Does this flag bother you?

[Beo]

I was wondering if the Confederate flagg bothered anyone here,
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It seems to bother the African Americans and with good reason, it bothers my wife also and I could never figure out why people up here in Ohio drive around with it on their trucks, or actually hang it at their house.
The display of the Confederate flag remains a highly controversial and emotional topic, generally because of disagreement over the nature of its symbolism. Opponents of the Confederate flag see it as an overt symbol of racism, both for the history of racial slavery in the United States, and the establishment of Jim Crow laws by Southern states following the end of Reconstruction in late 1870s, enforcing racial segregation within state borders for nearly a century until the Civil Rights Movement. Others view the flag as a symbol of rebellion against the federal government of the United States, as many past and present enemies of the United States such as the Vietcong during the Vietnam War and the Iraqi Republican Guard of Iraq during Saddam Hussein's regime sometimes used the flag. Some hate groups use the Southern Cross as one of the symbols associated with their organizations, including racist groups such as the Neo-Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan. The flag is also sometimes used by separatist organizations such as the Aryan Nation. That is why I hate it, but as far as it being a historic symbol of a tragic part of our history I don't hate it, it's a part of history and the civil war was more than just slavery, still kinda confusing but I do not like the flag for what it stands for today.

[crashdive123]

I personally have no problems with the Confederate Flag. I think that the problems that arise from it, and why emotions run so high is that those that claim it is just a symbol of Southern Pride did nothing when their symbol was hijacked by hate groups. This is not unlike the current situation with Islamic terrorists. Those peaceful followers of the Muslim faith are doing nothing as their religion is being hijacked by hate groups. It's unfortunate that since nothing was/is being done to counter that hate has caused many to feel that it is a symbol of hate.

[Beo]

Well put Crash,
for the record this was just me wondering as it has become a big topic here again, it resurfaces every so often. I mean no disrespect to my Southern brothers, my African American friends or family, and certainly not to anyone here and I do not mean to start an argument.
Beo,

[smokelessfire]

i wish i knew exactly what the flag stood for. i beleive it stands for the south or the southern way of life pre-civil war. if it at all stands for wanting to continue keeping slaves i am vehemently against it and anyone who flies it for that reason should be shot dead on site. i never cared much about the issue until i read things like a slave man had no rights, not even the the right to speak against his master if the master did something wrong such as raping the slave's wife(even right there in front of the man AND his children!!!). if he said or did anything to the master, he was whipped severely, possibly to death, or simply hung. no, i personally will get very violent to anyone who wants to continue this crap.

[FVR]

I just use the flag as a warning signal as I really don't want anything to do with anyone who flies it. I don't know them, their beliefs, or their hatreds. It's better to be safe than sorry.

Most here who respond are white and have never experienced the hate that the flag does propagate, because of it's evolution from a symbol of the south to the symbol of the KKK hatred.

Until you have had that hate directed at you, while the flag is in site, most will not understand. Because it's not a big part in your life. Step into the shoes of those that have a mixed race family, then you will understand. Just like Jew jokes, does not bother you, unless you are Jewish.

The fact that the flag was re-introduced to many southern states flags, during the time of the equal rights push for blacks in the US, after the flag had already been hijacked by the KKK, puts a bad taste in many mouths.


Not all those that fly the flag are hatemongers, but most hatemongers fly the flag.

Why take a chance if it could affect your family?

[bulrush]

Many problems start when people ASSUME the reason why someone has a Confederate flag. So African-Americans assume a confed. flag stands for racism 100% of the time. They don't even bother to talk with the person who has the flag and ask them why they have it. They have an emotional reaction to it. I'm not saying they are not justified in having that reaction, racism was a large part of the south for many many years. But when you have an emotional reaction to a topic, instead of thinking logically about it, you will not make headway and advance yourself as a person.

Many problems start because of lack of communication and people assume the worst.

As a white person who lives in the north, I always assumed that the Confed. flag meant the person showing it was racist and wanted the country to return to racist ways. No one ever said different until now. Now I know that it is simply a rebellion against the current federal government.

[FVR]

Well, you're up in Michigan. Come on down South, get yourself a Black wife, then go and talk to those that fly the flag.

Some assumptions, just may save your life.

You sound like Obama. Iran wants to completely destroy Israel, Obama wants them to sit down and talk. Israel, screw that, we just about survived the first extermination.

Why take the chance?

[FVR]

This is just so funny.

You see a guy holding a gun, he looks pissed.

