im not from the south...but can someone help explain this to me...
By britt_200
@britt_200 (1226)
United States
8 responses
@miccant (154)
• United States
11 Feb 09
The confederate flag is not ment to upset people. It is just that a flag. I have many friends both black and white that fly their flags proudly. It was part of the georgia flag for many years. I hope one day everyone can see past the color of someones skin and look at the person inside.
1 person likes this
@britt_200 (1226)
• United States
11 Feb 09
o i completely agree with you on that one...but will we if we are still dividing a nation with the confederate flag...if we are still flying a flag that meant slavery...people whose ansestors where enslaved by the people flying it might think otherwise....
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
11 Feb 09
Do you also have a problem with the state flags of every state that had slaves in the past? If not, why do those flags not represent slavery?
1 person likes this
@britt_200 (1226)
• United States
18 Feb 09
well the fact that those southern states all fly the confederate flag is what i have a problem with, not the individual state flags...
@lilwonders456 (8214)
• United States
16 Feb 09
I agree that is offensive now. But not because of the civil war. It is offensive because after the war and to this day....the south did not stand up for that flag when they should have. The KKK uses that flag and they never should have been allowed to. Because they use it, it is now seen as a racist symbol.
When truely to most southerners it stands for states rights. But a lot of people do not see it that way anymore because of the KKK. Which is a shame.
1 person likes this
@lilwonders456 (8214)
• United States
18 Feb 09
The civil war was not completely about slavery. it was mainly about state's right vs federal rights.
1 person likes this
@britt_200 (1226)
• United States
18 Feb 09
well the reason that they started using this flag is the fact of what it standed for in the past...now its just more of a racist symbol to a lot of people
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
15 Feb 09
The flag never stood for racism to people in the south. To them it was a symbol of pride and heritage like flags are to most people. The south was not Nazi Germany. There were plenty of people in the south who were not slave owners and just loved their land and their countrymen. Only rich people owned slaves and as you well know, rich people are always the minority. I had a friend in highschool who was proud to be a redneck. He wore a confederate flag shirt to school once and nobody in our group of friends, 2 of which were black, were offended because we knew he wasn't racist.
He ended up being sent home by a black administrator who told him it was a symbol of racism. He tried to explain to her that it was a symbol of heritage and pointed to the fact that he had friends with him who were black, but she sent him home anyway.
I think some people make it a bigger deal than it has to be.
1 person likes this
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
12 Feb 09
The confederate flag is more than just about the war. It's a symbol of pride, yes, and a symbol of what we are. It's about what we stood up against and what we believe in. That's atleast what I view our flag as being... It makes me feel good seeing the flag, whether it be flown or whether it be worn.
1 person likes this
@britt_200 (1226)
• United States
18 Feb 09
what our flag? i believe our flag is the us flag...the symbol of freedom...not the confederate flag...a flag of racism...
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
11 Feb 09
You see racism and slavery when you look at the confederate flag but, just because you do, does not mean that everyone else does as well. Our southern states are about more than just slavery. I live in a very rural area of Florida. I'm not from here so I've asked folks about that flag in the past and the answer is always the same...it's symbolic of the South....southern pride...southern values. The people here are, without exception, the nicest people I've ever known and there is no problem with racism here. Suggesting that those who fly the confederate flag are celebrating slavery diminishes the feelings they have for where they are and is insulting to them.
1 person likes this
@miccant (154)
• United States
11 Feb 09
nicely said. I have stated about the same in my post above. My family was born and raised in the south. Color of a persons skin has no meaning its what is inside that counts. My brother has a daughter who is mixed and so does my husbands sister. Those children are just as much meaning to me as my own children. The color of your skin does not tell what kind of person you are.
1 person likes this
@britt_200 (1226)
• United States
18 Feb 09
the only thing im saying is that the fact the flag stands for slavery it is that it is hurtfull to some cultures...im looking back to the day the flag was flown for the one reason that they wanted slavery...
@wonttakelong (3555)
• United States
14 Feb 09
I have to agree with you
there is no such thing as the confederate states anymore
when the confederate states did exist it symbolized slavery, oppression and racism
call it white pride if you will but its still racism, plain and simple
as an American citizen it disgusts me to see that flag displayed
in America there should be the American flag and the state flag flown with pride
not a flag that represents such hatred and bigotry toward other US citizens
we are all ONE nation
the people who display that flag need to get with the times and put that ugly past behind them
1 person likes this
@britt_200 (1226)
• United States
18 Feb 09
THANK YOU! thats why there is a us flag...why is there a reason to fly it anymore...
@bobmnu (8157)
• United States
16 Feb 09
First of all the Civil War was fought over the issue of States Rights vs A Strong Central Government. Many northern state were not in full support of President Lincoln and what direction he wanted to take the country. When the Union had trouble recruiting soldiers the issue of slavery became the rallying cry.
To many people in this country the "Stars and Bars" as it is known is a symbol of opposition to a strong Federal Government. It is used to defiance toward the Federal Government and issues like taxes, immigration, education, and other attempts to make one size fit all. It is similar to the people who fly the "Don't Tread on Me" Flag. Which is becoming a symbol for those who feel individual freedoms are more important than government s attempts to impose uniformity on all.
