Is The Confederate Flag A Symbol Of White Supremacy And Racism?
Yes and no is the simple answer. While comparatively the number of people who use it for their racist ideas and even criminal activities is small, the damage they do is far too large. On the other hand, the flag is a symbol of many things and to separate it from any one of those things is to not be honest or balanced about history.
For instance, not all slave owners were cruel masters. Some actually purchased as many slaves as they could to protect them from cruel masters since there was no other option for them. These compassionate people were often socially and civilly disobedient in educating the people they tried to protect. Their resources were limited, their opportunities were not large, but they did what they could and they were often loved by the people they tried to aid.
This is just one example of what was happening under the Confederate flag that produced men of great character like George Washington Carver and Booker T. Washington who exemplify the service and efforts of others such as Alexander T. Augusta and John Van Surly DeGrasse :
http://www.livescience.com/41780-george … arver.html
http://www.amazon.com/George-Washington … 096535573X
http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/87
http://quod.lib.umich.edu/c/clementsmss … ?view=text
http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2013/Febr … Civil-War/
http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2013/02/1 … o-get-due/
Obviously, there is no level of justification in the fact, but is important to remember that slavery is not uniquely American and that blacks in other countries were selling other blacks into slavery.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtRaG_bokds
Sadly, the media's rhetoric shouts down the voice of reason via their own use of technology and by promoting the voices of those who want to incite races against each other by degrading good relationships. This posted question may be designed to encourage thoughtful discussions or to inflame emotions but either way, it is important to note that this flag in that state is not flown as a symbol of the government, but of history, and that history has intricate complications that should all be examined as a whole rather than discarding everything except one aspect.
In his 1861 “Cornerstone” speech, Alexander H. Stephens, vice president of the Confederate States of America, left no doubt about what the Confederacy represented when he rejected the idea that slavery was a moral wrong: “Our new government is founded upon exactly the opposite idea; its foundations are laid, its corner-stone rests, upon the great truth that the negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery subordination to the superior race is his natural and normal condition. This, our new government, is the first, in the history of the world, based upon this great physical, philosophical, and moral truth.”
I think that leaves no doubt about what that flag symbolizes don't you agree?
No, because not everyone in government or among citizens felt that way. That quote reminds me of a quote from an important president: "You can say a dog has 5 legs if you call the tail a leg, but that does not make the tail a leg."
BUT that flag represented the confederacy, just because some didn't go along with it, does not change it's meaning. It absolutely is a symbol whose time has come for elimination.
Eliminating it isn't really possible since it is a part of history that should not be forgotten, but remembered so the lessons are not lost, and also, racists will continue to use it no matter what, but reasonable dialogues can help change attitudes.
If the Confederate flag is who they are, perhaps the Revolutionary War Colonial flag is who we northern Yankees are? You can see the silliness in trying to call a defunct form of government "culture" or "who we are."
No matter how much a new generation tries to distort it, a nation's history is in a sense who they are, and there is much more to be learned from America's history of that time period than the needed lessons of the slave trade.
Check out the history of one Nathan Bedford Forrest, a Civil War Colonel and the first KKK leader. The reality is that the Confederacy has been alive and quite well hidden beneath a platitude of "culture." It's only out in the open in 2015.
The majority of them did feel that way. That's why they fought a war against the United States, to preserve white dominance and the profitable trade in African slaves.
NBF was a democrat:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2309727/posts
http://www.c4cg.org/republic.htm
http://www.coachisright.com/ugly-histor … wenty-six/
Many in the south/north (America) are republicans for good reason.
It's not about, who was Republican or Democrat, but what the flag and the Confederate States Of America stood for and stand for
RTalloni...Nathan Bedford Forrest didn't enlist in the Confederate Army as a Democrat, did he? You contradict yourself as all pro-Confederacy men do. The south was the domain of Democrats and hated Lincoln, a Republican. Now, they are Republican?
My interest is in reviewing all perspectives with facts so dots can be connected accurately on issues that are warped by emotion and naiveté. For instance, not all forced into a war agree with it and the reasons are vital to clarity on linked issues.
Here's a link to an article that shows the southern argument for justifying slavery
http://www.ushistory.org/us/27f.asp
It's definitely been used as a banner for a lot of racist people. But that doesn't necessarily mean that everyone who uses it is automatically racist. My issue with the confederate flag is that it represents the losing side of a bloody and embarrassing conflict for the U.S. "United we stand" is one of our mottos and we pride ourselves on being inclusive. So to celebrate a time when we didn't stand united, when parties were trying to break apart the United States, seems shameful. It is the antithesis of patriotism.
And, while displaying the flag doesn't automatically make someone racist, it seems that racist people are inescapably drawn to it. In other words, I've never met someone, who displays the confederate flag, that doesn't have racist tendencies. I'm not suggesting that the flag should be banned (we still have free speech). But it certainly shouldn't be displayed on any government buildings.