You:

A. Take into consideration the environment and get the hell out of dodge. And live.

B. You go up to him and ask him all these questions, and possibly get shot.


Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.. Let me see.....................Hmmmmm.............Live or possibly die................Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

[Beo]

Well being a Yank from the north, married to a beautiful African American woman and having lived down south for 8 years I agree FVR, we still get looks from people here and down south have been followed until I, with gun in hand, pulled my badge and walked up the group and asked what the problem was.
Here I have had things said to us, stared at and followed up to the 3rd floor of a JC Penny's by a guy and he was a black man, poor dude fell down the escaltors somehow. When it bothers the wife then I get upset, most times we ignore it and go on but its mostly stares we now get. So as FVR said, try living in an inter-racial family and see how you get treated. We get it from both sides of the fence sometimes, but skee-roo-um, I live how I live and if you don't like that your SOL and I could care less.

[Sarge47]

The name says it all. It is & was an emblem symbolizing a division on our country; which should never even be a consideration. The Civil War started over the issue of slavery; remember the abolishionists who used the underground railway to get our Southern Black Americans to safety? One of the reasons why I really enjoy the movie: "Amistad" is because it shows what the mind-set of some Americans that led up to the Civil War. This flag was hoped by the South to become the new flag of our nation if they would have won the Civil War, but they lost, as did Nazi Germany and Japan during WWII. You might notice that neither the "Swastika" or Tojo's "Rising Sun" are ever displayed now-a-days in either Japan or Germany. I say retire it as the stigma of racial hatred is still present anytime it's displayed. One of it's follower's even assasinated this nation's leader as a follower of what it stood for. There is no way you can "Spin-it" to have it come out as harmless. The South lost, & that's one side of a two-sided coin. It could of just as easy been the North, then where would "Old Glory" be? Stuck in a museum somewhere for everyone to marvel at? The point is the Civil War should have never have happened. Americans do not need to be divided. Not to mention how stupid of a topic it is for us to divide over. Okay, getting off of my soap-box now...NEXT!

[Ole WV Coot]

Only a couple of flags bother me and that isn't one of them. I don't have one or anything with one on it. Where I now live 99.9% of the people's ancestors did fight under it. I don't know the reason for flying it now except they are proud of their ancestors and maybe one or two families were slave owners. This part of the country, Southern WV & E. KY folks were too poor to own much of anything. My gg grandpa walked 30 miles to enlist in the 14th KY Infantry Volunteers. Grandpa said he thought damn Rebs was one word. I think the way and who uses it is offensive, This is my personal opinion. My g grandma lived to a ripe old age and she told us about her life. She was born into a huge family, very poor and when she was five her parents "rented" her out to do chores for bed & board. She never went to school, ate leftovers if there were any and went from family to family until she married ggrandpa. She was a slave in everything but color. I would bet some actual slaves lived better than she did. I have many items with the Swedish flag & items passed down writings in Swedish. I am Scotch-Irish-Swedish and a little Melungeon which makes me 100% American. I am now a US sanctioned minority- I am Appalachian-American and the colleges that I know of in Ohio recognize us as such and are given minority status. Take it for what it is, a flag that Americans fought Americans under. Slavery IMO wasn't the main cause of the war and don't have the space to go into that. My opinion only and I sure don't get mad if anyone doesn't agree with me.

[Beo]

I understand Coot, like I said to me it is a historic flag of the U.S. but todays falg is different in meaning so I consider them two different flags. Anyone understand that? I hope so. My dads family is from eastern kentucky/tennessee border area, Harlan county area.

[nell67]

What I understand is the thing is a peice of material with a design on it that takes on the meaning of the bearer,without the person behind it,it means nothing.IMO.

[jrock24]

It does bother me because at that time the US was split, it is no longer that way and the people that fly that flag (to me ) seem to want it back that way.

I really don't care because in California not many people have that rebel flag. But it would be like if I (being Mexican ) hung a Mexican flag outside my door in place of a USA flag.

[ryaninmichigan]

It is dangerous to attach emotions to objects...

[ryaninmichigan]

It does bother me because at that time the US was split, it is no longer that way and the people that fly that flag (to me ) seem to want it back that way.

I really don't care because in California not many people have that rebel flag. But it would be like if I (being Mexican ) hung a Mexican flag outside my door in place of a USA flag.

No completly different.

[Beo]

Jrock I agree that is different you are Mexican.
ryaninmichigan, emotions started the french & indian war, the revolutionary war and other wars that founded this country. You stick up for your beliefs because of emotions, because of how you feel about things. But I get what your saying.

[wildWoman]

I don't like the attitude and values of many of the people who sport that flag. Not too many of 'em up here though! The thing itself is just fabric with a design on it, as people pointed out.

[ryaninmichigan]

I am of German descent. I am 6’4 230lbs, Blonde hair, blue eyes. I shave my head and wear a plain white tee shirt, jeans and work boots everyday. Am I a skin head? Or a regular hard working American?

[nell67]

A regular hard working man.