Vertical 3rd National FlagMichael Westerman PhotoVertical 3rd National Flag

The Death of Michael Westerman

Thanks to civil rights agitators and their anti-South allies in the news media, it has become downright deadly to fly the Confederate battle flag. Michael Westerman, aged 19, of Elkton, Kentucky, was shot through the heart as he drove with his wife between Guthrie, Kentucky, and Springfield, Tennessee on 14 January 1995. According to Robertson County Sheriffs Detective Dave Benton, the alleged assailants, four black males, were motivated by "the fact that the truck had a rebel flag on it." The Associated Press reported that Westerman "was a friend" of the attackers and his death apparently was a mistake. This case of mistaken identity is said to have occurred because of Westerman's tinted truck windows through which the gunman fired at an unidentified target, believing it to be a group of white racists.

Guthrie's leading black spokesman excused the shooting: "They didn't intend to hurt him. They just wanted to stop him about the flag." The mother of the alleged trigger man trotted out the same tired old bogeyman: "The problem that brought this about was racism." She claims that local whites want retribution.

The local print media, after sitting on the story for several days, finally ran with news of several cross burnings that occurred in Guthrie after the murder. The Nashville Banner's 19 January headline read "Burning crosses provoke FBI probe" and the shooting was glossed over in the first paragraph. To the Banner the real story evidently was cross burnings.

"This is an opportunity for organizations such as the NAACP, SCLC and all other groups opposed to traditional Southern principles and culture to admit to and apologize for their immoral assault on Confederate symbols and heritage. A young husband and father has been murdered for no other reason than displaying the proud banner of his ancestors."
The Banner's 20 January headline, "Youths thought targets were racists," suggests that had the targets indeed been "racist," the shooting would have been justified. Of course, had the alleged attackers been white and the victim black, the story would have made international headlines. As it is, the national media remains virtually mute and the local media, as illustrated, gives more attention to cross burnings than to murder. It is no surprise that the FBI was so quickly on the scene----to investigate the cross burnings.

Evidently the Westermans of the world do not elicit from the media the same sympathies reserved for abortion doctors and black Los Angeles "motorists." This is an opportunity for organizations such as the NAACP, SCLC and all other groups opposed to traditional Southern principles and culture to admit to and apologize for their immoral assault on Confederate symbols and heritage. A young husband and father has been murdered for no other reason than displaying the proud banner of his ancestors. While the Southern League does not condone cross burnings for any rash action to avenge Michael's murder, we do suggest that our members exercise their Second Amendment right to self-protection before displaying symbols of Confederate heritage. Meanwhile, we must wait and see whether the U.S. Justice Department is as zealous in Guthrie, Kentucky, as it was in Ruby Ridge, Idaho, and Waco, Texas.

Michael's widow and now-fatherless children have suffered a tremendous loss. His death has wrought not only emotional trauma, but financial hardship as well. Any Southern League member who wishes to extend condolences or financial assistance to his surviving family may do so to:

Mr. &Mrs. Hannah Westerman
c/o Mr. & Mrs. David Westerman
5623 Dixie Bee Line Hwy.
Trenton, KY 42286

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