Woman Planting Confederate Flags At Ardmore Cemetery

Even as we have a national discussion about the removal of Confederate monuments, one local woman is placing confederate flags on graves at an Ardmore cemetery.

One by one, Arlene Barnum is placing the flags on the graves of confederate soldiers. Not just at Rose Hill Cemetery in Ardmore, but at cemeteries throughout the south. She says she knows some people look at the flag as a symbol of racism and slavery. She says she looks at the flag through different eyes because she's black. 

"Most of the white people are afraid of being called racist. And I let them know that that's their personal problem, but I don't have that issue,” Barnum said. “And I’m not going to tuck and run."

Barnum, who says she's a veteran, says removing confederate statues and flags just adds to the racial division our country is seeing right now. 

"I think it's another way to divide the country using black people as an excuse to divide it because they think the black people knee-jerk a lot and they think the black people are the ones they get all excited and riled up," she said.

News 9 asked several people in Ardmore what they thought of the flags. No one wanted to go on camera, because this is such a hot button issue. However, everyone we spoke with said they didn't have a problem with the flags being placed on the graves of confederate soldiers. Barnum says it doesn't matter what people say, she'll continue. 

"They're just trying to use the color of my skin to take down anything confederate. I'm not gonna have it," Barnum said. "Just keep them flying 24/7 until this assault on confederate veterans has stopped."