As an African American should I be offended when I see people flying the confederate flag?

Question

I live in VA and I tend to come across the "Bars and Stars" everywhere. Car window decals, on hats, t-shirts. People say that its "heritage" When I see these emblems I think of millions of people who were held in bondage by this "heritage" What do you think?

Answer 1

White people (and some naive blacks too) always want us to forget about slavery, and lighten up. I am sorry, but I believe that is a huge load of crap. Black people are the most disenfranchised group of people in the United States. To tell us to forget about slavery would be like asking the Jews to forget about the Holocaust and buy a Volkswagen. Or like asking the Native Americans to just stop being depressed about losing their land and their culture. Or even asking the Japanese to forget about the bombing of Hiroshima and buying American cars. Ridiculous, and further more, it ain't gonna happen.

If you want to be pissed off about the Confederate Flag, I say go right ahead. I am offended by it. As I have heard, it is not only a symbol used to commemorate the days of the "Old South" but it is also a symbol of the Klu Klux Klan. I don't care what any person who is not of African American descent has to say about their issue because they will never understand what it is to be black in this country.

The Diva is damn mad!

Answer 2

I personally wouldn't be offended, although I'm not African-American nor do I live in the South, but to me, I see it as a symbol of rebellion. It was formed by the slave owners rebelling against the north in order to keep slavery alive down south. It basically is just "hertiage" because the Confederation obviously doesn't exist anymore anyway. The slaves during that time were slaves regardless, whether it was under the United States or the Confederation, so there wasn't any real change and conditions didn't really get worse for them. Everyone knew it wasn't going to last anyway. It's just a symbol of that rebellious spirit and the freedom Americans had to rebel against the government like that. In any other country, they would have just all "disappeared" or hanged publicly as a mockery, but the south was actually pretty tactful and all. They put up a good fight, even though they lost and deep down they know it.

To make a long story short, I see it as a symbol of rebellious spirit and political freedom, much like that of the cummulative United States when rebelling and seperating from Britain.

We just need to stop looking back and regretting the past and move forwards. Look to the future and see what's coming. Don't let the past hold you back.

Answer 3

You are probably actually refering to the Confederate battle flag as the "Stars and Bars" was the first flag of the Confederacy, which had seven stars on a blue union and three bars, two red and one white.

With that clarification, I honestly can't say if you should take offence or not as that is the result of your experiences. However, I will point out something that might give some clarity.

When defenders of the Confederate flag describe it as a symbol of heritage and not hate, keep in mind that the Confederacy lost the war. The heritage is one of defeat. Who wants to remember that? :-)

Answer 4

i think of that that's unlucky that the accomplice conflict flag (not the accomplice flag) has become seen racist. even nonetheless, it would desire to have some thing to do with how this is been used, and the kinds of persons who've used it. i don't think of the KKK or many of the neo-nazi events that use the flag are those with whom I opt to be linked. The "Bonnie Blue" became the 1st unofficial CSA flag. It became a white megastar on a blue background. there have been 3 "respected" CSA flags of which the 1st did not incorporate the conflict flag. Why do you, and an excellent kind of others, insist on calling the conflict flag the accomplice flag, while this is not. by ability of how, the conflict flag is sq., not rectangular, as that's shown maximum cases. And final of all, the background of the south, the place I stay, is for all southern human beings. Southern blacks outnumbered southern whites by ability of a minimum of three to a million for the time of slavery, so i think the accomplice conflict flag isn't component of their background of which they are particularily fond. Now ther's a background lesson.

Answer 5

If you feel offended , that is certainly not something you need permission for. Personally I feel uncomfortable when I see confederate flags displayed & I am Caucasian. There must be a better symbol(s) for rebellious spirits than one so closely connected to an oppressive past. It is interesting that some people who would be appalled at the idea of burning an American flag are willing to display flags (including state flags with stars & bars on them) historically symbolic of enemy (confederates considered the U.S. to be the enemy) ideals right along with one that is supposed to be a symbol of freedom .

Answer 6

Yes you should be. People in the south think they they won the war, or wish. And the flag is a symbol of that. If they did, then you would still be in slavery. I'm white and I'm offended by it.

Answer 7

You can't really change the past... you can let go, though, and that's always healthy.

It all depends on how they show the conf. flag, do they do it to insult you? Or just to because it is tradition?

It if it's to insult you, then yeah, get pissed. But if it is just tradition, don't mind them. They won't/can't let go of the past.

The past is the past, and there's nothing you can do to change it.

Answer 8

Who cares

Answer 9

Only you can choose to be offended by something or someone.

Answer 10

now i say i am white, but if i were black i would definantly be offended by it.