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The Confederate flag holds a history of slavery, oppression, and racism. If anyone wants to debate that they will in turn be denying reality, it is that simple. Some may say they are honoring the flag as a symbol of states' rights or individual liberties, both great messages to our nation. However, a better symbol could be used. The negative connotation attached to the Confederate Flag is so depraving that anyone who is against segregation and slavery should not warrant its display. To exemplify this point, another symbol should be put into light. The swastika is a religious symbol in Hinduism, but in present day anyone who wore it would be labeled as anti-semitic and supportive of the death of over 6 million human beings. So how could it be Okay to adorn another symbol that supported the oppression of an entire race of people? It is shameful that our nation still holds on to this malicious symbol of the past, and I believe it should be banned from public display.
Yes, the Confederate flag stands for terrible things like racism, slavery, etc. But it's people's rights to freedom of speech and opinion. If someone can get rid of the Confederate flag because people think it's bad, than someone can ban pictures of Bush or Obama because they don't like them. Simple as that.
Yes, that's exactly true. A person burning the flag is expressing an idea. It may be a contemptible idea, but the First Amendment allows us to express our ideas, not just the ones that other people like.
What's the difference between words and action??? They have a tendency to mean the same thing (at least when people are honest). Would you say that it's okay for hate speech too? People broadcasting hateful messages against any specific group? That kind of intoleration is intolerable.
There is a very fine line between hate speech and protest. Suppose the government wanted to outlaw that too? Then we just need a state religion and take over the media and we won't have that pesky first amendment anymore.
So it is your right to injure someone emotionally? Because like it or not, the confederate flag is a symbol of racial prejudice and slavery, and to flaunt your "right to free speech" in someone who was on the receiving end of that stick will hurt all those involved. If you need to protest, I'm sure you can find some way that doesn't involve celebrating the hundreds of years of forced servitude of a person based on the color of one's skin. It's a logical fallacy to equivocate the confederate flag to a free speech issue.
So it is your right to injure someone emotionally?
It most certainly is.
Because like it or not, the confederate flag is a symbol of racial prejudice and slavery, and to flaunt your "right to free speech" in someone who was on the receiving end of that stick will hurt all those involved.
Actually slavery was only one of many dividing issues that caused the civil war, and most people who understand history know that. It represents a country that formed in 1861 which the US conquered in the name of "equality", not racism incarnate. In fact racism was prevalent in almost every part of the United States, the north included, and slavery was orchestrated for over a century by northern slave companies while the confederacy only existed for about 5 years. If someone is "hurt" by that, it's their own fault for not understanding what it really means.
If you need to protest, I'm sure you can find some way that doesn't involve celebrating the hundreds of years of forced servitude of a person based on the color of one's skin.
Again, I will refer to my previous argument. The flag represents a country, not racism. And 95% of those "hundreds of years" were condoned under the stars and stripes, not the stars and bars, so if you want to get all high and might about the slavery issue, why don't you criticize it too?
It's a logical fallacy to equivocate the confederate flag to a free speech issue.
Then why don't we jail people for displaying the rainbow flag? I personally think gays are disgusting, and I would be very happy to dispose off all the "gay pride" nonsense, but that's not how things work in America. Perhaps you should move somewhere else.
"Actually slavery was only one of many dividing issues that caused the civil war"
States' rights was the broader issue, but it would be simplistic to view slavery as a minor hot spot of political discussion.
It did not make any sense to secede, economically, politically or culturally. Secession was guaranteed if Lincoln won because he was seen as a danger to the way of life of Southern Democrats (i.e. wealthy landowners (i.e. plantation owners (i.e. slaveholders))). They believed his policies would ultimately result in the dissolution of the institution, which it eventually did, but through a war. Lincoln himself didn't initially believe slavery would need to be abolished right away.
There was little cultural difference between the North and the South, and there was no physical boundary that would act as a divide, like most other countries are divided. The South also would not have been capable of supporting itself in any sort of development, as there was little to know industry in the South except for agriculture. Politically, there were very few advantages to seceding, except domestically. Internationally, the world had begun to move beyond slavery, and the international community viewed America somewhat like a "baby brother" if you will, content to leave her with her own internal squabbles.
