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FONDA — One sticker was inscribed with “REBEL” and “BIKER.” There was a neon green T-shirt. A ring glimmered. Each item had this in common: it was decorated with the Confederate flag and it was sold at the Fonda Fair last weekend.
For Lynn M. Hood, a Black woman residing in the town of Charleston and a former fair volunteer, that’s a problem.
“It represents over 400 years of oppression of people who look like me,” said Hood.
Since 2022, Hood has refused to show up or volunteer for the fair out of dismay with the board’s reluctance to enact a total ban over what she believes to be a symbol of hatred.
Merchandise showing the jack or anything deemed inappropriate at the family-marketed Montgomery County event is supposed to be prohibited from display under a policy enacted two years ago, according to board president Richard Kennedy.
He contends that plenty of symbols invoke mixed reactions, including the LGBTQ+ Pride flag and Black Lives Matter logo.
“Some people find Chevy truck emblems offensive, some people find Ford truck emblems offensive and the list goes on and on,” said Kennedy. “The reasons why they find them offensive can vary from group to group, so what we’re trying to do is make it a family-friendly environment and, at the same time, protect Americans’ First Amendment rights.”
In the Jim Crow era, variations of the Second Confederate Naval Jack were adopted by Dixiecrats, the Daughters of the Confederacy and the Ku Klux Klan. Supporters have used it to symbolize rebellion, conservatism and Southern pride, even for many above the Mason-Dixon line.
But opponents argue that the cross symbolizes white supremacy and revisionism. In the last decade, major corporations and political leaders have taken steps to reduce the 160-year-old signifier’s presence.
“You’re asking people to give up something that defines who they are and what they believe,” said Hood. “I get it, but if it’s not a symbol that can be embraced by all, then it doesn’t need to exist.”
LaShawn Hawkins, leader of the Gloversville-based BLM group I Can Breathe & I Will Speak, doesn’t consider protesting the fair to be a worthwhile battle. The problem, she said, should be dealt with early on in education.
“I’m just not going to be that person, and people get mad because they expect me to be that person,” said Hawkins. “They know what they’re doing. I’m not going to be out here yelling and screaming at some grown person that could be my grandparent doing ignorant things.”
Around 60,000 to 70,000 people were anticipated to attend the fair between Aug. 30 and Sept. 4. Approximately 200 vendors dot the fairgrounds.
Kennedy previously said that fair officials know which vendors sell merchandise deemed offensive ahead of time. He maintained the matter has been a non-issue.
“Most of our fairgoers aren’t looking to buy that kind of stuff at the fair anyway,” said Kennedy. “So if they don’t see it, they’re typically not going to ask for it.”
On Sunday afternoon, a reporter saw at least five tents showcasing Confederate merchandise at the Fonda Fair. Flags, pins, T-shirts and hats were included.
Kennedy indicated he hasn’t seen any displays of the like after walking around the fairgrounds six times.
STATEWIDE
The Great New York State Fair banned the sale of Southern Cross merchandise last decade. Confederate and Nazi merchandise were banned on state property in 2020.
Two years prior, state Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Richard Ball in a letter called on county fair organizers to avoid selling products “that run counter to our great state’s long history of inclusion for all.”
There aren’t any government-enforced restrictions on county-level fairs selling the Confederate flag.
“It’s not a government agency, so they technically should be allowed to let people sell what they want,” said Barbara Nezdek, chair of the Montgomery County Libertarian Party. “I just wish they wouldn’t want people to sell things that are divisive.”
Approximately 49 county fairs and nine youth fairs are held across the state each year. In the 11-county greater Albany-metro area, there are eight major fairs.
Confederate merchandise was spotted earlier this summer in the Sterling Insurance Building at the Schoharie County Sunshine Fair. Cobleskill Agricultural Society president Doug Cater maintained that selling such symbols is “not preferred.”
“I hate to say this — and I did go through there, but I didn’t catch it — nobody’s ever really questioned that at our fair,” said Cater.
Because fairs are often organized by 501(c)3 nonprofits, groups such as the Washington County Fair in the past have been hesitant to take a stance, fearing that such a move could be viewed as political activity.
Reporter Ashley Onyon contributed to this report.
Tyler A. McNeil can be reached at 518-395-3047 or [email protected]. Follow him on Facebook at Tyler A. McNeil, Daily Gazette or X @TylerAMcNeil.