1 person likes this
@ladyluna (7004)
• United States
13 Feb 09
Hello Britt_200,
I see the flying of the Confederate Flag and the flying of The Alamo flag as interchangeable. Each represents the commitment of our ancestors to put their pride & principles above their chances of winning a battle, or a war.
There are also a great many who fly the Confederate Flag in continued support of the State's Rights aspect of Federalism. No other symbol best represents the meaning behind our nation's 10th Amendment.
As others have pointed out in this discussion the Confederate Flag represents all that it meant to be a Southern American. To associate such a rich history with one horrifying chapter in our nations history is a terribly unfair conflagration.
There is so much history associated with the Confederate Flag, and all of our historical flags, that it becomes really important to know the history before we pass judgement. For example: Old Glory and the Culpeper Minutemen Flag are the two flags that fly above our home. Before we chose to fly the Culpeper flag, we did exhaustive research to determine which of the many U.S.A. flags best represents our views of our government.
http://www.flagstuff.com/historic-flags/index.html
http://www.ask.com/bar?q=usa+flags&page=1&qsrc=2417&zoom=%3CKW%3EUSA+Flag%3C%2FKW%3E+Wallpaper%7CHistory+of+the+American+%3CKW%3EFlag%3C%2FKW%3E%7COld+%3CKW%3EUSA+Flags%3C%2FKW%3E&ab=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.enchantedlearning.com%2Fusa%2Fflags%2F
@ladyluna (7004)
• United States
20 Feb 09
Hello Brit_200,
I'm sorry, but there is simply no way to pussyfoot around this; you are very much mistaken. Flags DO NOT represent the views of governments. They represent the values of THE PEOPLE who support those governments. So, let's take a look at the values of the both the Yankees & the Confederates, shall we?
[b]"Charge #3: The Confederate Flag flew over Slavery.
While this is true, the same can be said of the u.S. Flag. The u.S. Flag flew over slavery a full 70 years before the Confederate States of America came into existence. The Confederate Flag never flew over the Ships that brought the slaves over here. To top it all off, the Confederate States of America freed her slaves in 1863; the Federal Union didn’t do it until 1868 with the passage of the 13th amendment."[/b]
http://www.ask.com/bar?q=What+Does+the+Confederate+Flag+Stand+for&page=1&qsrc=6&zoom=History+of+%3CKW%3Ethe+Confederate+Flag%3C%2FKW%3E%7C%3CKW%3EWhat+Does+the+Confederate+Flag%3C%2FKW%3E+Represent%7C%3CKW%3EWhat+Does+the+Confederate+Flag%3C%2FKW%3E+Symbolize&ab=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.federationofstates.org%2Fflag.htm
Before you attempt to inextricably link the Confederate flag to the values of the Ku Klux Klan, you really need to do some research! According to the referenced rebuttal, the majority of Klan knuckleheads fly "The Stars & Stripes", not "The Stars & Bars"!
Below is a snippet from yet another, separate source that explains that the KKK does not organizationally attach itself to "The Stars & Bars", rather it sanctions the flight of "The Stars & Stripes".
[b]"ATTENTION * * A note to the reader. This is NOT a Pro KKK site!! In fact, it is the direct opposite....
This site is meant to educate the reader that the KKK has used the United States Of America's "Stars and Stripes" flag MORE than compared to the Confederate Battle Flag....Do NOT be confused... The Confederate Battle Flag IS NOT the official flag of the KKK[/b]. Please keep this in mind....Again, this website does not condone, sanction, promote or affiliate ourselves with the KKK in any way. This should be obvious from reading the text of the website. Please, read on..."
http://www.ask.com/bar?q=what+flag+does+the+Ku+Klux+Klan+fly%3F+&page=1&qsrc=0&zoom=What+Do+the+Words+%3CKW%3EKu+Klux+Klan%3C%2FKW%3E+Mean%7C%3CKW%3EDoes+the+Ku+Klux+Klan%3C%2FKW%3E+Still+Exist%7CWho+Started+%3CKW%3Ethe+Ku+Klux+Klan%3C%2FKW%3E&ab=0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rulen.com%2Fkkk%2F
I would urge you to read the referenced comprehensive rebuttal to the common misperceptions surrounding this topic. For your convenience, here is the link again:
http://www.ask.com/bar?q=What+Does+the+Confederate+Flag+Stand+for&page=1&qsrc=6&zoom=History+of+%3CKW%3Ethe+Confederate+Flag%3C%2FKW%3E%7C%3CKW%3EWhat+Does+the+Confederate+Flag%3C%2FKW%3E+Represent%7C%3CKW%3EWhat+Does+the+Confederate+Flag%3C%2FKW%3E+Symbolize&ab=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.federationofstates.org%2Fflag.htm
@britt_200 (1226)
• United States
18 Feb 09
the flags represent the views of the government...so what does the confederation say about the govenment?
