Late last month, we reported that the Northeast Ohio Dukes, a stunt group that recreates jump scenes from action movies and shows like the Dukes of Hazzard, was going to perform a Smokey and the Bandit tribute jump at the Detroit Autorama in March.
Unfortunately, that jump may now be called off after Detroit City Council expressed their disapproval of the jump due to the potential that the car could have a Confederate flag on it.
The original Smokey and the Bandit Pontiac Trans Am had a front license plate with the former Georgia state flag on it, which features the Confederate battle emblem. It seems that for this reason, Detroit city council assumed that the Northeast Ohio Dukes’ stunt car would have the same license plate on it and thus rejected Autorama’s request for permission to host the stunt jump in Detroit’s downtown core.
In a statement released on its Facebook page, the Northeast Ohio Dukes said their stunt car does not have the former Georgia state flag on it and that they had never planned to feature such a license plate on the vehicle.
“This is the world we now live in, just because the movie had the Georgia state flag on the front of the car. The Detroit city council has jumped to conclusions,” the group said. “We have been filming a documentary about the build of the Bandit Jump car and it proves that the car does not feature the Georgia state flag of that era.”
The Northeast Ohio Dukes jumped a Dukes of Hazzard General Lee replica car at Detroit Autorama back in 2017, which featured the car’s well-known Confederate battle insignia on the roof. Detroit city council appears to have claimed that they asked the group to remove the flag from the car for that jump, but the Northeast Ohio Dukes dispute this. A video of that jump is embedded above.
“We were never told to take the flag off of the General Lee back in 2017, that is a downright lie,” the group said. “If we were told to take the flag off the General Lee we would have never even went to Detroit. We’re just children of the 70s and 80s that want to jump a car to honor a great man and now politics and racist people have taken that away from all of us. We have always strongly and publicly denounced any white supremacy or hate groups and any type of misrepresentation of the battle flag.”
On Tuesday, Detroit councilman Scott Benson claimed the group “still proudly flies a Confederate flag, which is a symbol of oppression, slavery, as well as home-bred American terrorism. So this body said we are not going to support that type of symbolism nor the audacity to support that type of activity in the city of Detroit.”
It’s not clear if the jump will go forward, but Autorama is believed to be in talks with Detroit city council over the matter. We’ll provide an update on the situation as more details come to light.
(source: The Detroit News)
Comments
So happy to learn that Detroit has solved all of their menial problems – like an outrageous murder rate and citizens fleeing for safe communities with jobs – and now has the time to focus on big issues like whether or not a show car has a historically accurate license plate affixed to its front bumper. Go democrats!
Well, the top 10 worst cities for murder and African-American poverty are…wait!…are you read?…
RUN BY DEMOCRATS! Go figure.
But of course sore loser SJW Sean is caught up in his in extremist left-wing bubble far removed from reality. Sad to see a “GM fan” Web site be turned into a selfish political agenda of an extremist.
Thank you
I’m so tired on this CRAP. Hyper sensitive.
Me too! And American (and a lot of Europe too) is tired of this leftist, social justice warrior, hyper-sensitive to every word and thought and opinion out there. Very totalitarian communist dictator-like and we all know how well that turned out in history, don’t we…
No more SJW, hate-filled and divisive politics! Thank God we have a president that is willing to battle these idiots.
To be honest I’m on the fence. While Detroit absolutely have bigger fish to fry I don’t see too many left-leaning parties in right-winged strongholds w/o getting too much heat from the local politics engine, it’s probably a tit-for-tat situation.
With that statement they can probably hold it in the suburbs of Detroit among more friendly demographics .
Guesstt, I am calling BS on your post. The fact that you used “right-wing” but only “left-LEANING” exposes your political “leanings.” Ever notice how left-wingers never think there are “left-wingers” around, just “right-wingers”? How convenient.
There is no “tit-for-tat?”…The highest murder rates. Typical Democrat spin is when they run things and screw it up, they are always looking for Republicans or anyone else to “share” the blame. Sorry, but the highest murder rates, unemployment rates, and dismal economies are found in Democrat-led cities like Detroit. Been Democrat for 50+ years and look at the mess it is in. FACT.
How many industries opened-and-shut in chronically poor right-winged areas like Appalachian and Foothill states in the same 50 years?. Let’s throw in on some of the Opioid problems (and related crimes) in those same areas that the same rubber-stamp Republicans keep getting voted into power, just like Demos in poor major cities. Some right-wing areas are great like DFW just like Demo areas like NYC
Plus I have no political allegiance to nither corrupt R/D party nor prove to someone online.
So you are admitting your bias? Thank you.
Got to love the deflection and projection always employed by the left-wingers. “Oh but there is bad too, ya’ know”?!!!!!?!
What are you a bunch of 13 year olds “but he is bad too” so I am okay for being bad philosophy? Doesn’t excuse that the TOP 10 MOST VIOLENT AND ECONOMICALLY DEPRESSED CITIES IN AMERICA ARE RUN BY DEMOCRATS.
Thank Obummer for the Opioid Crisis…and the porous southern border where 90% of all Opioids come from Mexico.
Thank God President Trump is tackling the Opioid Crisis head on (recently signed a national emergency act on it) and is building the Border Wall, again where 90% of all Opioids come through.
Again, “Guestt”, you just proved your left-wing bias.
“I have no political allegiance to nither corrupt R/D party”
“So you are admitting your bias? ”
Sigh.., you’re right, l give up…Merica??
?
Yes, because you are CANADIAN. lol Just the fact you used the “Merica” in a condescending way and, oh, a little sleuthing on your IP. Careful, a lot can be exposed on 8chan if you play the game.
