Is there a connection? You bet!
Conch Republic Flag & Robert Barnwell Rhett's Flag
Back in April of 1982, in response to Federal actions which greatly damaged the economy of the Florida Keys, the City of Key West voted to secede from the United States. Thus was born the Conch Republic. Though Mayor Dennis Wardlaw (who became Prime Minister of the republic) and the city council knew they had no chance of actually becoming free from the United States, they used the inevitable press attention to make their case against the Feds.
What is most interesting from a Southern nationalist perspective is not only the formal act of secession and defiant spirit of the people of Key West but also the design of the flag which was chosen as the republic’s banner. The flag is blue with a golden sun in the centre, coming very close to fitting the description of Robert Barnwell Rhett’s proposed Confederate flag. In fact, the information we have on Rhett’s proposed flag is extremely limited and therefore it’s possible that the Conch Republic flag is closer to his design than is the image we at SNN have created. Additionally, Key West sits out in the Caribbean, which many Southern nationalists such as Rhett wished to eventually incorporate into an independent Southern-led confederation. This was the basis of the Golden Circle concept.
It might be of interest to some SNN readers that while visiting Key West 10 years or so ago I saw their secessionist flag displayed by many different people. At one outdoor bar I visited they played what I was told was the Conch Republic anthem and everyone stood and sang the song! Naturally, I was very impressed by the people’s spirit. The anthem, written by Michael McCloud, includes the lyrics, ‘I’d rather be here, drinking a beer, than freezing my ass in the North!’
God bless these people for standing up to the Feds. Hopefully, other cities/states in the South will have the courage to do the same.
It took a lot of courage for these people to defy the feds… true their was little hope that they could maintain independence from the federal government… but it did force them to end their illegal search and seizures of people and their property traveling to and from the Florida Keys. That in itself is a victory/risk, that I think most local municipalities would be unwilling to to take today.
Inspiring story. Makes me think of what would happen if one day a small town in Alabama would declare independence. Would the Fed bulldoze the place? Unlikely, too much attention nowadays with the internet. Tweets of the encircled people would go around the world. If you think about it, there really isn’t too much they could do, could they? Maybe Southrons should gather at one place like they do with the New Hampshire Free State Project. With some coordination, it will be possible to build a strong community. And as the time comes, they’ll be ready for independence. After all, it’s your decision, not theirs. You decide when to be free again.