Is The Confederate Flag A Symbol Of White Supremacy And Racism?

Jump to Last Post 1-7 of 7 discussions (28 posts)
  1. vveasey profile image71
    vveaseyposted 8 years ago

    Is The Confederate Flag A Symbol Of White Supremacy And Racism?

    https://usercontent1.hubstatic.com/8996120_f260.jpg

  2. profile image0
    RTalloniposted 8 years ago

    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.

  3. vveasey profile image71
    vveaseyposted 8 years ago

    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?

    1. profile image0
      RTalloniposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      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."

    2. ChristinS profile image39
      ChristinSposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      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.

    3. profile image0
      RTalloniposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      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.

    4. Ewent profile image68
      Ewentposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      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."

    5. profile image0
      RTalloniposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      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.

    6. Ewent profile image68
      Ewentposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      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.

    7. vveasey profile image71
      vveaseyposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      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.

    8. profile image0
      RTalloniposted 8 years agoin reply to this
    9. vveasey profile image71
      vveaseyposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      It's not about, who was Republican or Democrat, but what the flag and the Confederate States Of America stood for and stand for

    10. Ewent profile image68
      Ewentposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      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?

    11. profile image0
      RTalloniposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      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.

    12. vveasey profile image71
      vveaseyposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Here's a link to an article that shows the southern argument for justifying slavery
      http://www.ushistory.org/us/27f.asp

  4. M. T. Dremer profile image85
    M. T. Dremerposted 8 years ago

    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.

    1. profile image0
      RTalloniposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      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.

    2. ChristinS profile image39
      ChristinSposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      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.

    3. profile image0
      RTalloniposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      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.

    4. Ewent profile image68
      Ewentposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      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.

    5. Ericdierker profile image45
      Ericdierkerposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      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.

    6. Ewent profile image68
      Ewentposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      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.

    7. Ericdierker profile image45
      Ericdierkerposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Really?

    8. profile image0
      RTalloniposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      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.

  5. Ewent profile image68
    Ewentposted 8 years ago

    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.

    1. vveasey profile image71
      vveaseyposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      AMEN! Sister!

  6. Ericdierker profile image45
    Ericdierkerposted 8 years ago

    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.

  7. wingedcentaur profile image64
    wingedcentaurposted 7 years ago

    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.

 
working

This website uses cookies

As a user in the EEA, your approval is needed on a few things. To provide a better website experience, hubpages.com uses cookies (and other similar technologies) and may collect, process, and share personal data. Please choose which areas of our service you consent to our doing so.

For more information on managing or withdrawing consents and how we handle data, visit our Privacy Policy at: https://corp.maven.io/privacy-policy

Show Details
Necessary
HubPages Device IDThis is used to identify particular browsers or devices when the access the service, and is used for security reasons.
LoginThis is necessary to sign in to the HubPages Service.
Google RecaptchaThis is used to prevent bots and spam. (Privacy Policy)
AkismetThis is used to detect comment spam. (Privacy Policy)
HubPages Google AnalyticsThis is used to provide data on traffic to our website, all personally identifyable data is anonymized. (Privacy Policy)
HubPages Traffic PixelThis is used to collect data on traffic to articles and other pages on our site. Unless you are signed in to a HubPages account, all personally identifiable information is anonymized.
Amazon Web ServicesThis is a cloud services platform that we used to host our service. (Privacy Policy)
CloudflareThis is a cloud CDN service that we use to efficiently deliver files required for our service to operate such as javascript, cascading style sheets, images, and videos. (Privacy Policy)
Google Hosted LibrariesJavascript software libraries such as jQuery are loaded at endpoints on the googleapis.com or gstatic.com domains, for performance and efficiency reasons. (Privacy Policy)
Features
Google Custom SearchThis is feature allows you to search the site. (Privacy Policy)
Google MapsSome articles have Google Maps embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
Google ChartsThis is used to display charts and graphs on articles and the author center. (Privacy Policy)
Google AdSense Host APIThis service allows you to sign up for or associate a Google AdSense account with HubPages, so that you can earn money from ads on your articles. No data is shared unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
Google YouTubeSome articles have YouTube videos embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
VimeoSome articles have Vimeo videos embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
PaypalThis is used for a registered author who enrolls in the HubPages Earnings program and requests to be paid via PayPal. No data is shared with Paypal unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
Facebook LoginYou can use this to streamline signing up for, or signing in to your Hubpages account. No data is shared with Facebook unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
MavenThis supports the Maven widget and search functionality. (Privacy Policy)
Marketing
Google AdSenseThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Google DoubleClickGoogle provides ad serving technology and runs an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Index ExchangeThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
SovrnThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Facebook AdsThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Amazon Unified Ad MarketplaceThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
AppNexusThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
OpenxThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Rubicon ProjectThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
TripleLiftThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Say MediaWe partner with Say Media to deliver ad campaigns on our sites. (Privacy Policy)
Remarketing PixelsWe may use remarketing pixels from advertising networks such as Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and Facebook in order to advertise the HubPages Service to people that have visited our sites.
Conversion Tracking PixelsWe may use conversion tracking pixels from advertising networks such as Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and Facebook in order to identify when an advertisement has successfully resulted in the desired action, such as signing up for the HubPages Service or publishing an article on the HubPages Service.
Statistics
Author Google AnalyticsThis is used to provide traffic data and reports to the authors of articles on the HubPages Service. (Privacy Policy)
ComscoreComScore is a media measurement and analytics company providing marketing data and analytics to enterprises, media and advertising agencies, and publishers. Non-consent will result in ComScore only processing obfuscated personal data. (Privacy Policy)
Amazon Tracking PixelSome articles display amazon products as part of the Amazon Affiliate program, this pixel provides traffic statistics for those products (Privacy Policy)
ClickscoThis is a data management platform studying reader behavior (Privacy Policy)