The idea that in 2015 we are still debating the merits of whether the Confederate flag should be removed is truly vexing to me. But it has me thinking, is it that folks just don’t know the meaning of the Confederate Flag? Or is it that the truth is just too ugly for liberal minded folks to acknowledge? The bottom line is the Confederate flag is directly tied to the Confederate cause, which was and will always be about white supremacy and pro-slavery. The Confederate States of America firmly and emphatically stood for slavery and white supremacy from its birth.
And anyone who chooses to say otherwise is basically turning a blind eye and refusing to be reality based about this country’s history and the enduring strength of the racist views that its symbols celebrate.This is not my opinion nor is it the result of revisionism. And you don’t need to read between the lines to understand the plain meaning that the Confederate flag has held for many across history.
Now, after the Civil War ended, the “Stars and Bars” flag became the source of Southern pride and heritage. For some, it was a way to honor the soldiers who lost their lives, but as racism and segregation took a hold of the country as a whole, and particularly in the southern states, it became a divisive and violent symbol of the Ku Klux Klan and white supremacist groups.
Just the other day, the Loyal White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan’s Pelham, North Carolina, chapter reserved the Statehouse Grounds in South Carolina for a rally next month. And according to James Spears, the Great Titan of the chapter, he said the group would be rallying to protest “the Confederate flag being took down for all the wrong reasons. It’s part of white people’s culture,” he added.
Part of white people’s culture… Here we have an example of just one of the many modern-day racists who continue to brandish Confederate symbols and trust that they are not distorting their meaning. On the contrary: these racists stand proudly within the Confederate tradition. And the sad reality is there are a large percentage of folks who are closeted racists who pay homage to an armed insurrection that resulted in the deaths of more than 700,000 combined troops and civilians and actually revere the leaders responsible.
But as James Spears stated, this is a part of white people’s culture… So I guess this makes it okay… And I guess us black folks who have an issue with being reminded of a time not long ago when we had a legalized system of slavery, dehumanization, rape and mass murder are supposed to continue dealing with it. Like we’ve always done.
I have a better idea. Why don’t we just educate folks on the real history of this country? Let’s stop hiding behind freedom of speech and being political correct and call out ignorance and hate for what it is. And if white folks are tired of hearing black folks talk about racism, think about how much more tired we are of experiencing it… Just sayin…
Dawn M. Edwards 
Among the debate about the Confederate Flag, people are arguing the facts behind the Civil War. If I hear one more person say the War was not about slavery, my head is going to implode. While Lincoln’s initial desire may have been to maintain the Union, the southern states’ intention was definitely to maintain their rights to slavery. Just take a look at their individual Articles of Secession, their stances were stated pretty clearly. And there were grumblings well before Lincoln was ever elected that should he be elected, the southern states would secede (based on the slavery issue). So yeah, even without modern day hate groups taking over the Confederate Flag for their own nefarious use, it has always been a symbol of hate and racism. It might be a part of the South’s heritage, that’s true, but that does not negate the fact that its original symbolism is steeped in the southern states’ horrific intent for participation in the Civil War. Heritage should not always be something people take pride in.
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Well said. And it’s so crazy to think that any amount of authentic progress can be made when we’re so reluctant to even have a real dialogue about these issues.
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It just drives me crazy when seemingly intelligent people cannot or will not face the issues. It’s like their head is buried in the sand. I don’t know if they are deliberately stupid (in denial and/or refuse to educate themselves properly) or simply obtuse. Either way, sadly the result is the same. And you’re right of course in your statements about change and progress. What hope can there be if people cannot even see our history for what it was? Meanwhile churches are burning and people are greeting our President waving the Confederate flag proudly and we’re taking one giant leap backwards in time and as I said before, one’s heritage is not always a source of pride. It’s sad that not everyone can see that.
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I have always thought, up to this point in time, the Confederate flag was to bring people and all States together, hence Confederation. Joining Confederation! Territories in Canada joined Confederation to become One Country. My ignorance with American History not being taught in Canada. So, with that said, I agree that all confederation Flags and Monuments Need To Be Removed.
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Love this post! The fact that the Ku Klux Klan can reserve Statehouse Grounds is enough of a reason to say “what the hell”! Now I can “understand” how James Spears came to the conclusion that his people have a right to display their flag as a part of their culture. We do all, for the most part, have the freedom of speech. However, we do not have the right to clearly and actively discriminate against a group of people publicly. The confederate flag is a sign of hate, and must be destroyed. Conversely, similarly to what you’ve stated, if the US wants to keep all of the confederate mementos in place, they need to be honest. The government needs to recognize and publicly state the true nature of the confederate symbolism. If they are not willing to do so, that motherfucking flag, and all other symbolism related, needs to be removed!
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That’s just it-our gov’t and elected officials have such a hard time being real and acknowledging all the hateful facets that make up this country. Leaves the rest of us with no choice but to speak on it any and every chance we get!
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