"racism was prevalent in almost every part of the United States"
Irrelevant, racism existed and still exists in quite a few places around the world and in the US. That does not mean it is or was right.
Additionally, it wasn't just "northern slave companies." There were far more parties involved, and a vast amount of trade was conducted in Southern ports, and after the international slave trade was abolished in 1808, and the abolition movement took a foothold in the North, nearly all trading was done internally in the South.
"confederacy only existed for about 5 years"
Slavery existed in the south since the late 1600s. By saying the Confederacy existed for about 5 years, you are forgetting to mention that the Confederacy was really just a regrouping of Southern states where slavery was permissible.
"The flag represents a country, not racism."
Really, so even though we are part of the United States of America, and our flag is a symbol of our country, you don't see it as a symbol for freedom, equality, or justice? No, that would simply be ridiculous.
" 95% of those "hundreds of years" were condoned under the stars and stripes, not the stars and bars"
For 95% of human existence slavery was condoned by the powers that be. That doesn't make it right.
"Then why don't we jail people for displaying the rainbow flag? I personally think gays are disgusting, and I would be very happy to dispose off all the "gay pride" nonsense"
I honestly have nothing to say. Silly gays, equality is for straights.
The first amendment gives me the right to speak my mind. If my mind is offensive to someone and "injures them emotionally", that is not my fault, and I should not be expected to keep quiet or be politically correct because I may offend someone.
It did not make any sense to secede, economically, politically or culturally.
It made perfect sense to secede based on every single one of those topics. I'll start with economics. The north was industrial, the south was agrarian. These economic interests often collide, especially in the political spectrum, which brings me to point number two. Politics. What the south wanted and what the north wanted were often political opposites (no, not just on the issue of slavery). Mainly, it was that the southern states wanted more freedom and autonomy, while the north wanted more federal power and control. Perhaps the biggest difference however, was spurred by the vast cultural difference between the two regions. First of all, they were settled by different colonist groups. The north, mainly by English Puritans, and the south was mostly of Scott-Irish descent. The lifestyle of a southerner was also much different than that of a northerner, which perpetuated the cultural difference over the years. Southerners had a culture of pulling oneself up by the bootstraps and taking care of their own. Northerners relied more on a system, laws, or might. It made perfect sense for them to secede, and they shouldn't have been in a binding union in the first place.
There was little cultural difference between the North and the South, and there was no physical boundary that would act as a divide, like most other countries are divided.
There was a vast cultural difference, to which I will refer to my previous argument above. And there most certainly was a boundary. It was called the Mason-Dixon line, and the only reason it was never recognized as the official boarder between the USA and the CSA is because the confederacy was conquered.
The South also would not have been capable of supporting itself in any sort of development, as there was little to know industry in the South except for agriculture
Then you must not be aware of the fact that the southern states were the world leader in cotton production, and that through that, they amassed some of the greatest wealth to ever bless the nation. Industry is irrelevant when there is a substantial amount of exportable product (and therefore, wealth).
Politically, there were very few advantages to seceding, except domestically
Those domestic reasons were extremely important to anyone who resided there.
Internationally, the world had begun to move beyond slavery, and the international community viewed America somewhat like a "baby brother" if you will, content to leave her with her own internal squabbles.
The international community was riveted with many worse problems for themselves to be thinking lowly of "immature" America.
Irrelevant, racism existed and still exists in quite a few places around the world and in the US. That does not mean it is or was right.
It most certainly is relevant if you wish to contend that the south was the source of racism in America.
Slavery existed in the south since the late 1600s. By saying the Confederacy existed for about 5 years, you are forgetting to mention that the Confederacy was really just a regrouping of Southern states where slavery was permissible.
Slavery also existed in the north. In fact, the very first colony to allow slavery was in the north. My point is that the south was not to blame for an issue that the whole country participated in.
Really, so even though we are part of the United States of America, and our flag is a symbol of our country, you don't see it as a symbol for freedom, equality, or justice? No, that would simply be ridiculous.
No, because the United States has ceased to become the country it was originally founded to be. Private freedom is being trampled upon by an ever expanding federal government. Economic freedom is being trampled upon by socialism. Equality is being contorted out of it's original meaning, and justice no longer has teeth because of a pantywaist liberal judicial system that gives murderers 3 square meals a day and a flat screen TV to watch instead of the hanging they rightfully deserve. The confederacy wouldn't have allowed that.
