgun Nellie's by buying up all the t-shirts in the store. It also looks like someone spammed yelp with positive reviews (check the "Not Recommended" review list for some doozies).

The person in the video was me. I can say that I went and politely spoke to the owner of the store, and to the towns chamber of commerce before posting the video so at the time of me filming the video I was already pretty upset. All of that said I will not apologize for shaming someone who proudly displays the American version of the swastika. That symbol represents the oppression, rape and murder of my people so I don't have a problem making someone uncomfortable by posting a video about his choice to display it.

thank-you Jasen!

"That symbol represents the oppression, rape and murder of my people so I don't have a problem making someone uncomfortable by posting a video about his choice to display it."

the american flag used to represent that too, most expressly, it still does to a certain extent.

what kind of social change do you think you're going to create by stopping one man from selling specific t shirts?

@33

So, your argument is, the American flag has evils tied to it, so the confederate flag should be accepted? Thats a HUGE false equivalence.

Hey, the Canadian flag presided over the eradication of the native americans, and the swastika did the jews, so the swastika should be accepted?

Even if your argument held water, the confederacy DOES NOT EXIST. Thus, its symbol is PURELY that of the evils its defenders and holder brought. There is no nationalistic tie to it, because it doesnt exist as a nation. The Rhodesian flag, the german swastika, hell, the old occupied Ireland flag. All examples of representations only of the evils wrought by their bearers, with zero national *see the good* followup connotations to follow.

@34 what flag flies over present day prisons in america that puts and keeps people in neo-slavery?

the interesting part is that the confederacy was born of the evils symbolized by the american flag. the confederates didn't try to break free from the union to start slavery. i guess one of those 'see the good' followups for the american flag was the continunation of state sponsored racism that lasted well into the 1960's

it's interesting to see people argue about the changing meaning of certain symbols while others they refuse to let change

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-RKWUOENSNo/S1…

@35: I'm sure you believe yourself very clever; most people who deploy your line of argument usually do. However, it is neither revelatory (It is safe to say that those here are aware of the varied and sundry atrocities, both historic and current, which can be laid at the foot of Old Glory) nor useful. It is in fact pernicious in that it implies that since all evil cannot be addressed simultaneously to attempt to address a single wrong is either naive or hypocritical.

However, to give you the benefit of the doubt, if you do indeed feel passionately that all flags should be reviled due to the crimes against humanity perpetrated in the name of the groups/countries/governments they represent then you should be supportive of efforts to consign the Stars and Bars to the ash bin of history should you not? Since that represents a step, all be it a small one, toward your goal?

I'd like to think that you are over flowing with a zeal for justice rather than cynicism.

https://youtu.be/AFFLQ9w1f8o

First I have to say I honestly can't say I'm for or against the Confederate Flag, I am however for equality. And the word "Equality" is defined as thus : the quality or state of being equal : the quality or state of having the same rights, social status, etc. So for Jason to post this video is part of his right as an equal citizen something I wonder if he has forgotten that he is... (side note: Ignorance is something that everyone has to battle with on a daily basis, judgment is a part of human nature and for people to judge you based on your skin color is something you "Jason" do as well. When you say "we" and mean African American you are judging whites on their skin color. When you point out that you are black you are pointing out the difference not everyone else. You cannot eat you piece of cake and then say that someone stole it out of your mouth) on the other side of equality is the shop owner, he has the right to kick anyone out of his shop be it race, hair color, eye color, the kind of shoes they are wearing. unfortunately in this "equal" living, Americans (yes that means you too Jason) have lost sight of daily rights we are given for living in the United States. Yes there is still racism, just like there is still ignorance on gay marriage, women's rights, animal rights, mental illness, school funding, you name it someone is against it. As a women I have to say that the day we get a woman president is a day that we are finally closing the gender gap. Unfortunately I don't see that happening this election. Jason can you say that there has not been an African American in the oval office? No, you cannot. In your fever to defend your ancestors honor you forget how far we have come. I would define you as a pessimist for that reason alone. Don't forget that it was your ancestors who sold each other as slaves, they were the original slave owners, and they packaged you up with a ribbon and bow and sent you to the "new land". If anything I would call the early settlers, and slave owners as lazy, they took the easy way and had someone do the work for them. It is widely recognized that this nation was built on the blood sweat and tears of not ONLY African Americans, but native Americans as well. I'm mostly Native America (no I do not get money for my heritage) but I'm not crying wolf over the blatant ignorance and discrimination "my people" are served.

I digress, It is a terrible, horrible sadness that this nation is under attack from people I can only classify as mentally unstable and with a god like complex.

Jason, I'm talking directly to you now: Do not act as though the rest of the people in this wonderful nation and world are like them though. You overlook the good in this world and only focus on the bad. I am sorry you are so unhappy with the way this country has come to be, I too am not pleased with what has been happening. But to further tear us apart because of a stupid flag, that is now so far from its original use, it to knowingly ruin what is left of our progress. Take up another cause and I will gladly back you 100%. But you are only hurting yourself and the families of those killed in the senseless massacre these horrible human beings are doing. Focusing the attention instead on a flag and taking away the attention from real issue. You are succumbing to a jab from your enemy. Be the bigger person and realize that human faults is what makes the world, if everyone was kind and respectful well then you wouldn't be a household name in the Methow Valley right now. But you are and it's not because you took a stand, it's because you are trying to obliterate our valley into a ghost town. Good luck my friend, we survived mother nature we can survive you. Valley Strong.

@ 37 "on the other side of equality is the shop owner, he has the right to kick anyone out of his shop be it race, hair color, eye color," You know this isn't correct right?

@ 38 Embellishment to prove a point... I'm sure everyone can understand that given all the wide array of "correct" opinions on the confederate flag.

Shorter 37: Stop picking on us Black Person! Get over it! I'm (conveniently for the sake of my argument ) a member of an oppressed minority and you don't hear me whining! You got your black president what more do you want? Honestly! Racism isn't so bad anymore! And it certainly pales in comparison to a possible threat to the economy of my tourist trap of a town. If only you were as well versed in history as I am Jason you'd know that.

@36 it seems like you are not understanding what i'm getting at.

it's important to understand the history of such things, but with all of the things that affect people RIGHT NOW a t shirt showing a symbol of a defunct state, and the 'laws' that it failed to uphold, seems like it should be really really low on the list of things that need to be changed.

if people were still being enslaved under that banner then justice would need to be served. since slavery ended and that portion of justice was served it seems like it would be time to move on to more important injustices than being offended by a symbol that lost it's legal authority to enslave people 150 years ago.

i really wish it was as easy as a lot of people seem to think it is. removing a symbol does not remove the underlying sentiments that symbol stood for.

we didn't stop slavery by taking down a flag, we shed blood to stop it. we didn't stop the nazis by taking down flags, we went to war.

we're not going to stop racism and injustice by removing specific combinations of colors and shapes from society.

@35

So is your argument the US flag is = to the confederate flag and thus should be treated as such due to equal inhumane horrors, or that the confederate flag should be accepted because the US flag is?

Those are VERY different arguments. Which one are you stanging on?

@43 oh no no no. the us flag is much greater than the confederate flag... slavery under the us flag lasted much longer. racial bias under the us flag lasted much longer, even after slavery ended. the us flag is based on generations of lies 'freedom, equality, and justice' for some. the us flag still flies today and still causes massive amounts of inequality at many levels; economic, racial, militaristic, nationalistic, political.

if you can accept the stars and stripes despite what's been done in the past under that symbol, you can accept the stars and bars.

if the us flag can mean something different today than what it has meant, so can the N VA battle flag.