Fourth of July weekend came to an end with a Confederate flag rally across the I-40 overpass on Dave Ward Drive on Sunday as nearly 150 supporters waved flags and paraded flag-adorned vehicles.
"I am out here to open a dialogue and to get people thinking about what [the Confederate flag] is all about," said Conway rally organizer John R. Bryan. "I'm not seeing anyone out here making problems. This is not a rally to represent or support people doing bad things. We are trying to rebuild the image of the Confederate flag."
Bryan, holding an oversized Arkansas flag and dressed in a shirt and tie, was waiting to give direction to the crowd around 3 p.m. in the commuter lot east of the overpass.
"There is not a symbol out there not being misused by somebody," he said. "We want to look forward to the future and say it is OK to have differences. This flag is not about slavery and hate, although I know some people feel that way. This is about heritage and my ancestors. I've studied this most of my life. I would just like people to talk about it."
Conway resident Jim Oldham was among the flag bearers Sunday. He told the Log Cabin he is proud of his heritage and the Confederate flag, which he carried into the rally area.
"This is part of the proud heritage of the southern states," he said. "I don't see that it represents hatred. My great, great grandad fought under this flag. I'm not supporting any agenda. I just feel like this is something else they are trying to take away from us."
The assembly on Sunday included people flying the American and Arkansas flags in addition to the rich backdrop of the Confederate stars and bars.
There were no obvious rally protesters as the Log Cabin was reporting.
"When we are done here today, I would like to be able to say that Conway supported us," Bryan said. "I have already had lots of honks and waves from people driving by. I want to be able to say that we are not going to surrender, to wave the white flag, just because other people screamed louder than us."
A similar event was scheduled later Sunday in Russellville. Bryan said he was not affiliated, although many rally-goers in Conway were expressing intent to travel to the Pope County Rebel Ride.
"I wanted to organize this particular rally because I saw how under fire things were in other places," Bryan said. "I wanted to have this rally and have [those issues] headed off a little better. I really just expected about 20 of my friends to show up, but there are a lot more than that here. I don't know most of these people."
In an interview with the Log Cabin prior to Sunday's rally, Bryan expressed his desire for a peaceful gathering.
"It's about people that enjoy their history and not about people who have distorted history. We are just normal people who have a love of our flag and our Southern history," he told the LCD on Thursday. "We're not the KKK. If somebody comes out here like that, they will be made to leave."