Is use of the confederate flag a racist act?

Question

I live in Arkansas, and I see a lot of confederate flags, does it mean they dont like blacks, latinos, or others? Help me out.

Answer 1

At Appomattox, Virginia on Sunday April 9, 1865 General Robert E. Lee was forced to surrender the Army of Northern Virginia. This was the beginning of many subsequent surrenders which brought an end to the War for Southern Independence. Tens of thousands of brave southern soldiers had spilled their blood and given their lives on the field of battle in defense of their beloved country and against Northern aggression. This band of noble dead along with their brave surviving fellow soldiers fought valiantly in battle for the defense of their homes and firesides under this glorious banner. This brave army of war-weary, underfed and grief-stricken men was forced to furl their beloved banner that became the symbol of their struggle against northern tyranny.

The Confederate Battle Flag now waves as a testimonial to southern heroes who yearned and fought for limited constitutional government and individual freedom. It stands as a true symbol of patriotism, dedication to family and a willingness to suffer and even die in defense of the South and its Christian culture.

Answer 2

Depends on who you asked whether it is considered racist. Some people flying the flag consider it a tradition of the south.
Some people fly the flag because they are red necks and don't know any better. Confederate flag meaning to be a rebel, and they are REBELS!!!!!!!!!! YEA HA!!!!!!!!

The reason that people claim the flag is racist is because it was a flag representing the south during the American Civil War. The South defended slavery, meaning they wanted to keep slavery.
"The South vs. the North

Confederate flags obviously symbolize the Confederacy -- the coalition of southern states that tried to separate from the U.S. in the 1860s. Many southerners still consider that a noble effort, even though it failed. They believe the Confederate flag honors the veterans of the Civil War, and the history and independent spirit of the South. Many southerners say the flag honors the memory of their ancestors who fought and died for the south.

But the Confederacy wasn't just about southern independence. It also vigorously defended slavery."

Answer 3

No, a lot of people have relatives that died fighting in the civil war. A confederate flag has nothing to do with race. It is a symbol of southern culture and heritage. The civil war was about a lot more than slavery and is a complicated subject. It involved deep economic and social divisions between different regions of the country.

Flying a confederate flag doesn't mean you hate anyone, its just a form of expression saying you are proud of who you are, which is never wrong.

Answer 4

The use of the Stars and Bars, a flag of brave soldiers fighting, not for slavery, but for states rights and state pridefor the most part has been co-opted by racists and in many cases, does represent racist views. The confederate flag was the symbol of an incredibly well led army of decent men. But that was 145 years ago and time has changed its meaning. Now, it is an in-your-face symbol. Perhaps it always was but the sybolism now is not what Robert E Lee or Longstreet or Thomas Jackson thought it to be.

Answer 5

People are proud of their heritage and chose to fly the Confederate flag. Some people do take the flying of the Confederate flag as being racist. To me its a personal decision and if you are proud of your heritage then by all means fly the flag. Good Luck KG

Answer 6

"Civil War/Old South

Hate Group/Extremist Organization White Supremacists

Extremist Meaning or Representation White southern pride

Background/History Although the flag is seen by some Southerners simply as a symbol of Southern pride, it is often used by racists to represent white domination of African-Americans. The flag remains a subject of controversy because some Southern states still fly the flag from public buildings or incorporate it into their state flag’s design. The flag is also used by racists as an alternative to the American flag, which they consider to be an emblem of what they describe as the Jewish-controlled government"

Quoted straight from the ADL (Anti-Defamation League) and defended by some on here as part of their heritage, but the same can be said for other races here (legally) flying their own flag..

Answer 7

Well, the Stars and Bars was the flag of the Confederacy during the Civil War. As I understand it, white Southerners see it as a symbol of pride, heritage and honor.

Whereas non-whites see it as a symbol of slavery, and of the Ku Klux Klan.

So, technically, it is a symbol of racism.

Personally, I can appreciate the spirit of brandishing it from a certain point of view. It is a symbol of defiance, rebellion, and not giving in to an oppressive government, but it's been used as a symbol for nefarious purposes. Case in point, the Klan used it as a symbol of Southern heritage and white supremacy.

So it may be a symbol to whites as something positive, to non-whites its a symbol of racism, bigotry, and a dark period in American history.

I think the South really needs to move beyond the Civil War and embrace the present. Hanging on to old pre-Civil War ideals is backwards and regressive socially and civically.

It's time to retire the Stars and Bars, and join the Union.

Put it in this perspective. It'd be like some Germans in Germany brandishing swastikas as a symbol of German heritage and bravery.


But, America is a free country. If people want to run around with a symbol of the Confederacy, the Klan, and racism, it's their right as Americans to do so.

You have the freedom of speech and expression in this country. That doesn't mean the person or group speaking is necessarily intelligent, benevolent, or pluralistic.

That means for better or worse, you have the right to be a racist bigot and be proud of it.

It's the price we pay for freedom.

I don't agree with the ideals of bigotry, but they do have a right to their opinions, and the right to express them. Just as I have right to denounce bigots and their ideals.

Answer 8

i am PISSED b/c i typed out an entire answer...then my computer froze. #%@@$%^#@. ok...now i feel better.

in short, the confederate flag is mainly offensive to blacks. to us, it represents the confederate states (southern states) refusal to conform with the abolishment of slavery and civil rights movement. crash course history lesson...
1) southern states succeeded from the union (all the states), which started the civil war. north vs. south.
2) the confederate flag was the symbol of the southern states through the war.
3) north won the war. had the south won....blacks would have continued to be the feet wiping, doormat, property of their owners in the south. let's just say that i am quite pleased that the north won :)
4) but just b/c slavery was outlawed, the north won the war, AND the civil rights movement came to pass, the Confederate states didn't just fall into line. there was much resistance, and lynchings, and unequal treatments of blacks in those states (heard of Jim Crow laws?)

so today, some people feel that display of the flag represents integrity of their home state and/or honor to those who died in the war, etc. but many people (and the majority of blacks) now feel that that continued display of the flag is inappropriate, disrespectful, and represents all of the hate that we are trying to move past.

so to answer your question. i can't say with certainy if the people who are flying those flags hate blacks. but i can say, with certainty, that the people who are flying those flags are proud of the flag and apparently proud of its purpose at the time of its inception. so i suggest you do some research and come up with an answer for yourself.

hope this helps!

Answer 9

While it is true that the confederate states were slave states, the formation of the Confederacy, the Civil war, and in turn the creation of the Confederate flag, had absolutely nothing to do with slavery. This is a myth that is taught in schools (kinda lke Christopher Columbus trying to prove that the world was round).

The truth is, the South split off over the issue of over taxation. It had nothing to do with slavery. The Confederacy was formed over states rights, and that those were taxation rights, not slavery rights. I would argue that anyone in favor of state's rights should not be offended by the Confederate flag...

Answer 10

They say that it means southern pride. But no matter how you look at it, it still stands for slavery. You can give out all these ideas about how the civil war was fought, but in the end it was still about slavery.
Chris makes my very point. The confederate flag was made for the Confederacy, when the south split from the north. They wanted slave labor, you can say all this heritage crap all you want, but I live in the South, and know the ppl that fly that flag and yes many are racist, not all but many are. Now rednecks are just trying to show that it doesn't stand for slavery, but for so many years it was. You can't change something that stood for that belief for so many years.

Answer 11

I live in Ohio - saw a biker Saturday night with a confederate flag sewn on the back of his colors, underneath it said - "White Power". There is no other reason to display one up North.