Local Store Selling Confederate Merchandise Questioned By Customer

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PITTSBURGH (Newsradio 1020 KDKA) - A local bed and bath store is allegedly selling statuettes of a confederate soldier waving a rebel flag and one man tells KDKA Radio’s Lynne Hayes-Freeland he doesn’t understand why.

The man who called himself Patrick said the statuettes were featured in a “patriotic display case” that also featured American flags and other merchandise supporting troops and police.

“I don’t really understand why in Western Pennsylvania . . . it’s not Gettysburg; we don’t really have an obvious connection to the Civil War other than the Western Pennsylvanians who served in the war and fought against that (Confederate) flag,” said Patrick.

Patrick added he didn’t bring it up to anyone in the store but posted it online asking why they would sell it and said he got reactions from both sides of the argument.

While Patrick doesn’t believe the items are for Civil War buffs or historians a lawyer for Altmeyer Home Stores said in a statement in part:

Altmeyer Home Stores has customers interested in the rich history associated with the American Civil War, where the Union Army crushed the Confederate rebellion.  Not unlike the museum gift shop at Gettysburg -- which is a national park operated by the Federal Government -- Altmeyer's display depicted both Union and Confederate soldiers. 

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