Confederate flag taken down at Fort Sumter

[Tallguy88]

And maybe the moderators could do something about posters calling us rednecks.

Report it and we will look at it. I try not to report things too much because I'd rather the forum govern itself within certain limits.

 

[nightflight]

/

 

[GoingByzantine]

Hmmmmm....

 

[rambot]

double post

 

[rambot]

http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/02/politics/confederate-flag-poll-racism-southern-pride/index.html



It was when I came to the realization about 15 years ago that African-Americans had such a different view of the flag from me that I changed my stance on its use. As a middle aged white male, I saw the flag as a symbol of southern heritage and regional pride. From my perspective the flag had moved beyond an association with slavery and was now a regional symbol. I knew some hate groups had adopted its use as well, but from my perspective that was such a small minority that people didn't associate the flag with them, but rather the region.

Then I came to realize as a whole the AA community saw it the exact opposite. When they saw someone with the flag in their truck, they had an immediate emotional reaction wondering if the owner was someone who hated them for their race. Was that person just proud to be southern or were they a racist? That is an emotional question I would never feel about the flag.

I realized that flag, for whatever reasons (and they don't really matter), had been irrevocably associated by my AA brothers as a symbol of hate. Nothing in the short term could change that - but it really wasn't a big effort to simply understand that perspective and stop using it.

The other thing, however, that I can conclude from the CNN study is that those who state everyone who displays the flag is a racist are clearly too simplistic in their understanding as well.

I appreciate your experience here.

I can say that I've certainly seen the Confederate flag on trucks way up here in Alberta. I have NOT seen/heard any evidence that the persons in the truck were southern.

Singling out people of a particular race seems enough for me. Really now, are you "progressives" going to suddenly narrow the definition of racism? LOL!

And here's the rub (my emphasis). How can you PROVE those people were singled out as opposed to victims of circumstance.

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

My perspective:

The media is deflecting the racism issue onto the flag. Taking down the flag is not taking down racism. Remove all the confederate flags and racism will not disappear, nor is is likely to diminish. Attacking the Confederate flag is easy, dealing with racism is not; but people can hold this up and think or tell others that they are being proactive.

 

[NightHawkeye]

Attacking the Confederate flag is easy, dealing with racism is not; but people can hold this up and think or tell others that they are being proactive.

Attacking the Confederate flag is a way to vent hatred. I would argue that it increases racism rather than decreasing it.

Imagine that. Only a few days ago the mantra du jour was "love". How fickle the whims of liberalism seem to be.

 

[WolfGate]

I appreciate your experience here.

I can say that I've certainly seen the Confederate flag on trucks way up here in Alberta. I have NOT seen/heard any evidence that the persons in the truck were southern.

I don't at all doubt that is true. Your mileage may vary with what the flag typically means depending on where you live. I would guess (and that is all it is) that your more likely to come across people who view it as a symbol of "southern" without any racist intent here in the south.

 

[bill5]

Attacking the Confederate flag is a way to vent hatred.

Don't you get it? It's OK to vent hatred and be intolerant if you're self-righteous about it. Duh!

 

[Armoured]

If the pen is mightier than the sword, there's no reason to think the tongue is weaker.
Besides, this attitude is just a licence to be a mean spirited jerk; and then hide behind even MORE accusations that the person you are insulting is weak.

Don't overthink it, I just thought it was a cool viking meme.

 

[Armoured]

If Obama was white and they had to defend him based on his record, they'd be sunk.

So why don't neocons discuss the actual issues? Why is it all "the Kenyan Muslim socialist is gunna eat your babies!" stuff?

 

[Armoured]

Don't you get it? It's OK to vent hatred and be intolerant if you're self-righteous about it. Duh!

I don't know who this is meant to be referring, it seems apt to so many on both sides.

You go America, keep balkanising and eliminating the rational middle ground.

 

[JustOneWay]

My perspective:

The media is deflecting the racism issue onto the flag. Taking down the flag is not taking down racism. Remove all the confederate flags and racism will not disappear, nor is is likely to diminish. Attacking the Confederate flag is easy, dealing with racism is not; but people can hold this up and think or tell others that they are being proactive.

Exactly. In fact, it is creating more animosity by attacking everything confederate.

 

[Armoured]

Exactly. In fact, it is creating more animosity by attacking everything confederate.

I agree. If anything, the feel good "see? we're getting rid of the bad racist symbol" movement is going to be counter productive and actually further entrench racism at all levels.

No actual racists are going to give up their flags, but any non-racist who happens to want one for whatever reason is going to be frustrated and made to feel bad.

I suspect the law of unintended consequences is gunna turn around and bite people over this.

Indeed, if the 6 burn churches have anything to do with all this, the bite back may have already started.

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

Indeed, a smoke screen to obscure the real issues.

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

Mankind is not getting any smarter.

 

[nightflight]

This whole confederate flag issue came in the wake of the horrific killings in Charleston, where the good people of that city acted in a way that left the DNC-Media complex angry and befuddled. Instead of protests, hate and even violence there were hugs, forgiveness, reconciliation, and worst of all, much Christian verbiage being bandied about. So the Dem-Meds had to inject an issue that would re-divide people.

After all, we can't be getting along outside the template of our betters.

 

[JustOneWay]

Ya, that is it....

It isn't angry and deadly white supremacists to blame, it is the DNC and the media. LOL

Breitbart's ridiculous conspiracies died with him.

 

[rambot]

This whole confederate flag issue came in the wake of the horrific killings in Charleston, where the good people of that city acted in a way that left the DNC-Media complex angry and befuddled. Instead of protests, hate and even violence there were hugs, forgiveness, reconciliation, and worst of all, much Christian verbiage being bandied about. So the Dem-Meds had to inject an issue that would re-divide people.

After all, we can't be getting along outside the template of our betters.

Whew! I was worried there wouldn't be a way to demonize the Dems here. I wonder how those victims would like to see the Confederate Flag issue resolved?


I'd definitely agree that the flag issue is subplanting the race issue in America. BUT, where I'd differ is in saying there is no importance in it. Frankly put, racism will always exist, but there are things that can be done that does not give it cultural and social creedence.

 

[nightflight]

Whew! I was worried there wouldn't be a way to demonize the Dems here. I wonder how those victims would like to see the Confederate Flag issue resolved?

Well, you don't need to worry; they never let a crisis go to waste.