Say goodby to the flag
Finally after having another massive shooting and innocent lives being lost we are seeing the removal of the confederate flag. Hopefully this catches fire and we will see this insignia of hate and revolt finally removed from the public spaces in this country.
I think they were all a bunch of jerks personally
As for the flag, I agreed that public (government) uses are inappropriate. But otherwise, it depends on context: Seeing the Confederate flag at, for example, a Civil War reenactment, a NASCAR race or a University of Mississippi football game isn't necessarily a racist statement. On the other hand, in a march by white supremacists, it clearly would be. It's not always clear-cut.
As non-US-American living in Europe I had to read this sentence a few times until I understood how it was meant. If you only count the americans who died, it may be right. (but it gives me the goosebumps leaving the *rest* out)
That is part of the problem, isn't it? We usually only count 'our' deads...
A flag - and when this blog started I nearly wanted to ask Barney to explain this issue to someone not familiar with US-Amercan history but then I looked it up in internet - a flag is *only* a symbol. You may forbid the symbol, but if people have free access to weapons they will be able to transform their hatred into murder. Flags don't kill; weapons do.
So now we have this flag that every one is screaming about, except the republicans who are going to make sure that it doesn't die down. Sure in many ways it's a symbol of hate and bigotry. But it is also a flag of a proud people and many realize the wrongs that was done in it's name, but it is still part of our history. Put it in a museum where it belongs.
Or make it a symbol of pride by wearing it as a triangle and wear it on your chest, that way you can throw it back at them , in their faces.. We Gays did it with the pink triangle, which in Nazis Germany was a death symbol. So now we wear it with pride, we threw it back at them. And why not with the Confederate flag, use it as a symbol of pride and dignity. That way it has no power, and those that hate and kill in it's name will just have to find a new symbol to show their misguided hatred.
To African-Americans, it's a symbol of the South fighting to safeguard slavery during the Civil War, as well as a symbol of repression as used by white supremacist groups during the 20th century.
To northerners, it's the same, or a symbol of revolt or treason against the USA.
But to white Southerners it's more complex. There are a couple of strong historical ties to the Confederate flag. Remember that the South also had tremendous losses during the Civil War. We may forget in modern times that more Americans died in the Civil War than in the two World Wars. And considering the much smaller population then, that is a huge mortality rate. It's natural that Southerners had to feel they were fighting for something worthwhile.
On top of that, the North pretty much botched the Reconstruction period after the Civil War. White Southerners came to hate "carpetbaggers" and "Yankees" for their heavy-handed rule. So again the Confederate flag was strengthened as a symbol of Southern unity.
I'm not sure at what point white supremacist groups adopted it, but likely when the KKK became strong in the South in the 1920s and 1930s (?).
So the history of the Confederate flag isn't just a black and white issue. The issue of Southern pride and identity is also wrapped up in it. The issue of what to do with it may seem clear-cut outside the South, but it's much more complicated inside the South.
The scars from the Civil War have never *completely* healed in the South.
We acknowledge Fundamentalism (I am right and you are wrong… all things are black or white… You are either with me or against me) stemming from godless god believers. They represent a god of love less than and atheists might. If there is a god surely the anti-god is religion. All the flags that they all parade are expressions of hate, not pride. However, one should never hide them away from historic content. There are places for the Nazi flag, the Confederate flag, and the black flag of jihad… In museums next to the devices used for torture. We can only hope that the great majority of people are revolted by them even though we are aware that it will inspire the few to act in contrary manners.
Agreed, the Republican Party has no real interest in adding minorities to its profile.
They have ZERO interest in black voters. I think they would prefer that they stay in the Democratic column, to be honest. (BTW, I think this is pretty much their preference on gay voters, too.)
They say they have interest in courting Hispanics, but when push comes to shove, they take anti-Hispanic stands every time, too.
Anyway, it's all just lip service that's intended to keep suburban/independent white voters from voting against them because they think they're racist.
The Confederate flag flap is a dilemma for the White House candidates. They don't want to offend racist Southern voters, but they also can't afford to look racist to independent white voters. What to do .......???