confederate flag

The confederate flag is a symbol of the south, not of racism. Yeah, there was slavery in the south...but there was slavery in the north too. Whenever you see a Betsy Ross flag (the one with the stars in a circular configuration) do you think racism? My guess is no. When people think of slavery, they think of the south. Nothing will change that.

A similar situation is concentration camps. Many people associate concentration camps with the Third Reich. Guess what, there were concentration camps on US soil during WWII.

 

First of all, I've got no issue with the flag. Texas, my home, was a member of the Confederacy (with some rather unique characteristics, but that's another story) and I have a rebellious flag avatar myself. However, I've got to speak up. I'm reading inaccuracies even from its promoters who decry the ignorance of those against the flag. That is NOT the "Stars and Bars". It's a later adaptation of the Confederate Battle Flag. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flags_of_the_Confederate_States_of_America

It is not historically accurate. It was created later as a symbol of the South. There are people for whom the South itself represents nothing other than slavery. I know that's not true, but let's be honest. The winners write the history books. Any symbol of the South is going to offend certain undereducated people. The underlying trigger is not the flag, but the South. Too many people only understand the 30 second soundbite of the US Civil War and not its many facets.

 

very well said. it is true that history tends to be viewed from the victors perspective

 

^^I didn't mean this as a dig against anyone involved in this discussion, but moreso towards the uneducated that find offense in just about anything they don't understand. When I was in highschool, there was a big uproar over some farmboys wearing camo pants and white t-shirts. It was considered racist. It was ridiculous.

 

damn........i wear camo pants and a t shirt too............that aint racist......thats comfort!!!

yep i agree........people just find things to take offense too..........all the time, all over the place!!

 

excellent point

Also an excellent point. although to say the confederate flag shouldn't be flown at the confederate memorial is just intolerant on the NAACP's part

 

Here's the deal. I'm a Son of the Confederacy, since i had 2 family members die in the Civil War. I had two ancestors die under that flag, so i'm proud of it. it is a part of my heritage. But it can also be used as a symbol of hatered and racism. it just depends on teh context. I dont display it or fly it but thats just a personal choice. i'm not ashamed of it, i just dont feel the need to flaunt it. but if someone tells me i CAN'T display it i'll go out and put one up that same day.

 

Forewarning - This is a slightly long post and, I'm slightly opinionated (sarcasm - I'm very opinionated) on the issue, but I'll leave the facts to speak for themselves.

The War wasn't fought over slavery. No Southerner wanted to fight the North. We wanted to be left alone to govern ourselves.
The South's very constitutional secession wasn't over slavery, as the issue. States seceded because the widespread opinion was that local state governments should have more power over their local people, than a federal government further away (similar to Colonial opionions of the British Gov't triggering the revolution "No taxation without representation"). Local interests needed to have value.

To some Southern citizens, who still owned slaves, which the 1860 census puts at under 5% of the south, that would have been one of the state's rights. Jefferson Davis, the president of the CSA, has been quoted many times as not seeing the good in slavery or its continuation. Many historians agree had the CSA been free and flourished, slavery would not have continued for long. 95% of us didn't own slaves. Continuing it didn't serve the majority's interests.

No slave was ever brought to North America under the Southern Cross. The US flag was on every slave ship from the end of the revolution, until the ban of the slave trade.
Slavery was never legalized in the CSA, it was, however for a period of time, in the USA.
Virgina a state of the Confederacy was the first state to outlaw slavery.
Massachusettes a state of the Union, was the last.

Black Soldiers who served for the CSA (yes they did, look it up) did on their own free will. They didn't serve as Confederate regulars, but did serve with honor and distinction in their homestate's militia.
The US Army paid their black soldiers, less, and uniforms had to be bought out of that pay. The CSA mandated that all militiamen, regardless of race, were to receive to same pay, benefits, and rations.

I could go on forever with this. When you look at the facts this idea of a demonized "racist" Confederate flag is rediculous. Southerners of all backgrounds including, White, Black, Mexican, Jewish, Native American, and even Cuban, fought, and some gave their lives for that flag.

I'll leave it with this quote:
As Edward Smith, Dean of Minority Affairs and Professor of History at American University, remarked in the August 1991 edition of The Civil War News, "to admit that blacks actually fought for a cause which in the minds of many 20th century Americans now stands exclusively for slavery and oppression is unacceptable to many in the country concerned with only politics and not with the realities of historical record."

Don't listen to me, delete the topic or my post, ban me, do whatever. It wouldn't be the first time. Nothing changes the historical fact, ON RECORD.

As the bumper sticker says, "If you think the flag is racist, you need a history lesson!"

 

As another point about this, our state's flag IS a Confederate flag. Our state officially adopted it during the first few months of 1861. We had seceded at the end of 1860.

 

There is only one flag we should be concern with

 

This is true! We have only one flag for our nation. But, I want to get the "Don't tread on me" flag.

I will fly it when I want to. Just like anybody else should be able to fly what ever flag they want. But my allegiance is to and always will be to the Flag of the United States!

 

i want this one for my house in my back yard or on the taco either way would be fine with me

 

I know everyone has mixed feelings about the rebel flag but to say that someone shouldnt fly it would be like saying to others that you shouldnt fly the American flag right? I mean just because some people take something a certain way doesnt mean something is bad does it? If I was from Japan and posting on the forums and saw an American flag and all of the memories of my family being melted from radiation from hiroshima came rushing back wouldnt I dislike the American flag and think it was wrong? Would that make everyone who flies the American flag a bad person? No...Just my opinion though...everyone is different and that is the funny thing about freedom.

 

The Battle Flag of the Army of N. VA. is not the Confederate Flag.
Just as a matter of contract law, the South had a right to secdeed.
Indeed, the right still exists. Unlawfull force of arms does not change a right.
See The Court`s decisions at the time.

 

Slavery thrives in Africa South America and Asia. It has always been that way and always will be.
It simply is not practical in an industrial society. You have to take care of a slave. You can just fire a wage slave with no obligation.

 

I have a NAZI battle flag marked 1943. It was captured before my time.
If National Socialism is bad, and it is, is it my flag that you want to look at or the U.S. feds?

 

I never knew that I should be offended by that! I`d bet that there a whole lot of things to be offended at and I don`t know what they are. Tell me and I`ll do my best to be offended.

 

I truely think you can fly any flag you want to .
Now that said being from the north I also feel that that flag is right up there with flying a Iraq flag or and other flag the US had fought against and won .
You have the right but I see it asa poor taste and a instant sign that you may not see it as what many others think of it .
It was a group of like minded people that fought against the United States plain and simple they lost the US won . Now the mexican flag is another subject here in TX LOL

 

That would include the frogs and the brits. Oh, I forgot the canuks and a host of others too numerous to name.

 

I dont see many of those this far south.
I see why people want to fly their flag I jsut wouldnt .
Most the people that I have met with a Confederate Flag would be mad as h e double LL if someone wanted to fly a middle east flag or a mexican flag in their neck of the woods so I think they should chill also.
I asked my wife as she is from AZ and she has this critcal flaw that anyone fly a Confederate Flag live in a trailer ,married their sister and watches Nascar a lot .
Thats a Jab she aimed at me as I like NASCAR dont know much about it but I find it interesting. I have lived in a trailer or two and come from the sticks in IA but my sister is way too mean and is uglier than I LOL