The Confederate flag, by itself, might indeed have been innocuous, just part of a "collection."

The proclamation in favor of Confederate History Month, by itself, might indeed have been innocuous, just a brief misstep by a clueless white guy with a tin ear.

The participation in "Gods and Generals," by itself, might indeed have been innocuous, just a lark by a politician who enjoys history.

Even that noose, bu itself, might indeed have been innocuous, an insensitive deployment of a symbol whose implications the deployer failed to grasp.

But taken together, all these things, and now these pictures, point to a man infatuated with the history of the only nation in the Western hemisphere founded explicitly on the principle that slavery was just and white men righteously appointed to rule perpetually over black.

It all adds up.

I sent a picture this a.m. of Allen's office to Courtland Milloy, who wrote the noose article in the Post.  I'll let you know if he responds.

Now I think someone is sniffing too much of that macaca victory ether, because I looked at the pictures and there doesn't seem to be anything bad about them.  What am I looking for that will make me say my gosh what the fuck?
What I am seeing, and I loathe Allen as much as the next person, is a Reagan quote"If not us, who? If not now when", a Civil War painting that is not being picked up real well by the camera due to its dark colors in the painting and some stuff behind his arm and a wooden stick with rope around it. Yet it isn't clear what that wooden thing is with the rope and the stuff behind his arm are.  So please tell me what am I looking for.  I think if we cool it on the George Allen bashing for a minute and think about writing more important things on this board, we could be a bit more production.  The more important thing I am thinking about is the Military Commissions Act of 2006, which is awaiting the president's signature. It literally suspends Habeas Corpus. That in my book is more important than Allen bashing-not that we need to get rid of all the heat on him, just channel it.

A Webb supporter also brought the Military Commissions Act up in anothor Webb forum, so I think it warrents some attention.

My children have brown skin.  Allen's racism is a paramount issue to me.  Put yourself in the place of someone who is brown skinned, and what it will mean if racism is tolerated for another 50 years.

Love to see you do a complete posting on the habeas corpus issue--which is important to me also.

Here's a better pic:

Thanks for pointing out that, except for the presence of GA himself in the photo, there doesn't seem to be anything very objectionable about the background.  You've got a Reagan quote on the plaque.  The painting appears to be a rendition of the VMI Cadets' attack at New Market.  Granted, it was the Confederate side, but not racially motivated or otherwise objectionable unless you buy into the idea that anyone on the southern side in the Civil War was evil.  If that's the case you're going to have trouble from Mr. Webb, who proudly includes several Confederate soldiers in his ancestry.  As for the wooden thing, it looks like an American Indian coup stick of some sort.  Maybe a pipe.  Hardly objectionable.