the confederate flag, why do people percieve it as being rascist? I understand it was used in the civil war, and that they were for slavery(which im not) but it was also part of our history, and some people just use at as sign that they are from the south. Do any of you have problem with it?
2006-08-13 11:13:42 · 11 answers · asked by inked girl 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Other - Society & Culture
Being from Kentucky, which was a border state during the Civil War, I personally think of it as heritage not hate.
2006-08-13 11:18:50 · answer #1 · answered by shirley e 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I am from the South, and I don't really take any deep offense at it, but I do find it inappropriate to fly it on the property of any government agency, because it is the flag of another country.
I'd have more respect for if the whole issue of states' rights had been brought up over something OTHER than slavery (people say the Civil War was fought over this and that, but at the end of the day, without slavery, it's very unlikely we would have fought the Civil War, and we arguably have more valid reasons for seceding from the Union TODAY). The other issues raised were derivative of the decades of discord between North and South arising out of slavery.
I think whether a state has a right to secede is a separate issue, if the state is seceding for valid reasons (slavery isn't one). It is kind of hypocritical to break away from Britain, and then become the aggressor when a portion of the new country views its own leaders as the new oppressor.
As far as my initial, uncensored reflex, I do generally equate the Confederate flag with rednecks, with the possible exception of Billy Idol lol. (For the record I also think reparations are quite the hair-brained idea.)
It would be very interesting to see what our country would be like today if the founders had taken just a couple of extra logical steps (banning slavery, and theft of land from the natives, among others) to have removed all hypocrisy from our history and its founding documents. If the southern states didn't want to go along with it, two separate countries could have been formed from the outset.
2006-08-13 18:59:47 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
I was born and raised in Mississippi and live in South Carolina. I understand both sides of the argument. It is a part of Southern heritage, but it has also been, I believe, irretrievably corrupted by various hate groups. I don't think that there is any easy solution. Rather, I think that people are going to have to try to respect differing points of view on this matter. Agree to disagree, in other words. Realize that different people have differing, but equally strong, passions about the Confederate battle flag. And that is what it is, by the way. The "Stars and Bars" were a battle emblem and never represented the Confederacy as a sovereign nation. Many people in the South lost ancestors in the War between the States, and this is one way they chose to honor them. Likewise, many African Americans also lost family members to groups like the KKK who co-opted the flag for their own evil ends, so the flag evokes many painful memories for them.
2006-08-13 18:32:51 · answer #3 · answered by Christina D 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Ya, it gets to me because I see it as the same thing as waving a Mexican flag around (which happens during protests.... great). It is unpatriotic if you will to wave the flag of another country, yes the confederate flag was from a different country, they split themselves off and were not part of the U.S. We are supposed to be 1 country under God, not 30 regions kinda linked together under God. I love America, and it bugs me when people enjoy the liberties and greatness of America, while not being patriotic. I am more talking about those who flaunt it though. We had a festival and a group of hispanic people were walking around waving mexican flags and there was a couple trucks that drove around waving confederate flags. It did bug me. I don't mean to be insensitive in anyway but.
2006-08-13 18:21:20 · answer #4 · answered by freeze_guy_2001 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I'm from the west coast. I don't have a problem with it. Except when those people who fly them at their houses spew about inequality between the north and the south to this date. Its their culture. I wish we had a flag for the west coast. Its how they identify themselves..
2006-08-13 18:19:45 · answer #5 · answered by mlove1307 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm from up North, and I just view it as being part of Southern culture. I don't have a problem with it at all.
2006-08-13 18:17:24 · answer #6 · answered by DG 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
it's not just about slavery. the south turned on it's country. it's a signals that the south identifies itself as a separate entity. it's separationist. there is nothing proud about turning your back on your own country and causing a war.
btw, I am a southern girl
2006-08-13 18:20:22 · answer #7 · answered by Gabrielle 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
i perceive it as redneck, and i don't see many non-caucasians displaying it...sure it's a part of our history in america, a very sad one....and i am moderately offended by it. but if people want to display their ignorance by displaying that flag, they have that right, too. this is america. but i draw the line at the kkk thing, that was part of our history as well.
2006-08-13 18:30:48 · answer #8 · answered by panamm 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I PERSONALLY don't have any problems with it. But most people see it as a sign of the KKK.
2006-08-13 18:18:33 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
no
2006-08-13 18:19:50 · answer #10 · answered by silentdreamer6 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