If my high school knowledge serves me right, confederate states stood for slavery, so why is that flag still flown? is there a union flag? my main question is, why is that flag still flown despite its history? and why rednecks?!
2006-10-15 18:43:48 · 16 answers · asked by Eryc 5 in Politics & Government ➔ Government
NASCAR is a Southern sport. It grew up out of competition between moonshine runners during prohibition trying to find out whose car was fastest. (Since many southern states remained dry long after prohibition was repealed, the competition went on into the 60s. Once there was no more need for running 'shine, they kept on racing their cars for fun and bragging rights, and eventually for money.)
Many Southerners see the Confederate flag as a symbol of their history, a symbol of the South. They don't see it as a symbol of slavery or racism. It's just a symbol of their heritage, the way an African might wear traditional African clothes, or an Irishman celebrating St Patrick's Day, or a German wearing leiderhosen during Octoberfest. But many people see it as a symbol of the worst of Southern history: slavery, racism, the KKK, lynchings, etc. It's a symbol, and a symbol has whatever significance the viewer thinks it has.
And yes, there was a Union flag: the Flag of the United States of America, Old Glory, the Stars and Stripes. Same one we have today, only with less stars.
2006-10-15 19:36:52 · answer #1 · answered by Chredon 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They all say the flag didn't stand for slavery and they are right. It stood for another country that believed strongly in "states rights," not more Federal government. However, over time, it's taken on the meaning of standing for slavery. Which happened to be one of the "states rights" they were fighting for.
It's like this, the Swastika the Nazis used is supposedly an old religious symbol...like the cross or star of david. Do you think of religion when you see a swastika. Nope...same thing happened with the confederate flag.
The "Union" flag is still flying today. Over every school and government building in the country. It has 50 stars now.
The whole NASCAR thing goes back to when it was a "southern" sport. It's expanded, and really, to each his own. I doubt most people who fly the flag today are racist. (I really really hope not) They honestly, in their mind, are just paying tribute to their heritage which to them represents men and women willing to take a stand and fight for what they thought was right at the time. Just like the revolutionaries fought the British. I doubt most of the people today would think slavery is OK. By the way, NASCAR as an organization doesn't fly the flag, just some fans. NASCAR races start with a prayer and the National Anthem, and the president actually spoke out against the flag last year saying he wished it didn't keep showing up.
And redneck is a southern term too, it comes from the idea that way back, the south was more agricultural and the north industrial. When you worked outdoors on the farm you got the red neck from the sun. Usually the eduacation quality was poorer too, which only helped stereotype the image. You normally couldn't go through school if you had to help out on the farm so you're family could survive.
2006-10-15 19:03:29 · answer #2 · answered by shogun_316 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The Union Jack Conferate flag stands for the identity of the South and not so much for slavery. NASCAR is very popular in the South and MidWest where burning rubber and gas is considered patriotic. It's natural to see "rednecks" (farmers) in those States, and yes, some of them are proud of their Southern ways. I'm sure a few still raise the Jack long for the old slavery ways, but most who fly the flag do so because they are proud of NASCAR being a Souther sport.
2006-10-15 19:04:01 · answer #3 · answered by justdennis 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The confederate flag is a part of United Stated history and the union flag has 50 stars and 13 stripes. Ya really need to pick up a history book dated in the 1950's and read about the civil war.
2006-10-15 18:59:00 · answer #4 · answered by caciansf 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
First of all, I'm not a redneck or a confederate flag waver, (I'm not even from the south) so I'm actually giving you an objective opinion here.
The confederate flag stood for more than just slavery. In fact, if you asked a southerner what the confederate flag stands for slavery won't be the answer.
The people who run around whining about the confederate flag either (a) don't understand it; or (b) want something to ***** about and want to "prove" that everyone is out to get them.
2006-10-15 18:47:01 · answer #5 · answered by Writer of Truth 4 · 3⤊ 1⤋
When people think about the Confederacy, they think about slavery. Most people don't know their history well enough to realize that the average Confederate was fighting for his homeland, not the slaves. They don't know that major Confederate leaders like Lee and Jackson freed their slaves before joining the Confederacy. They don't realize that the Confederacy constitutionally had the right to secede from the Union, and that the New England states had threatened to secede during the War of 1812. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad the South lost the war, and I don't condone slavery of any kind, but people need to realize that the Confederate flag is a symbol of pride in the fact that the South stood up for itself and what it believed was right.
Two things to stop the naysayers; I'm not from the South, I'm from New Hampshire and have researched the Civil War extensively. And two, if you think I'm racist, I've got a bunch of black friends that will tell you I'm not, so don't pull that card.
2006-10-15 18:49:37 · answer #6 · answered by letitcountry 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
The union flag is the US flag since the North won the Civil War. I think the confederate flag is merely a way to show that someone is from the South. Its not necessarily rascist (but in some cases it is).
2006-10-15 18:47:30 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
It is not flown by NASCAR itself, but by people at the events. The union flag was just the USA flag. As for what the confedarcy stood for, it stood partially for the right to own slaves, but also for less goverment involvement in indvidual states rights.
2006-10-15 18:47:34 · answer #8 · answered by Sean A 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Why rednecks? I hope you dont plan to condemn the flying of a flag that represented the southern states during the civil war znd yet think its ok to use racist language to describe a group of people. I think you should use the term white americans or something similar which is more appropriate. Racism is racism no matter who the victims are.
2006-10-15 19:01:17 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
You are mistaken it was never for that it was to seprate the armies. The orginal flag that was in the battle of Bull Run was too similar to the northern states so The confedrates had to change it and that is what they changed it too. After the Bull Run all the confedrate armies change it to that. The Confedrates just wanted to be seprated from the northern states that is what the war was about.
2006-10-15 18:47:45 · answer #10 · answered by knowssignlanguage 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