For 95% of human existence slavery was condoned by the powers that be. That doesn't make it right.
No, it's not right. My point was that it was a systemic issue that can't be entirely blamed on the south.
"The first amendment gives me the right to speak my mind."
I think if you had any basic knowledge of freedom of speech you'd realize how simplistic your view is. Try asking the Supreme Court if free speech is an absolute.
"The north was industrial, the south was agrarian."
And an agrarian economy would have been so successful in the modern/modernizing world.
"Mainly, it was that the southern states wanted more freedom and autonomy, while the north wanted more federal power and control."
You don't think that's simplistic? Slavery was the fulcrum for the freedom and autonomy.
"The north, mainly by English Puritans, and the south was mostly of Scott-Irish descent. The lifestyle of a southerner was also much different than that of a northerner, which perpetuated the cultural difference over the years. Southerners had a culture of pulling oneself up by the bootstraps and taking care of their own. Northerners relied more on a system, laws, or might."
By the time of the Civil War, however, I would argue that American views of Christianity were all largely Protestant. There was a cultural difference, certainly, but the fact is the two sides of the country were inextricably linked with family ties and common political values (the "values" you listed for the North and South were more American values rather than Northern or Southern values).
"It was called the Mason-Dixon line, and the only reason it was never recognized as the official boarder between the USA and the CSA is because the confederacy was conquered."
You realize that I meant an actual, physical border, not a line drawn on a map, correct?
"Those domestic reasons were extremely important to anyone who resided there."
Yes, as they should be, but their domestic issues certainly did not require secession.
"The international community was riveted with many worse problems for themselves to be thinking lowly of "immature" America."
I said that.
"the south was the source of racism"
I didn't say that.
" In fact, the very first colony to allow slavery was in the north. My point is that the south was not to blame for an issue that the whole country participated in."
And the first state to abolish it was in the north. Although the whole country may have participated in it at one point, the South was responsible for the perpetuation of slavery.
"No, because the United States has ceased to become the country it was originally founded to be. "
And thus the rant of America in a rapidly accelerating decline begins.
"The confederacy wouldn't have allowed that."
No, never.
"No, it's not right. My point was that it was a systemic issue that can't be entirely blamed on the south."
No, the instance of slavery may not be blamed entirely on the south, but the south shoulders the majority of responsibility for perpetuating slavery.
I think if you had any basic knowledge of freedom of speech you'd realize how simplistic your view is. Try asking the Supreme Court if free speech is an absolute.
OK, then how about we ban the rainbow flag since it's associated with gays, and that offends some people. Is that fair? As far as flags are concerned, the supreme court has only ruled in one case and that was that it wasn't illegal to burn one (which obviously offended a lot of people).
And an agrarian economy would have been so successful in the modern/modernizing world.
Yes it would have been, because, as I mentioned before, the south was a world leader in cotton production, and they made an enormous amount of profit. The south was not completely void of any industry whatsoever. They had enough to sustain themselves, and what they couldn't make, they could buy with the massive profits they made of of their exports.
You don't think that's simplistic? Slavery was the fulcrum for the freedom and autonomy.
It has to be somewhat simplistic because it would take months to hash though every detail on this site. My point is that the way of southern culture is to be independent and self sufficient. Slavery was only a help to the wealthy elite, as they were the only ones who could afford them. It was the general consensus of the south that drove them to a secession, not the top 10%.
By the time of the Civil War, however, I would argue that American views of Christianity were all largely Protestant.
Yes I would agree. But that doesn't mean they all shared the same values or culture.
the two sides of the country were inextricably linked with family ties and common political values
Some of the border states probably did have a lot of family on either side, but as far as political values go, they were very very different. In many ways, it was a partisan war between the Democrats (the then conservative party) and the Republicans (the then liberal party). The president of the union (who was a Republican) got a lot of support form almost every single northern state, while he received not a single electoral vote from any of the southern states.
You realize that I meant an actual, physical border, not a line drawn on a map, correct?
The boarders around Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Kentucky, and Virginia would serve as the boundary between the Confederacy and the US.
Yes, as they should be, but their domestic issues certainly did not require secession.
