Confederate flag rally draws dozens in southern Delaware

Fred Ortiz, of Lewes, had his pickup truck decked out in flags: The yellow "Don't Tread on Me," the American flag, the stars and bars of the second flag of the Confederacy and more controversial: the Confederate flag.

It was a mobile statement for free speech and most importantly, Ortiz said, his concern about a rewrite of history.

His T-shirt said God Bless American on the front. On the back, was a Confederate flag and the words: "If this flag offends you, study American history."

He was parked in the Food Lion parking lot at Delmar Saturday morning awaiting a rally of other Confederate flag supporters when he was spotted by Jake Wilson of Seaford.

Wilson rolled the window down and asked if he could take a picture.

"I love it man," he said. "It's history. Not hate."

Before long, Ortiz was joined by dozens of other people for a vehicle rally to show support for the Confederate flag. They drove from Delmar north to Harrington, then east before heading south on U.S. 113 and ending at the confederate veterans memorial in Georgetown. There, a confederate flag flies 24-7.

Along the way, they saw their share of fist pumps and middle fingers.

They found a supporter in Denise Nibblett, of Delmar.

"I just love the freedom of speech," she said. "I think it is awesome."

Organizer Kenneth Morris, with the Sussex County Mudslingerz organization, reminded the crowd to stay safe and have fun.

"This is our heritage," he said.

But for some people, the flag is a reminder of a much darker time in American history.

"That flag stands for blood," Delaware NAACP President Richard Smith said. "It stands for death. It stands for slavery. It stands for everything it stopped us from."

Delaware's continued support for these displays also reiterates the state's longstanding history with racism, Smith said. As the first state, racism originated here, he added.

And while people are entitled to show their support for the Confederate flag on their personal property — the First Amendment allows them that much — Smith noted that change is coming.

"Don't try and hurt us because we ain't taking the hurt no more and the abuse no more," he said. "We are going to continue fighting racism with the law."

"They can keep on putting their flags up but at the end of the day, Delaware is going to change. Delaware is going to change for everybody."

Several of the people who attended the rally and ride Saturday said they were descendants of soldiers who fought for the Confederacy during the Civil War.

Among them was Tom Drummond, of Newark.

"You've got to have family heritage," he said.

Jimmy "Chainsaw" Epps, rode his motorcycle south from Bellefonte "to flex my First Amendment rights," he said, adding that he also wanted "to show my stars and bars."

Several groups were represented during the rally: The Sons of Confederate Veterans – a national organization with more than 30,000 members – the Mudslingerz and the Dirt Road Patriots.

There were some riders on motorcycles to lead the way but most of the more than 40 vehicles were pickup trucks. The roar of dual exhaust systems preceded their arrival every mile of the journey.

Morris said the reason they decided to organize the road rally was because of concerns that people are taking the symbolism of the Confederate flag "way out of context. All we're out to do is show our heritage."

Their biggest problem Saturday was the heavy traffic both along U.S. 13 and U.S. 113, Morris said.

"We got a lot of attention and positive attention," he said.

Along the way, he said, the caravan of trucks did get a few obscene gestures but to those, Morris said, "They need to go back to history class."

Morris, of Greenwood, said there may be some future events coming up. The Dirt Road Patriots are working to organize a 911 event and something for Harrington Days, said one of the founders Travis Lawson, of Harrington.

Lawson said his great, great grandfather fought for the Confederate army during the Civil War, one reason why he came out in support of the flag.

"We're doing this to show it's not a racist thing," said Joshua Richmond, of Milford.

Morris said people want to blame the Confederate flag for the killings in Charleston, S.C. – killings that investigators say were racially motivated. The shooter was white. The victims were all black.

"A flag did not make that gentleman pull the trigger," Morris said. "The flag represents the memory of my ancestors."

Staff reporter Brittany Horn contributed.

Reach Molly Murray at 463-3334 or mmurray@delawareonline.com. Follow@MollyMurraytnj on Twitter.