Kevin Seefried inside US Capitol building January 6, 2021. Photo courtesy FBI.
Citizen Kevin Seefried and Joe Biden may have something in common—both are from Delaware. But there’s where the similarity ends.
While Biden is a liberal, left-leaning U.S. President wielding immense power across the U.S. and the world, Seefried is a comparatively powerless conservative whose support of Southern history has sent him to the bottom of society. He is preparing now for a 3-year stint in prison for taking his belief into the halls of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.
Seefried carried the Confederate flag inside, along with others who entered, the Capitol as a way to express his Freedom of Speech. And yes, there were some who broke things and destroyed property. In opposition was U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden in the District of Columbia, where the dominant beliefs are wildly liberal, who believed Seefried had committed much more serious crimes than he thought.
“I hope you realize how offensive it is (Seefried’s actions in carrying in the flag),” stated Judge William McFadden. If Seefried represented the millions who have, through the years and even today, seen the flag as a symbol of Southern heritage and pride, is the judge stating prejudicial against Southern that PRIDE which apparently offends him? Are there two sides in this “sensitivity of feelings,” emotion-driven issue?
The same Confederate Battle flag flew over the South Carolina State Capitol until 2015! At that time a native North Carolinian woman from Charlotte, climbed the flag pole next to the Soldier’s monument and tore it down. How is it that a North Carolina woman is justified in removing the flag from a government approved flag pole and monument to express HER opinion, yes, tampering with another state government’s property and obstructing government decisions and policies made on behalf of ANOTHER STATE’S citizens was let off on a misdemeanor charge only? How is it this woman, who violated state laws concerning theft, trespassing, crossing SC border to commit a crime, then became a celebrity, did scores of news interviews, wrote articles, and became a “hero”? Wasn’t she acting offensively to many, perhaps the majority of South Carolinians? Not to mention others whose ancestors died in an unpleasant and sad war?
At that time, then SC Governor Nikki Haley led a move to permanently remove the flag from the S.C. State Capitol grounds. Most people saw this as a political decision to appeal to left of center voters. And since then, due to Haley’s wrongheaded removal of the Confederate Battle Flag, the flag and other symbols of Southern and Christian culture have been vilified across the country, monuments have fallen and Southern heritage has been aggressively attacked! Was Haley promised higher office? Or was she just being politically expedient in her pursuit of making Nikki known to move into a higher office?
Symbols of “HATE”?
Seefried was tried on five counts by the court. Upon sentencing, as reported by NBC news, he stated to the court that he believed the display of the flag was simply his “Freedom of Speech” right. He apologized and stated that he wished he had not taken it in. Who wouldn’t rethink their actions after all he’s been through and facing a three-year prison term and large fine?
Was Seefried’s Freedom of Speech curtailed that day? After all, only less than four years earlier, hundreds of protesters, mainly women, overtook the steps of the U.S. Capitol attempting to keep Brett Cavanaugh from being confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court. Even earlier, in 2012, Occupy groups from across America converged on Washington and—among other things—as many as 1,000 were reported to have “occupied” the U.S. Capitol without invitation or advance notice, making themselves at home there.
If Confederate Veterans became regular U.S. Veterans in 1958—by law (this has been recognized since 1958 by veterans associations, the courts and the Federal government by placing taxpayer funded grave markers, pensions and other benefits and recognitions. Recent court rulings are reversing course denying past history of what has already been done), and if Southern states were allowed in an effort to heal wounds of a serious civil war to maintain their pride in their leaders, soldiers and symbols, erecting monuments to lost soldiers for 150 years, why then is the Battle Flag suddenly seen ONLY as a “Symbol of HATE”? Is it not a symbol of Southern men who fought and died in the field? Many drafted? Even during the Civil War, the flag was always a soldiers flag representing the Scot and Irish heritage of most of the soldiers, never carried as a “Symbol of Hate”, always a symbol of their love of their family, kin and country. And for millions who have employed it through a century and a half, it has not represented “Hate.” The flag has held an important place in NASCAR—which was developed by “good old Southern boys”, in fun shows like “The Dukes of Hazzard,” has been part of state flags and simply used to memorialize buried veterans and the sacrifices they and their families gave.
For the millions who have employed it—and some still do, the Confederate flag still remains as an emblem of family and “Southern Pride”—not “Southern Hate.” Who is now offending whom as what remains of that Southern Pride is being squashed away? Those who call “hate” are telling you that it is They who hate the Southern man or woman, his kin, and his history!
Can a judge—any judge—make assumptions about a person’s motives that are not shown through his actions? What did Seefried do that showed he was carrying the flag as a sign of some imagined hatred, and of whom?
Seefried’s Actions “Shocking” and “Outrageous”
As Kevin Seefried flowed in with the January 6 crowd that day, was he thinking of overturning an election “By Flag” (NOT by arms…)? Among the five charges brought against him was included a charge of “obstruction of an official proceeding, the joint session of Congress that was working to certify the Electoral College vote that day.” While not carrying in weapons, just a flag, one could see how he might be among those who DELAYED a government body AND expressed their opinion, but it’s hard to see how he could overturn an election unarmed, or even believe he could.