I wouldn't display it, but I do know some who do and who are not racist. They would have defended the people in the Charleston shooting if they had been given the opportunity.
I completely agree. It has no place at all on a government building. Let people have them if they truly feel the need, but absolutely out of anything govt. related.
Denying others the right to display it would open the door to more infringement on free speech. A special vote by citizens on whether this particular flag should be in a museum or openly out in a public venue seems to be a reasonable solution.
The 1st Amendment is not a denial of rights to freedom of speech unless that speech is abusive or in any way intimidates or threatens others. That's why there is NO reason for that flag. It abuses the 1st Amendment.
That is not at all an accurate description of the constraints on the first amendment. You cannot ban speech because it intimidates, confuses, or abuses others. You might consider this question abusive.
The Constitution provides for the protection of free speech. It doesn't provide protection for abusive speech that is a violation of Civil or human rights protections which include subtle intimidation in the form of a racist flag used as a warning.
What some consider abusive or intimidating speech is not the same as what others consider it to be. That is why everyone's opinion is protected in this country. False "fire!" in a theater is a distortion of facts that can harm, not an opinion.
You are known by the company you keep. If the south and midwest continue to keep the Stars and Bars, claiming it is "their" heritage, they ask for the dirt on that flag they got.
No matter what else goes forward, now the Confederate Flag will ALWAYS be a symbol of racism thanks to one white supremacist bred on hate.
I loathe the Stars and Bars for another reason. It disrespects all of our men and women who fought under the Stars and Stripes.
It is time the south and midwest stopped living in the past. Everything they refer to is dead, including their attempts to continue a culture of white supremacy.
What a great eye opener this whole debate over the flag is to me. I live in a totally mixed race lower middle class suburbia out west. Heck I live in a mixed race household. I was born and raised out in the US west. It just never occurred to me that that flag stood for anything. I think we just associate it with drunken hillbilly morons and fools that think the debate over carburetors versus fuel injection is intellectual and timely. The nod and the wink around here when we see the flag is about the mental capacity of the bearer. Wow they actually were just yesterday flying it above a state building?
And current people in the US having outward symbols of racism and race supremacy? Really!? Surely the bigots and idiots must at least be forced into the closet.
Just yesterday when speaking of this with a good buddy that happens to be black, he told me of a recent visit to the "deep South". Holy smokes! They still de facto segregate down there, that is amazing. It is as foreign to me as speaking Russian.
I told my older son that he and I had to go visit. It is something we can tell our grandchildren about. Can you just see it? "No really people down there used to judge people based on their race". Seriously it is like a Darwinian anomaly. Like the land that time forgot.
I reckon that if it were not so horrendous it would be humorous.
Well now I am pretty much an anti-federalist. I grew up distrusting the federal government. In general I would prefer the Washingtonians stay out of my business. But some things just cry out for the bigger picture, like national parks and military. It almost sounds like we need to send big brother down there to straighten out some folks and bring them into this great new century.
I am still scratching my head -- they were actually flying that flag on government buildings? Nope that flag is a symbol to remind us that some groups of people are just plain stupid.
Is the Confederate flag a symbol of Southern traitorous rebellion against the Union or not, during the Civil War?
What was the Civil War based on? Why did the Southern states say they were seceding at the time? The answer is the reason for the war and the flag (raised to symbolize the Confederacy) is the symbol of that.
The South wanted to maintain slavery. That is why they left the Union and traitorously tried to overthrow the government of the United States of America.
A lot of deep thought on this really isn't necessary.
by Don W 9 years ago
The principle the constitution of the Confederacy was founded upon: "Our new Government is founded upon exactly the opposite ideas; its foundations are laid, its cornerstone rests, upon the great truth that the negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery, subordination to the superior...
by Credence2 9 years ago
Having just gone through an article featuring photos of the Confederate flag on display in aspects of American life in the South particularly, I ask the question what is the allure.Some time has passed since the tragedy in Charleston. You can take the flag down from the flagpole but not remove the...
by Credence2 4 years ago
A little background:https://news.yahoo.com/trump-says-confe … 17104.htmlThe photo in the article says it all. Do I overreact over a piece of cloth or what appears to be an on going attitude of rebellion, divisiveness and resentment from much of Trump's base?At best, it is an old relic of...
by Kathryn L Hill 6 years ago
Since it's beginning, America has been based on, "slavery, white supremacy and oligarchy ..."This understanding is just not true and the majority of the citizenry know it. How any individual or group of individuals think(s) they can get away with such HOGWASH is beyond me!!!!
by Phyllis Doyle Burns 9 years ago
What are your thoughts on the call to remove the Confederate flag... from the State Capitol Grounds of South Carolina?
by VC L Veasey 9 years ago
Who's "Southern Heritage" Does The Confederate Flag Represent? Whites, Blacks, Indians etc?Doesn't it seem like, when supporters say it represents "Southern Heritage", they're talking about white southerner's heritage? Doesn't that heritage include, slavery, white supremacy and...
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