South wants to rise again

[MrsCat 6]

Civil War Confederate uniforms were once illegal to wear. Now there are thousands of reenacters all over the south.

There were many plantation owners who fought for the states' rights and agriculture as an export commodity who actually PAID their slaves. Many of these same plantation owners also helped their former slaves get reestablished when slavery was abolished (which btw, was not in 1863 but was later).

The KKK uses a variation of the Souther Cross on their flag.

Many people who see the flag as a heritage thing have no ties to slavery, and are well-educated men and women with no thoughts of hatred. Including many historians.

The swastika is a Hindi symbol which was taken and inverted by the Nazis and definitely did not stand for hatred.

Not everyone who is from the south or is proud of the contributions of men and women during and after the Civil War are racist, hating, pigs. Please don't stereotype them as such.

It's a flag. It's a symbol. It has become for many a symbol of hatred. That being said, it probably shouldn't be flown on the side of the road just for poops and giggles. But at the same time, people will see what they want to see in it. Just because you have anger in your heart doesn't mean that the person who has pride in their heritage also has that hatred.

And just because someone is from the south doesn't mean he or she is a racist.

And many Southern blacks have absolutely NO tie to slavery or segregation pre-Civil Rights era. Just as many Southern whites had nothing to do with the other side.

Well said, well put!

[MrsCat 6]

Joel and others who are interested in what the Confederate flag 'means' today might be interested in Tony Horowitz's excellent book "Confederate in the Attic". It explores many of the controversial issues surrounded 'political correctness', interpretation, original causes of the Civil War and modern beliefs about the causes, as well as what motivates Civil war reenactors. It is a thought-provoking, well-written and enjoyable read. it is readily available in most book stores and on Amazon.

Thanks for the recommendation, just ordered it

[Ban Hammer 13,352]

On the other hand, why would you want to display a symbol knowing what kind of reaction it would cause?

That, my friend, is the question. We know what the Confederate flag used to stand for, we know how it is viewed now, and why would you want to go down that road?

Controversy...IMHO that's the reason. Some people just can't exist without stirring up trouble....kinda like an outboard motor in a cess pool...always stirring up "stuff".

now THAT'S an analogy!

[Heracles 417]

I love how some can rationalize who gets rights and who does'nt.

Simple. If you are Northern black you get rights and benefits. You can curse and condemn the country and then claim that someone else is using sound bites to change the context of what you yourself have just said.

If you are southern white you should just die. You are clearly to blame for the world's woes.

Welcome to the civilized and fair America of 2008..

Edited June 1, 2008 by Boo-Yah!

[Pinocchio Liberal 268]

I love how some can rationalize who gets rights and who does'nt.

Simple. If you are Northern black you get rights and benefits. You can curse and condemn the country and then claim that someone else is using sound bites to change the context of what you yourself have just said.

If you are southern white you should just die. You are clearly to blame for the world's woes.

Welcome to the civilized and fair America of 2008..

Dude, we have had too many rights for too long.

[amiquechu 0]

Raising a flag is the least of my worries! Someone needs to clean the sand from between their legs