They had been squabbling over political and cultural differences since the union was conceived. It would have relieved a lot of governmental pressure to let them go.
And the first state to abolish it was in the north. Although the whole country may have participated in it at one point, the South was responsible for the perpetuation of slavery.
No, the slaveholders and the crooked politicians who catered to them are to blame for the perpetuation of slavery. Not the whole area. In fact, most people found it to be against their interests for slavery to exist because it took job opportunities away from free men. Furthermore, the vast majority of the people who fought for the confederacy never owned a single slave, and knew they would be too poor to ever hope to own one in the future.
No, the instance of slavery may not be blamed entirely on the south, but the south shoulders the majority of responsibility for perpetuating slavery.
Which is the fault of the fault of the slave owners and bribe-able politicians. Your statements seem to suggest you blame the issue on every man woman and child who ever resided there, when in fact, it was a small, wealthy minority that owned most of the slaves.
"OK, then how about we ban the rainbow flag since it's associated with gays"
You do recognize the significant difference between gays and confederates, correct?
"the supreme court has only ruled in one case and that was that it wasn't illegal to burn one"
I said free speech. Yes, flag burning is an example of when the Court protected symbolic speech. That does not, however, imply that they would protect flying the Confederate flag.
"Yes it would have been, because, as I mentioned before, the south was a world leader in cotton production"
Name one competitive, global power that has an agrarian economy today.
"they made an enormous amount of profit."
False. Those who invested heavily in cotton and other cash crops received the most profits, and those who invested heavily were plantation owners, and to produce large quantities of cash crops, the plantation owners used slave labor. Thus, the majority of the wealth accumulated in the South was to a relatively small few.
"It was the general consensus of the south that drove them to a secession"
I suppose if you were to go back in time and ask the soldiers, "Why did you secede?" he would say, "For my freedom." And if you asked "Which freedom?" He couldn't say. Like most wars, especially those motivated by profit, the wealthy elite (that 10% who you yourself say were the wealthy elite, although you somehow believe that those 10% didn't have an incredibly large impact on the politics of the South) drive the masses towards fighting with vague concepts of freedom, liberty, peace, and prosperity.
"In fact, most people found it to be against their interests for slavery to exist because it took job opportunities away from free men."
But they feared the sudden competition in the workforce of millions of men if the slaves were freed more.
" Furthermore, the vast majority of the people who fought for the confederacy never owned a single slave, and knew they would be too poor to ever hope to own one in the future."
I thought you said they believed they were of the persuasion that one could pull one's self up by his or her boot straps. You can't have it both ways.
"you blame the issue on every man woman and child who ever resided there"
I do no such thing. It would be ridiculous to blame those who did not favor slavery for slavery. I thought that was implied. But, as I've laid out above, slaveholders held huge sway over local politics and beliefs and thus could greatly impact and influence the local people. Therefore, a majority of the South feel for that elite gentry's ruse.
I must say, this has strayed from the original topic quite a bit.
You do recognize the significant difference between gays and confederates, correct?
My point is that it it's not fair to ban a symbol simply because it offends some people.
Name one competitive, global power that has an agrarian economy today.
The US. There are many large American agricultural cooperations like Monsanto that rake in hundreds of billions of dollars every year. Agriculture will never cease to be a necessity in the world market because everyone needs to eat.
I said free speech. Yes, flag burning is an example of when the Court protected symbolic speech. That does not, however, imply that they would protect flying the Confederate flag.
The flag burning trial they judged was a freedom of speech issue that offended people. The display of the confederate flag is a freedom of speech issue that offends people. There's not that much difference.
False. Those who invested heavily in cotton and other cash crops received the most profits, and those who invested heavily were plantation owners, and to produce large quantities of cash crops, the plantation owners used slave labor. Thus, the majority of the wealth accumulated in the South was to a relatively small few.
Profit is profit, no matter where it goes.
I suppose if you were to go back in time and ask the soldiers, "Why did you secede?" he would say, "For my freedom." And if you asked "Which freedom?" He couldn't say.
They would likely say "freedom from the Union". That's not a whole lot different from a Continental soldier responding with "freedom from Britain". They wanted out from under the federal thumb and they had good reasons, just like the colonies wanted to be out from under the British thumb.