Washington, DC, Judge McFadden stated that bringing in the Flag was “SHOCKING” and “OUTRAGEOUS.” One again wonders how outrageous the Judge thought the State of Mississippi was to include the Battle Flag as part of its State Flag through 2020. It is certain that “outrageous” is a highly subjective emotion based on opinion. Judge McFadden seems to have had an amazingly negative view of Southern citizens like many “outrageously Anti-Southern” U.S. Leaders now in power. They are being given full scope to vent their personal beliefs through various laws, monument removals and meltings, renaming of Army bases, roads and battleship, all “Actions Showing Hate” and not simply “Symbols of Hate.” The Judge and others would prefer, perhaps, a Communist Hammer and Sickle to fly over Washington, D.C.
AN INTERVIEW WITH KEVIN SEEFRIED
Kevin Seefried is wrapping up his personal life now in preparation for beginning a three-year sentence for carrying a Confederate Flag into the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. That includes celebrating a birthday with his grandson, Ezra who just turned four years old.
“I really enjoy my family and I’ll miss him—all of them,” said Seefried. “Going in to serve this term is going to be tough in more than one way.”
Seefried’s son, Hunter, was with him that fateful day in the U.S. Capitol. He was given a two year prison term by the court. “Hunter began his prison time last January. He is already working it off,” said Seefried.
Things have not gone so well for Kevin Seefried in recent years. He has battled cancer, taking treatments while forced to continue his job in construction, where two kind Black co-workers were invaluable in helping him. Then after January 6, his wife left him.
“It has been a tough time all the way around,” Seefried said. “I want this prison time out of the way.”
“To be honest, it would have been easier to have been in jail earlier. The wait has put a delay on my life as I’m just NOW beginning to serve the term from what happened three years ago.”
While Seefried apologized in court for actions that were considered “outrageous” and “shocking” by Judge McFadden, he believes that sentences were not given out fairly.
“In my case, I made my statements to police and the FBI which they said they believed were true statements,” said Seefried. “But in court, one Capitol officer was untruthful. He accused me of attempting to hit him with the flagpole when, in fact, as he pulled a gun on me, I had dropped the flag and put my hands in the air already, then told him, ‘Don’t shoot! I’m unarmed.’ I never hit him. Can you take a knife—or a flagpole—to a gun fight?”
Seefried states that another officer backed up his story and told the truth—for which he was grateful. But it was not enough to change the judge’s mind.
“It turns out that a news story had just run before our case stating that Judge McFadden was being lenient with January 6 defendants, giving mainly probation and small fines,” Seefried said. “So we opted not to have a jury trial. But it seems Judge McFadden may have taken that news story to heart and decided to make an example of me.”
Seefried said that he did not understand why there were two Black female prosecutors in the case who were not local—one was from Louisiana and one from New York. “That really made no sense to me either. It felt like they may have been picked to be harder on me.”
Seefried actually blames the Capitol police that day for “stirring up” protesters. “It was actually pretty calm outside during the Rally until some police started scuffling with the crowd. Then hundreds of people streamed inside. I was in that crowd.”
Seefried said he did not understand the charges—five total—as they seemed to all be saying the same thing. “One was for ‘Picketing and Parading’–what is that? One for ‘Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Area’… these were misdemeanors but the ‘Obstructing an Official Proceeding’ was a Felony. When it came to my motives—to overturn an election, yes, I thought the election was not done right. But how was I going to stop it? There were 800 people inside, so how could the judge tell what MY motives were?”
“I can’t really understand why many people got only probation but I was given three years,” Seefried said. “I can say this—I think I made history being the only person to ever take the Confederate Flag into the U.S. Capitol.”
Seefried and his son did not have funds to hire an attorney, when all required retainers of $10,000. In fact, he said, no attorneys would take the case. They ended up with public defenders. They do not plan an appeal as he and his son will likely have completed their sentences before an appeal would even come into court.
Seefried has less than three weeks to prepare for entering the Allenwood Row Prison—a low security federal facility in Pennsylvania where his son, Hunter, is already being held. The countdown begins on May 31st when he enters his cell. In addition to that sentence, he faces problems once he’s released as a former felon. In the meantime, he must also pay a FINE of $2,000 imposed by Judge McFadden. This cost will be added onto the time already lost in court sessions away from work, and in the loss of wages he will face during his prison time. Altogether, the cost of carrying that Confederate Flag to express not only HIS Freedom of Speech but of many others who still respect the flag, will add up to many dollars.
“I could use the help of any who have ever supported or flown the Confederate flag. I have flown them [the flag] with pride at home and on my truck for many years,” Seefried stated.
“If all who supported my action would send me $1 or $5 to help, I could pay my fine at least,” he said. “Once in jail, I will have a hard time raising my own funds. Any help would be appreciated.”
If you wish to contribute, you may send gifts to: Paul’s Hope/God’s Angel Ministry, 7101 Londontowne Drive, Charlotte, NC 28226. Mark the gift “FOR KEVIN SEEFRIED.” ALL Donations will go 100% to Kevin Seefried’s cause.
Lisa C. Rudisill, M.T.S., is a magna cum laud graduate of NC State University and Liberty University where she earned a Master of Theology. She writes novels about her family history during the Civil War in North and South Carolina. She is a freelance writer, editorialist and a contributor to The Standard newspaper. Please “like”, comment, share with a friend, and donate to support The Standard on this page to assure the continued availability of news that is ignored too often by the dominant media.
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