But I do agree ALL politicians are evil just like big government is evil. Just look at how messed up Canada is now with lefttard politics and idiot prime minister. Muh, Canuckastan…It is so refreshing to have a NON-politician in the White House disrupting the status quo. Of the corrupt politicians hate that because they cant control him.
” oh, a little sleuthing on your IP.”
You cannot tell someone’s IP address from a comment in a blog post. Hell, you can’t even determine their MAC address.
You’re a liar.
And so you think…You might want to check 8chan lately. All can be exposed/ hacked and many times is, unless you are the Internet message board good that protects all from having their IP and MAC addresses exposed. Lololololol
Example: Why does YOUR address come up as, mmm, also under another GMA handle?…Now, now, think carefully before you react.
F3b: 18056.8/a……….(not a Mac or IP string, noob)
Keep going. Post the whole thing. Prove it all.
By the way, what other GMA handle do you think I have, and can you prove it convincingly? Why would that matter if you’re doing the same thing; using multiple accounts to make yourself (and by extension, you politics) seem more widespread than what it is?
Let the net expert find out which” Canadian Provence” people from for not agreeing with a political standpoint , oh his little online threat he needs to be more careful.
Muh, Canuckastan.??
I’m here to read about cars….?
Yes, so let’s hope Sean and the gang learn that too. That when they start pushing their political agendas like this “article” and many others like it, then readers will push back. Judging from the reaction on here and Up/ Down votes it is not going well for GMA BS these days.
Lol I find it funny how some of y’all are pinning this on Democrats…
It’s simply people from the west and the north seeing the confederate flag as a symbol of racism and slavery. Many of us from the south, however, recognize it as a symbol of heritage and southern pride. People forget that many confederate generals like Robert E Lee were fighting for their homeland, not in support of slavery or racism.
I lean left politically, but I see no issue with people using the flag respectfully. The only real problems with that flag is that radical/racist groups associate themselves with it, and those are the people who truly believe in the things that many northerners and westerners think the confederate flag symbolizes. Sadly, racism is still a major issue in our country, and it’s still a major influence in our politics and government.
All of that aside, I think that GM Authority needs to avoid such politically sensitive articles and topics, unless they’re directly tied to General Motors. Keep the rest of the stuff on Facebook. I can’t speak for everyone, but I’m hear to learn about GM and its vehicles, stay up to date on GM and its vehicles, and read and watch interesting stuff about GM and its vehicles.
You are correct as the war held different meaning to different people for different reasons. Yes slavery was the main tinder that set off the fire. But many who lost family and farms in the war who could care less about slavery had their own skin in the game.
This war broke up families of all races.
Then after the war Lincoln tried to heal and return us to being one country but he died to soon to get this done. For nearly a century the south suffered greatly and it effected black and whites. It even stirred even more resentment.
Civil wars are one of the greatest sins any country can do. We suffered one of the most bloody of all.
The media wants to only see this as a war of one reason but it was multi faceted. This is why there is still so much disagreement even by many non racist people the left want to label as such.
I grew up in the nort but around many whites and blacks from the south that came north for work. They both have one thing in common. They were proud of where they came from and both get mad when you attack the south.
Scott3 I believe there is a big difference between dying and getting killed. Lincoln did not die he was murdered by a Dem. A major difference but everything else you said is true. To further add to your point many people miss the point that both sides lost a crazy amount of American men because of a few elites. So don’t disrespect any man who fights but denounce the war.
Isn’t the Republican party of today the was the Democratic of yesterday until 1964-5 with the passage of the Civil Rights act and many “Dixiecrats” switched parties in rebellion against the Johnson administration?.
The Civil War was about the south not wanting its “free-labor” lost though legislation as the north and new states coming aboard were against the practice.
It’s funny R-Ws sit and spout talking points about inner-cities but yet most conservative politicans don’t reach out to voters who lives there, people have ears.
Democrats of today don’t chime with the majority of US morals (trans-bathrooms/teachers, open borders, Green Deals….) at least the Republicans stick with a constant message rather it’s moral or not.
I’m back to talking cars now…..
No matter how you frame it Lincoln was not in place to try to heal the country emotionally, physically, or racially.
Lincoln got it that we needed to work as one and not continue to argue or point fingers after the war. Grant understood too.
The problem too many others wanted revenge for so many reasons and not all were just about slavery.
If it was handled better and the south was made prosperous the race issues would have been set aside. As it was everyone was dirt poor. If they had industrialized after the war the demand for workers would have changed much for everyone.
Democrats flipped the narrative so it is very appropriate to pin this on them. As they have effective duped their base by absolving themselves of their past. Now the only people to blame are the elite people on top. I am not blaming the MEN who fought and died for their homes. As it is always us men who are accountable and hold responsibility. It is natural for us to defend our homes. Like I said the rich benefited before and after the war. All Americans need to learn their history. If American’s really cared so much about “racism” they would not be left leaning and would have abandoned the Dems as all of the history is out there in plane site. I digress but I don’t think “racism” is a major issue. Now of course there will be a few claimed cases but that is not everyday thus making it statistically irrelevant. You are right about people that associate themselves with it but this is the united states they have a right to. I’ll protect all free speech.
Well said Scott3.
Liberals tearing this country apart..
It is amazing how folks want to tear down and destroy elements of history they don’t like, It is history. You can’t change it. If you try to erase history, you are bound to repeat parts of it. What’s next? Burn all the history books? Tear down the Vietnam memorial? Tear down the holocaust memorials to satisfy the Muslims who deny it happened? C’mon everybody, grow up.
Babies! Just too many freakin babies! That city council all need a collective horse whipping!