Like most wars, especially those motivated by profit, the wealthy elite (that 10% who you yourself say were the wealthy elite, although you somehow believe that those 10% didn't have an incredibly large impact on the politics of the South) drive the masses towards fighting with vague concepts of freedom, liberty, peace, and prosperity.
There were over 200,000 confederate soldiers that fought in that war. That was most of the male population, and almost all of them joined voluntarily without the need for a draft. Do you contend that a small number of wealthy planters convinced 200,000 men to fight to the death over something that didn't directly effect them?
But they feared the sudden competition in the workforce of millions of men if the slaves were freed more.
No they did not. First of all, free men had to be paid for their work. A slave did not, so freeing slaves would actually make it easier to get a job since then they would be on the same playing field. Also, most business owners would never hire a Negro over a white man, and people knew that.
I thought you said they believed they were of the persuasion that one could pull one's self up by his or her boot straps. You can't have it both ways.
Becoming prosperous by one's own work (or pulling oneself up by the bootstraps) does not necessitate one to own slaves. Slaves were very expensive, about the price of a luxury automobile today. And there are a lot of families that do fine today without owning a luxury automobile.
But, as I've laid out above, slaveholders held huge sway over local politics and beliefs and thus could greatly impact and influence the local people. Therefore, a majority of the South feel for that elite gentry's ruse.
Slaveholders had a huge sway in politics, but the southern culture had other issues with federal control that had nothing to do with slavery. People were already disgruntled by having a far away government tell them what to do without their due say. In fact, the biggest issue for southerners was when the federal government told them they couldn't secede. That one instance caused such a disturbance that several more states decided to secede simply because of that. Slavery was only the straw that broke the camel's back.
Yes, the Confederate flag (or more precisely "The" battle flag of the Confederacy") stands for all of those things, and more. Most often, when people display it they are expressing racist, contemptible, despicable, offensive, idiotic ideas...... as is their right under the First Amendment. If the First Amendment only protected inoffensive speech, many of us would never be allowed to open our mouths.
The Confederate flag holds a history of slavery, oppression, and racism. If anyone wants to debate that they will in turn be denying reality, it is that simple.
It most certainly is not that simple. Slavery, oppression, and racism have existed in every culture and every country since the dawn of civilization. The only reason the slavery in the south became a war issue was to prevent British aid to the confederacy. Nothing more than a political stunt by the Lincoln administration.
The negative connotation attached to the Confederate Flag is so depraving that anyone who is against segregation and slavery should not warrant its display.
Many people who actually know the history don't think of it in this way. The only reason for it's bad publicity was because of the Union's use of slavery as a moral "trump card" and the generations of information slanting. Any history book will tell you about how the south declared it's secession for reasons of slavery, but seldom do you find one that tells you that the first American colony to condone slavery was actually in the north, or that the majority of imprisoned Africans actually came to America on ships flying the stars and stripes, or British colony flag. Nor do they tell you that there were in fact more abolitionist movements in the south than there were in the north. The victor declares the history, and it's especially so in this case.
To exemplify this point, another symbol should be put into light. The swastika is a religious symbol in Hinduism, but in present day anyone who wore it would be labeled as anti-semitic and supportive of the death of over 6 million human beings.
Do you realize that only a very small percentage of southerners actually owned slaves? In fact, many southerners were strongly against it, especially in the years before the war. The wealthy elite were the slaveholders, and the common man was often disadvantaged by the use of slavery because it limited his job opportunities (since a business owner wouldn't want to pay a man what you can force a slave to do for free). Even so, at the start of the war, hundreds of thousands of men flocked to recruiting stations in the south, eager to defend what they believed to be their new country because they wanted to be out from under the federal thumb. That is what they fought over, not slavery. Most were far too poor to ever hope to own one, and they knew it. But they picked up their muskets and fought anyways. The Nazis on the other hand, believed that Jews should be exterminated. The government ensured that because the very few who weren't were promptly disposed of. The value of life, and the concept of racism was firmly implanted into the mind of every Nazi. The same cannot be said of the confederacy however, and thus, they should not all be grouped as racist oppressors. Nor should their flag be recognized as a symbol of that.
It is shameful that our nation still holds on to this malicious symbol of the past, and I believe it should be banned from public display.
