Confederate flag?

Question

I asked a question moments ago ( check out my asked questions) and people were offended by my opinion about the flag. They told be to "get educated" and "do my homework" They claim this flag is just a "sign of the South." It's a flag that's segregated..oops! I mean seperated from the rest of the nations flag(not to mention outdated, but not outlawed) Wasn't the Civil war based hugely on the desire of the south to eternalize slavery? Hmmm... that's not rascit! that's just a fight between the north and the south.HA HA! The same rednecks in question answered the question without first understanding it. I would like a poll of how people feel about the Flag, esp. African-Americans.

to answer # 2...Ideas like...still wanting black folk picking cotton for nothing in your back yard? The question is not for overtly racist people.

Answer 1

OK, someone didn't teach you right about the civil war. That's okay, not too many out there can. I had to learn the truth about it myself from some good Internet friends of mine years ago who are reenactors.

First of all, the war was mainly about state's rights - the slave question was a comparatively minor issue. The South felt that the government in D.C. at that time was exercising too much power over what individual states could and could not do for their people. As far as slavery was concerned, not all Southerners owned slaves - actually, that was reserved only for rich folks who could afford it, and there wern't that many of them back then.

Which leads me to my answer to your question. In my opinion, the Confederate (Stars & Bars) Flag is historical in nature - and it should be allowed to be flown by states and families to remember their fallen ancestors, just as some families today fly an American flag to honor a parent, grandparent, or other loved one who died during a period of combat. I live in the Land of Lincoln, but I strongly believe in the right of Southern people to maintain their heritage - and that flag, like it or not, is a part of it. BTW, that flag only began to symbolize racism in the last 60 years or so.

Answer 2

Your opinion is just what it is , an opinion and I am certainly not offended by a bias` opinion that uses a term ( redneck ) that has sterotyped people from a region ! The flag , well it`s a Southern thing that you wouldn`t understand without knowledge of the history of the era !!. On the secession of the South from the Union , read the history and you`ll be enlightened at the truth of the matter . For your information the North had "slaves" long after the War of Northern Agression was over and it was all under the Stars & Stripes flag !! Check your history and find out where the first Black members of Congress came from ?? For the years during the war , the South was a Nation of its` own , and that is what the Stars` and Bars` stands` for !! The offense of your statments rest in your baseless and unknowledgeable pre-conceived notions of the subject !! It appears you have no knowledge of the subject other than what you have "heard" or what you have been "told" , and not from the facts of the matter through research of the subject ?? Frankly my dear , we don`t give a damn what you think of the Flag !! Y`all have a Merry Christmas & God Bless......*** Question for Puck ? If you are an American , why are you using the term african in front of American ?? An American is an American ( a citizen of this country , with allegence to it , and not some country you have never seen or been to ) ??

Answer 3

The excoriation of the Confederate flag is a fairly recent phenomenon. For evidence of this, watch that old TV show from the 70s, Dukes of Hazzard. The prevalence of the flag raised not an eyebrow or a protest from the civil rights movement. The flag did not begin to evoke controversy until there were several violent, racist incidents. One or two of these were photographed with the flag and a hue and a cry went up. Suddenly Af-Ams decided what it symbolized to them. This is fine by me. I know what it means to me. It does not symbolize slavery. My people were lower than slaves; they were poor white trash.

Furthermore, a little investigation will lead to three juicy tidbits: 1) Only 4% of the South owned slaves and of those, they owned 95% of the slaves; 2) Lincoln did not free ALL the slaves - only those in the secessionist states; 3) the slave trade began in New England and succeeded only with the cooperation of African leaders. This last will take more thorough investigation but any history teacher will agree: ideology is a smokescreen for the true, economic reasons for war, any war.

It seems lopsided to me for others to define MY symbolism. The flag is part of my heritage, my culture, my people, my land. Remember, the victors write the history books.

Answer 4

I am not African-American but would like to try to address this. More than 1 issue led to the Civil War (think about the name it didn't seem to civil) Initially the Union wanted to stop secesion but with new states coming into the U.S.A. some slave, some not slave, I think Lincoln came up with a solution that would put pressure on the seceding states, freeing slaves. Since secession and slavery were then linked he put the issue into a moral frame.

Many original settlers of the Northeast had fled Europe for religious reasons and were extremely worried about moral issues and this helped them to get involved. Many southern states were settled for supplying Great Britain with Tobacco and sugar and rice , etc they were more fiscally inclined.

Originally Robert E. Lee was offered the top post in the Union Army and turned it down saying he couldn't take up arms against his neighbors, Winfield Scott said something to the effect "You have made a terrible mistake"

The end result was southerners (some my ancestors, even poor southerners) were of a nature that, let's say, really doesn't like to be pushed around at all, felt Lincoln was shoving things down their throats, so they fougt on the side of the plantation owners, so it depends where you're looking at the Confederate flag from. A New Yorker might say that the Confederate flag is a red neck flag, A Georgian might say the Confederate flag respresents states rights and a descendant of a slave may say it's a symbol of horrible treatment and oppression, sorry I gert carried away, so the answer is ":It depends"

Answer 5

The Confederate Flag isn't a sign of racism, but thinking that IS a sign of a lack of knowledge of basic American history. In the Civil War states were fighting to retain some of their own individual rights, states wanted most of their own tax income to stay within that state, etc. Thousands of Americans died in the Civil War, the flag is part of our country's history, it should be preserved just as any other part of our history. Do you like "Big Brother" watching you? Controlling everything? If you don't like Big Government controlling everything, everywhere, for everybody, then you would've probably fought for states rights. In other words, ...you would've probably flown and and supported the Confederate Flag too.

Answer 6

The Confederate battle flag is the symbol of racism, White supremacy and terrorism. It was the banner that the slaveowners of the South went to war under - in their fight to keep 4 million Americans of my color in bondage.

After the war, the "Stars and Bars" were the war colors of America's oldest and most violent domestic terrorist group, the Ku Klux Klan.

After World War II, Germany banned the Swastika and the Nazi flag, as symbols of hatred and mass murder - America should do the same with the Confederate battle flag.

Answer 7

I live in Virginia, and the Confederate flag is a common sight.
Yes, I think it is divisive, however their are several people here who are simply trying to observe and honor their history and ancestors. You see many of the bumper stickers that read: "Heritage not Hate". I understand that, but as an African American, it's just a painful thing for me to see someone flying the Southern Flag. I'm proud to be from the south; I was born and raised in Richmond VA; but in my opinion, it's time to let it go; we are all Americans now.

Answer 8

The war was about people forcing their ideas upon other people. The flag represents people who wish not to have the ideas of others forced upon them. I believe if you check you'll find this historically correct.
Get over it. The only cotton most people have picked is out of their navels.
I've been married to a non white for almost 25 years.

Answer 9

I don't have a strong opinion of the Confederate flag. I feel a little uncomfortable when I see it, but I know people who aren't racist that display it.

Answer 10

well honey im gonna tell you now, the confederate flag does not symbolize slavery... it was a symbol of the south. just like everyone else has said. blacks have made it a symbol of slavery for some godforsaken reason that i will nver understand...but F it..
as for your picking on jeff foxworthy... where do you live? do you live in the south? if not thats probably why you dont get his jokes... as ffar as blacks not being in thier skits...HELLO! its redneck-comedy. redneck comedy rarely has anything to do with african americans, not out of rasicm but because rednecks are just that...red necks. i feel im not explainin my self well but anyway. if you dont live Jeff, dont listen to him. no ones holding a gun to your head and putting headphones on your ears playing red neck comedy tour....so get bit or something.

answer to poll: fly the confederate flag..im taking back the south!