As Alabama And Mississippi Join Other States in Removing The Confederate Flag, Former 'Dukes of Hazzard' Actor Stupidly Defends It

This week has likely proven existentially difficult for anyone who even vaguely resembles a TheDukes of Hazzard cast member. The series, which ran from 1979 to 1985, centered on the misadventures of Bo and Luke Duke as they cruised around Hazzard County, Georgia in a car dubbed The General Lee — a grossly overstated display of misguided masculinity on wheels, predictably emblazoned with the asshole symbol of the year: the Confederate flag.

A prominent secondary character on Hazzard was an honorary Duke known by his formal name of, simply, 'Cooter.' Portrayed by Ben Jones, Cooter was the prototypical rebel figure in the series — frequently brushing against the fringes of the law and testing the patience of future generations subjected to the series in reruns. Amazingly, Jones parlayed his Cooter status into a post-Hazzard (and post-Congress) career as the owner of Cooter's Place — a glorified redneck museum with locations in Tennessee and Virginia.

As you might have guessed, Cooter himself has taken to Facebook to share his thoughts on the ongoing (and long overdue) Confederate flag removal process currently sweeping the traditional South in the wake of the Charleston Church Massacre. According to AP, Cooter says he will not be removing any such merchandise from his shops because he and Hazzard fans "know that the flag represents values of the rural South including courage, family and good times." Speaking of good times, Alabamajust joinedSouth Carolina, Mississippi, and other states in calling for the removal of the Confederate flag from state grounds. In fact, the flag and three other Confederate symbols were removed from Capitol grounds early Wednesday in Montgomery, AL: