Confederate Flag

[catchow]

I dont know all the facts this is true, so i cant really have an opinion on this, I just feel that now days its so easy for someone to say Im offended, ok so if some people are offended by this flag, what next, someone saying they are offended by the US flag too? As Im sure probably some are

[bowrunner]

The Confederate flag did not cause anybody to do anything.  This whole thing is just ridiculous.  Unfortunately the next plan is to eliminate the American flag.  Excuses, excuses for everything.  I wish these fools would find something else to do, like work for instance.

[BlackSheepNY]

There's a lot of ignorance of what the true meaning of the Confederate Flag stood for/stands for.  It had nothing at all to do with racism or slavery.  This flag was a "Battle Flag" that was carried in to war by several different armies and was also used as a Naval Jack by the Confederate Navy.  Never did this flag represent slavery or racism.  This flag is a part of American History that no one can wipe out.  History is a fact and no matter how much some people may not like some parts of this country's history, it still happened.

The sad part today is that our kids are not learning true American History.  What they're teaching now is a twisted version so that it falls in line with an agenda of "change."  Just as there are some countries who claim that there was no Holocaust, there are some that want you and your children to believe that the Confederate Flag stands for slavery and racism.  Please educate yourselves.

PS:  I'm what a Southerner would consider a "Yankee."

[countrygirl12]

I feel that this is just another way of diverting attention from more important matters in our country. The government enjoys making everything that happens be about some "thing" rather than what is in people's hearts and minds. I still cannot fathom why "things" should be taken as the reason for any terrorism. 

There are so many other issues that should be being addressed that are not, while this "flag issue" is at the forefront of attention by the candidates and the media. It's something easy they can confront, address, and be applauded for while skirting other more important concerns that they avoid completely.

The thing is the "flag" didn't have anything to do with this.  Did you hear about the black man who shot a white cop and killed him about 4 days ago?  Of course you didn't.  Why?  Because apparently "white lives" don't matter.  See the media as well as the government are doing exactly what they intended.  They are making everything about race and keeping racial tensions stirred up.  The idiot who went into that church and shot those people would have been shot whether the Confederate Flag was still around or not.

 

I can think of more pressing issues to worry about than a flag.

The media is a part of the government.  If the media and the government keeps this at the forefront of everything and has everyone distracted with this then people don't see something else that is going on.  Kind of like 2 kids and one distracts mom with silly questions while the other snatches the cookies from the cookie jar.  She is busy answering questions so she doesn't see what is going on right in her own kitchen.

days its so easy for someone to say Im offended, ok so if some people are offended by this flag, what next, someone saying they are offended by the US flag too? As Im sure probably some are
[/quote]

Where the heck have you been?  So many hispanics have started trouble because they are "offended" by the American flag.  Even so far as getting flags removed from the classroom.  If you are offended by OUR flag then get out of OUR country!

 

The Confederate flag did not cause anybody to do anything.  This whole thing is just ridiculous.  Unfortunately the next plan is to eliminate the American flag.  Excuses, excuses for everything.  I wish these fools would find something else to do, like work for instance.

It's a control thing.  I agree.  Maybe if these people had jobs they would have less time for protesting and causing problems.  And it's not the victims of the crimes that are causing the problems.  People want to be free to express themselves and do what they want but then want to control what others can do.  If you don't like the Confederate Flag then don't look at it.  Obviously these idiots do not have too much respect for anything anyway.  They did not have any problems spray painting "black lives matter" on the capitol building.  And then are too big of a wuss to accept responsibility for their actions.  They do it at night under the cover of darkness when no one will see them.

[hawkeye3210]

As a Northerner who moved South 30+ years ago,  I have never understood the Southern love of the confederate flag.  As a early teen I didn't see it as a racial divide but as a divide with the rest of the country.  I do agree it is a part of history and there is no reason that is shouldn't be displayed at Confederate soldiers memorials. grave sites, museums or any such related to the civil war.  As for display at state capitals, no way (otherwise with the same mentality we should be flying British or Spanish flags, ie: Mass was a British colony and Florida was Spanish).   

The flag is next to the Confederate Monument which serves as a memorial to the fallen Confederate soldiers.

[hawkeye3210]

Similarly, the Confederate Flag has symbolized overt racism and intolerance since the beginning of the Civil War.

Not true. For starters, the Confederate Battle Flag wasn't even in use when the war started. The first flag of the Confederacy was the "Stars and Bars" flag.

Second, the goal of the war was to preserve the Union, not end slavery. The Emancipation Proclamation was originally a threat to the South to get them to surrender and end the war. When it went into effect, it only ended slavery in the Confederate. It did not free the slaves in the slave states that were still part of the Union. So why aren't people offended about the flag of the Union?

It seems like only a matter of time before people start demanding we rename Washington DC, switch the 1 dollar bill, tear down the Washington monument, etc. because George Washington was a slave owner, and people love pretend to be offended.

[hitch0403]

You can argue this till the cows come home.You can remain neutral and be a law abiding citizen as well.

There will always be prejudice in this world.

Maybe you should realize who we all owe our existence to.

[marciaenglish]

Being from the south; I know the confederate flag has nothing to do with racism!  It is about not being pushed around!

[lvstephanie]

The confederate flag is a part of our history.  People are just looking for a reason to be offended.  I know people who have items with the CF on them and they have good friends that are black and those friends have no issues with it.  It's irritating how they want to silence someone's freedom of speech and stop them from flying a confederate flag but have no issues with foreigners burning and stomping on the American flag.  They say oh well that is their right.  It's their freedom of speech.  Something is def wrong with this.

Citizens are still allowed to fly the confederate flag on their property, they are still allowed to wear clothing with the symbol.  We are simply asking for it to be removed from the State Capitol grounds, which belong to all the citizens of South Carolina. 
 Nikki Haley said:  “This flag has become too divisive and too hurtful for too many of our fellow Americans. While some say it represents different things to different people, there is no denying that it also represents serious divisions that must be mended in our society.”

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2015/06/nikki-haley-confederate-flag-capitol-south-carolina-remove-119297.html#ixzz3e5CwybEJ

People can choose to fly it on their private property.  No one is trying to stop that expression of personal choice.

Actually they are.  They have already pulled the flag and anything with the symbol of the flag from shelves from places like Walmart.  People are trying to get it so that it cannot be sold or anything with the symbol cannot be sold.  To me that is censorship.  It just irritates me when people want to be able to express their opinion but want to stop someone else from expressing their because they find it offensive.  Idk.  I don't have some deep love for the flag I just personally don't see what the big deal is.  But that's just me.  : )

Actually, since you are talking about Walmart deciding to pull the flag from their own shelves, and not the government forcing them to, this is not really about Freedom of Speech as understood trough the constitution. Those Bill of Rights were observed as what the citizens had that the government couldn't take away. But if Walmart feels that in this current climate that the flag will hurt their sales (oh the evil of profit *sarcasm*) they decided on their own to pull that product. Just like several years ago there was a huge push by retailers to welcome people with "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas" in order not to offend some of their customers; however that started to backfire on some businesses as they learned that by doing so, they were actually offending more Christians with the change, so some reverted back to allowing their employees to welcome the customers any way they wished. Similarly, if there is a market for the confederate flag, other stores may decide to start selling them, esp. if a major retailer like Walmart decides to pull that product making a "vacuum" for that product.

The problem will come when people start to petition the government to prohibit people from showing the confederate flag. If the government decides to get involved in telling what others can do, it is then that we have a Freedom of Speech issue.

[miltonarmitage]

What disappoints me is that Dukes of Hazzard memorabilia is feeling the brunt of this debate. I used to watch the show when it was new back in the day and recently bought some of the vintage toys I had as a kid for a small collection which brings back happy memories. Good thing I bought them when I did since no merchant will sell them now due to the tragedy! Not everyone who displays a rebel flag is a racist. I can understand taking down the flag from government buildings but isn't a violation of self expression and free speech to ban it all together? Isn't that why the KKK and Neo Nazis are allowed to do what they do? Besides, if you attempt to erase history, are we not doomed to repeat it?       

[countrygirl12]

Walmart may have made a decision on their own to pull the items but it was only before they were forced to.  I have heard that states that have a tag that features the flag on it will be banning that particular tag.  That is something that is being forced.  Not people making a choice as to whether or not they purchase that particular specialty tag.

Things are changing for the worse so quickly it is unreal.  And people are too stupid and too lazy to see what is going on.  As far as Walmart they are after the almighty dollar.  That is all they care about.  They do not care about offending a black person.  Or any other person.  And as for the Happy Holidays - yeah they said that where I worked as well.  I did not.  I said Merry Christmas.  Got a problem with it - kiss my behind.  Get over.  Deal with it.

It's funny because the people who are yelling the loudest about how other people need to keep their opinions to themselves refuse to do the same.

I guess I need to disconnect for a while because the comments online are making me very angry at the moment.  *Not on this site* but just in general.  The fact is everyone has an opinion and usually not everyone will agree.  And people want to voice their opinion but do not want to listen to the other person's if it differs from their own.

[monnee]

CF should have been taken down a long time ago and the Stars and Stripes should be flying in every state.  That's why we had the American Civil War for.

[hawkeye3210]

CF should have been taken down a long time ago and the Stars and Stripes should be flying in every state.  That's why we had the American Civil War for.

The stars and stripes are flying in every state.

This Confederate flag is by a memorial to the fallen Confederate soldiers.

[ladavia89]

As a Northerner who moved South 30+ years ago,  I have never understood the Southern love of the confederate flag.  As a early teen I didn't see it as a racial divide but as a divide with the rest of the country.  I do agree it is a part of history and there is no reason that is shouldn't be displayed at Confederate soldiers memorials. grave sites, museums or any such related to the civil war.  As for display at state capitals, no way (otherwise with the same mentality we should be flying British or Spanish flags, ie: Mass was a British colony and Florida was Spanish).   

Where I live is known as the city of 5 flags so they've been flying the flags of Spain, France, Britain, Confederacy and United States. People here have been fighting to get the Confederate Flag removed from government buildings for a long time. I'm honestly not surprised that it took this to get it removed here when there were flyers being passed out for the KKK within the last year

[vp44]

I understand what it stands for but how it is used to stand for in today times by some is racism.