Confederate Flag

[honeywolf7]

Let's see if we can follow Snoopy's suggestion and discuss it without the personal attacks.

 

[caitycaity]

personally, it is not something i would ever display.

 

[robinb]

I would also never display it, nor do I think it's harmless. I don't associate it specifically with the KKK, but I do associate it with racial hate. Historical racial hate that is still prevalent and kept alive by "honoring" the confederate flag and all it stood for.

FWIW, I was born south of the mason-dixon line .

 

[Serena]

I never took it to mean anything except a part of our country's history.

 

[Jenzebelle]

I don't necessarily equate it automatically with the KKK , but I would never display it.

I think it is a symbol of hate

 

[preshi]

I dont' know 1 darn thing about it ( never paid attention in history class!)

 

[snoopy]

I'm not Southern, so I guess I'm not really qualified to answer, but when I see a confederate flag on the back of someone's truck I automatically think of a close minded KKK type. I'm sure my feelings aren't justified, I'm quite sure there are people who do display the flag because they are proud of their Southern heritage. I personally don't know many people from the South, and the few I do know don't display the confederate flag, so what do I know? Just an impression I get.

 

[Minnesota!]

I do have to say, I associate it with hate and rednecks. I hate to be so sterotypical, but you asked for my opinion. All I can think of is Dukes of Hazzard, and country bumpkins stumbling out of their trailer home, looking for thier hound and their pickup with the shotgun in it. I think that the flag has a lot of sterotypes that go along with it, but I see it as a symbol of ignorance.

 

[Briar Rose 7457]

there are a lot of people out there who view it as a symbol of repression, of slavery, of hatred. it's been apprpriated by the KKK and other White Supremacist groups. it is NOT "just an image of southern pride". it is offensive to too may people to be "just" a message of pride in one's heritage.

 

[JAP]

The confederate flag, like it or not, is part of our American History. It is part of the reason we had a civil war. The Flag represented a lot of different things to a lot of different people.

It is unfortunate that in this new century that the "rebel" flag represents hatred. The folks that display it as such are a disgrace.

 

[honeywolf7]

I personally don't and have never displayed it. However, I don't think that JUST rednecks or bigots do so.

 

[aahmom1]

There are a whole lot of people in this country who are offended by the confederate flag, me included. I would never have one displayed anywhere near me or my children or my house. I also would never have a lawn jockey. I'm just funny that way. To me it means KKK or at the very least somebody who doesn't care if they offend a whole other race of people.

 

[snowwhitemom]

Here in Va. we have "Sons of the Confederate" vanity tags for your vehicle. Some members of this organization are black so they must not belive it stands for hate but heritage. HOWEVER, When I see the confederate flag I think about the people that it does hurt. I think racism and hate or redneck (IMPO there is a huge difference from a country boy and a redneck). I understand and realize that for many people it is pure soutern heritage and I am so glad that I live in a country that will allow everyones feelings to be heard. (Differ protest and what not) I respect everyones feelings...even though I do not agree with it I am glad that everyone who feels pasionate about it can do so.

 

[Serena]

Maybe it is because I live up north, but I see the hate and racism and I probably have a few relatives that belong to the kkk, and the flag is no where in sight.
But, I really don't see a lot of it. I don't get out much, I'm sure that has a lot to do with it.

 

[WDWHound]

Until I moved to the south, I thought very little about this sort of thing. I was suprised to find so many southerners who took pride in their civil war heritage. Many of these take pride in the confederate flag and will sometimes display it. There is no racial or pro slavery stance involved. Remember, the civil war was about much more than slavery. It was mostly about states rights and economics.

I personally have no reason to want to display it, but it bothers me that just because some people attached different meanings to the flag (slavery and racism), they get angry when others display it. Yes, there are some groups that display the flag as a symbol of hate, but most southerners I know display as remembrance of a time when there State stood against a strong federal government in the name of states rights.

I guess what I am saying is that just because some people have decided to attach bad images to this flag, that does not mean others who never had this interpretation should have to stop displaying it.

 

[EROS]

I KNOW that it's hard for the DIS "Righteous" to accept, but in a democracy, we protect freedom of expression for minorities too.

Yes, it was the ACLU which protected the right of Nazi-Americans to have a protest march, complete with swastikas, in Skokie, Illinois.

If people wish to display the Confederate flag, they are within their rights. It's not illegal to own one. If they're racists and wish to illustrate their racism with a flag, so be it. Most racists practice HATRED AND INTOLERANCE without displaying any insignia; they're just as dangerous as those who do.................

 

[aahmom1]

There a still people who think it's ok to wear a swastika too, just because some people want to sport it doesn't mean Jewish people should have to deal with it.

 

[lil mermaid]

Like others on this thread, I wouldn't display it either. I too see it as a symbol of bigotry, hate and slavery - and general "redneck - ness." I don't automatically think of the KKK.

Those of you who are angry about people expressing these ideas (on this thread and the closed one) - well your beef should be with those who have appropriated the symbol of the confederate flag for these purposes.

 

[WDWHound]

But the swastika wa sthe result of an evil regime. The south, while definitely being in the wrong about slavery, was not an evil regime (remember, in most cases, the north sold the slaves to the south). Again, most southerners see the flag as a symbol of states rights and pride in their fight for them. It is other people who attached the racist meaning to it. Why should southerners give up a symbol simply becauses others decide to try and redefine that symbol?

 

[aahmom1]

I KNOW that it's hard for the DIS "Righteous" to accept, but in a democracy, we protect freedom of expression for minorities too.

Yes, it was the ACLU which protected the right of Nazi-Americans to have a protest march, complete with swastikas, in Skokie, Illinois.

If people wish to display the Confederate flag, they are within their rights. It's not illegal to own one. If they're racists and wish to illustrate their racism with a flag, so be it. Most racists practice HATRED AND INTOLERANCE without displaying any insignia; they're just as dangerous those who do.................

That's all fine and good Eros, but don't p*iss on my leg and tell me it's raining. I kinda doubt there are all kinds of Africa Americam people in this country who don't find it offensive and downright racist to display it.

The nazi wanna-be's can wear their swastikas too, but don't try to tell me that there are Jewish people who 'don't mind'. I think it's the same thing with the confederate flag.