Then I think we should ban the rainbow flag because it's a symbol of homosexuality, which I find contemptible. Does that sound fair?
not only is it the BATTLE flag of traitors, but it has since come to SYMBOLIZE white supremacy and racial hatred.
it has no place on display in any public place where government dollars are at work.
you want to put it up over your fireplace to show ppl when they come to dinner, fine.... that way they can know where you are coming from and walk out, if they have any sense.
Actually the first amendment can be overthrown. There have been many court cases involving students who were suspended and even expeled for refusing to remove articles of clothing that bore the confederate flag. When they went to court with their arguements, saying they had the freedom of speech for the idiots out there that dont know, thats in the first amendment. The court ruled to uphold the suspentions because the confederate flag "impinged on other students rights and interfered with the students ability to learn." Look up some cases if you dont believe me: 1997 Philips vs. Anderson County School District is one. When a symbol from the past causes outbreaks of violence, it needs to be removed. We are ONE NATION with ONE FLAG; not ONE NATION with an OPTIONAL FLAG depending on where you live.
Fuck all u assholes who say the confederate flag stands for racism u dumb illiterate fucks it does not, hell that wasn't even the reason for the WAR u fuckin dumbasses the north was taxin the hell outta the south thats why the war started taxation without representation u fucking idiots, and as far as lincoln freeing the slaves he was for slavery the only reason he freed them is because that is the only way he could win the election, now back to the flag i wear em i have em and i ain't no racist, just a hard workin man who is proud of his heritage and holds pride for the south, hell i know black men who voluntarily fly the flag and they say it stands for freedom cause hell when the war started any black who fought for the confederacy would be freed the american flag has seen more years of slavery than the rebel flag, it only seen 4 years when the american flag seen how many?
a traitor flag of the losers and the continued effort to rewrite history is ridiculous. but hey, don't let the truth stand in the way
The stars and stripes is also a traitor flag in that case because the American colonies rebelled against Great Britain. And as you mentioned, the confederates were conquered. How have they rewritten history? If anyone has the ability to do such a thing, it is the victors.
Ok I just want to start my tear-down-of-everything-that-you just-wrote with YOU ARE THE DUMBASS. You obviously slept through history class because the Confederates were fighting for slaver too. When formed, the Confederate States of America drafted their own constitution that defined their own values and differed from US constitution in many ways. If a Confederate state decided they wanted to abolish slavery, they were not allowed to do so.
From Article I, Section 9(4):
No bill of attainder, ex post facto law, or law denying or impairing the right of property in negro slaves shall be passed(1)
From Article IV, Section 2:
The citizens of each State shall be entitled to all the privileges and immunities of citizens in the several States; and shall have the right of transit and sojourn in any State of this Confederacy, with their slaves and other property; and the right of property in said slaves shall not be thereby impaired(1)
As you can see here, the supposedly pro-states rights south did not allow their own states the right to abolish slavery. Slavery was a guaranteed right to the citizens of the CSA, as strong (if not stronger) than any single right contained within the US constitution. So there, idiot, they were fighting for slavery.
Plus I am from the south. Born and raised in it all my life and I view the Confederate flag as a symbol of slavery. How can anyone not? The Ku Klux Klan's symbol was the Confederate flag and they not only flew it everywhere but the even killed their fellow citizens under it. Not only that but the Night Riders, America's first terrorists, had the Confederate flag as their symbol and flag. Yes lets fly the terrorist flag, why didnt I think of that. Oh thats right, because I am AMERICAN!!!!!!
The Confederate flag has been tainted by so many years of misuse, and because people allowed it to go on the flag can never be viewed the same way again.
As you can see here, the supposedly pro-states rights south did not allow their own states the right to abolish slavery
True. That's because to do so would be abolishing a citizen's right. They believed in citizen freedoms above all else. This doesn't mean that if a business felt morally opposed to slavery they couldn't stop using them, or if a consumer felt morally opposed to buying from a company that used slaves, they had to buy from them. It simply meant that the government couldn't force their hand. Furthermore, there were a LOT less rules and limitations the confederate government could put on their member states than there were with the US constitution. One restriction doesn't prove your case that they weren't really interested in states rights.
So there, idiot, they were fighting for slavery.
