How is the confederate flag still seen as socially acceptable in the south?

Question

I mean it was basically a symbol for the continuance of slavery! I live in the northeast and rarely if ever see it around here... but recently realized that people in the south display it with pride. What exactly do they mean by it?

Answer 1

You people amaze me! If it offends you that much then close your eyes, turn your head. The people that complain about the flag are the same ones that complain about a t.v. or radio show when they could just as easily change the channel

Answer 2

ooh.. I just asked this question in my history 1301 class. Here in the south (I'm from Texas), the confederate flag is not always used as symbolism for slavery. I'm mixed and my bf is white and he has it on his wall but he is a civil war/history buff. To me the flag doesn't represent racism as much as it represents treason. The confederate flag is actually the battle flag, not the actual flag that represents the confederacy. It's treason because the south wanted to be separate from the north and decided that it would be better to be a separate nation not only because of slavery but because of the fact that the states were not sovereign. They believed that the states should have the power to decided if a federal law was good or bad and so on, which is stupid because what the hell is the point of having govt in the first place if you can't govern? It's socially acceptable here because number one: many who are racist identify with it and feel that it is a symbol of the extension of racism and they are normally severe reactionaries who want things the way they were in the 1800's as far as the power and racism. 2: It's seen as a symbol of rebellion You know those shirts with that flag that say y"REBEL" etc.. that's because they rebelled from the U.S.. They are dumb and most don't even know what it means. and 3: some see it as southern pride but being a traitor isn't something to be proud of.. that's my opinion.

Answer 3

To many White Southerners, the Confederate Battle Flag is a symbol of regional pride. To many Black Southerners (and many other Americans) it is a symbol of terrorism, lynching, White supremacism and the Ku Klux Klan. This conflict has caused a lot of tension, particularly in states like Georgia and South Carolina, where the Confederate Flag has semiofficial status.

Answer 4

I don't think that the rebel flag is really something which the U.S. government has any interest in protecting. After all it is the flag of an enemy force which temporarily occupied US territory. Unless you are serious about trying to secede again it seems foolish to have one around. No it is not just a symbol of states rights. Things can gain new meanings as time progresses. Just ask the Tibetan monks who first drew up the swastika as a good luck charm. Now there is something that changed. If you want to be proud and southern then I would suggest that you find something a bit more current to identify with.

Answer 5

Ok, I am from Tn, and yes, I do see my share of confederate flags. And yes, to some extent it does represent the endorsement of slavery. But to answer your question about why it is still accepted in the south, I think that it's because it represents a certain culture, lifestyle and attitude. I hear it refered to more as the "rebel flag" than the confederate flag. I think it's about cultural unity for some southerners, about still defying a centralized governement, about being "your own man". But unfortunately, innate in that culture is some degree of simply tolerence, and not acceptance, of people who are different.

I do not happen to be a person that "flies" this flag, but I know people who do, and I don't happen to think any less of them. They have their faults like anyone, but they are generally good people.

And the Civil War was about Slavery, but it was about other issues as well. To say slavery was not an important issue in the war is to devalue the sacrifices people affiliated with the Underground Railroad made, as well as the sacrifices many soldiers made to bring basic human rights to our country.

Answer 6

I dont care what no one says. Im from the south and proud of it and i do not use the confederate flag. People say its a southern thing but i dont buy it because the civil war was mainly about slavery and the south wanted to keep slavery cuz they were making more money off of slaves and to me when i c the flag I see people whose ancestors owned slaves. As a black man the flag offends me

Answer 7

Well not everyone finds it acceptable. I remember about 5 years or so ago South Carolina had it hanging in front of a court house. After much debating it was finally taken down and moved to a history museum. I live in North Carolina and all though there are no flags hanging in front of any building I often see it on bummer stickers, t-shirts, and hats. You can just tell that those people are racist no matter how much they defend it. Basically they will say it represents the south and it's not about slavery...blah blah...those black people...yadda yadda...can of whoop ***....blah da blah....OoOo NASCAR is on. So anyway as a white person who sadly has to live in the south I don't find it acceptable and I find it rather distastful. On the upside it's kinda like the scarlet letter, you can sure tell who the racist imbreds are!

Answer 8

My guess is that they see it as a symbol of southern pride, and a desire to remain culturally separate from the rest of the United States. I'm sure the association with slavery is what everyone gets so offended by. Everyone has a right to an opinion, though.

Answer 9

That's a misconception. There are BLACK people that sport the confederate flag. It's a southern symbol. The South wasn't anymore racist than the North; the U.S. Civil war wasn't even about slavery.

People are proud to live in the south - both black and white people.

Some people are stuck in the 1860's.

Answer 10

i live in Illinois and i see it often here but it doesn't always mean what your thinking. it can also be associated with the need to express freedom and of course the right to be a nonconformist and display it because their proud of being a rebel.

i understand why you find it offensive but times have changed, the era that we are in now is more open minded than ever and people at least where i am from accept that.

objects that once stood for the continuance of racism and slavery, now stand for rebellion, self-determination, dissent, freedom, and liberty.

kind of ironic isn't it