Julian Bond seems to have a fanciful view of the Confederate flag, which he has morphed into an increasingly famous alternate history symbol he calls "the Confederate swastika."

Noting that it's a "comment that he makes often," Brendan Loy cites a speech Bond made in Fayetteville, in which he said:

"Their (Republicans) idea of equal rights is the American flag and the Confederate swastika flying side-by-side,"

"Comment that he makes often" is no understatement, because I have an additional report, with more from New Orleans. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Julian Bond made an identical remark in Indiana in 2004:

NAACP chairman Julian Bond, speaking to lawmakers and business leaders in Indiana last month, said Bush and other Republicans appealed to a racist "dark underside of American culture."

"They preach racial equality but practice racial division," Bond said. "Their idea of equal rights is the American flag and Confederate swastika flying side by side."

At the 2001 NAACP convention in New Orleans, Bond said Bush "has selected nominees from the Taliban wing of American politics, appeased the wretched appetites of the extreme right wing, and chosen cabinet officials whose devotion to the Confederacy is nearly canine in its uncritical affection." (Emphasis added.)

I think Brendan Loy is correct that the evocation of Nazi imagery results from the fact that the confederacy and the Nazi Holocaust have been the subject of endless rhetorical linkage. With that implanted in people's minds, when you say "confederate swastika," people will nod their head in profound agreement. Add "Republican" and, well, not only is the case closed, it's time for major outrage!

Whether there is any such thing as a Confederate swastika is beside the point -- because there might just as well have been! And the Confederate swastika might just as well have included Republicans!

I know this is old ground, but I believe in standing on old ground, and if Julian Bond can make links, so can I!

So, forget the Confederate swastika. (For that matter, forget the Pink Swastika!)

Once again, what we need most is not a false flag or a Confederate flag posing as a swastika.

We need a symbol to unite us.

The Confederate Rainbow Flag!

Because bigotry comes in all races, sexes, sexualities, and yes, even creeds!

UPDATE: I tried unsuccessfully to locate an image of a Confederate swastika. But I did find at least one very New Agey Rainbow swastika. Perhaps Julian Bond was trying to balance the, um, karma?