They were fighting for their state sovereignty and the rights of their citizens. The right to own slaves happened to be included in that. The only reason it was blown out of proportion was because of a political ploy to prevent British aid to the confederacy.
The Ku Klux Klan's symbol was the Confederate flag and they not only flew it everywhere but the even killed their fellow citizens under it.
The Ku Klux Klan was originally formed as a resistance movement to the North's punitive reconstruction agenda, and another interesting tidbit of information, they were after republicans, not just the Negroes. They also intimidated/killed their fair share of white republicans for supporting the northern agenda. Now days, there is no use for the Klan, and it really doesn't have anything to do with it's original foundation.
The Confederate flag has been tainted by so many years of misuse, and because people allowed it to go on the flag can never be viewed the same way again.
It can by people who know what it really stands for, which I suppose is a moot point for you since you obviously do not.
O and one more thing, People please read your history books... Not only white men but black men proudly fought and died under that flag. Don't take that away from them. Give them the honor and respect they deserve. They would be shamed of the way we act... ...I am just proud of my southern heritage. I completely understand most of the anger, believe me. But, that flags did not and does not stand for slavery.
I guess you have to be born and raised in the South by a White traditionl southern family and culture to understand it. Why do people (Mostly outside of the South) try to stir up trouble. I feel it is my heritage as a descendant of a Confederate Veteran with the Mississippi 20th infantry to be proud of his service. I don't go around complaining about Black history month or any other "Black" accomplishment issues. So I don't understand why people are so offended by it since they don't live in the South they don't have to see it very often. It's just a bunch of know it all yanks trying to rub out face in the mud again. You won't read it in history books by the after the War of Nothern Aggression many of the invading forces lived to humilate Southerners during the occupation and reconstruction of the South. My ancestors have passed stories through the years of what really happened during those times, so yes our family is very proud of that symbol of Southern heritage. I read a quote by the late great Paul Harvey that pretty much says it all. " if the Yankee's knew how great Mississippi was they would show and ruin it."
Well thank God that the Yanks decided we were not so desirable ( we are not ashamed to use the word God in the South) Political correctness has gotten out of hand and many Southerners don't appreciate the liberal agenda that has taken over many issues. We will fight for our flag and heritage make no mistake in understand that......
It is not a symbol of southern heritage. It is a symbol of traitors. All those who fought under that flag were traitor scum and should have been hung. After the south lost you swore allegiance to this country and as far as i am concerned by flying that flag or even being proud of it just shows that what lieing scum you and anyone who is still proud of that flag is.
No It Is A Symbol Of Southern Heritage. You May Think We Are Scum And Should Be Hung. But We Should Be Allowed To Display Our Heritage Just As You Can. My Family Fought
In The Civil War There Were Three Generations In That War. Do You Not Think That We Have A Right To Commemorate Them. Yes Our Flag May Offend Some People But What About The Stuff They Do To offend Us Is That Right At All?
It is not a symbol of southern heritage. It is a symbol of traitors. All those who fought under that flag were traitor scum and should have been hung.
This sounds an awful lot like British sentiment towards the colonies. So by your point, Americans are traitors to Great Britain, and since all traitors are scum and should be hung, I suppose we would have to hang all Americans.
After the south lost you swore allegiance to this country and as far as i am concerned
There is a saying that goes: "a man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still". After the south was conquered, they were given no choice. Even generations now days aren't really loyal to the Union, and neither am I.
by flying that flag or even being proud of it just shows that what lying scum you and anyone who is still proud of that flag is.
It shows that we will fight for freedom. And if you agree with the colonies point of view of the revolutionary war, you are traitorous lying scum as well.
I'm not for segregation or slavery. I think that it is someones personal freedom if they want to put up the flag. It would be too much work to monitor who has a confederate flag displaying. Until someone begins threatening others with their beliefs they shouldn't have to take down their flag.
The flag is nothing but a symbol, symbols are given power by the people. Simply banning the Confederate flag will accomplish nothing if the reasons why you want the flag banned still exist. So, although I don't approve of the history of the flag, I realize that banning it will do nothing to solve the deeper issues behind it.
i proudly display my confederate flag cas I'm a proud southerner and yes i am a proud white man but that doesn't mean that i think that just because I'm white that I'm Superior to anyone who isn't i am not a raciest all that flag means to me is history and southern pride
