Do you consider the Rebel Flag to be racist?

[AndroidVageta]

I do...I mean, it was the symbol for the southern states during the Civil War. And as we all know one of their main goals was to keep slavery from being abolished...so to me (especially in Georgia where its all the red-necks that hang these flags from house/vehicle) the Rebel Flag is basically a modern day way of saying "I dont care for minorities"...might not mean that you hate them...but I not being racist at all have no desire to have any rebel flag nor have I EVER seen a race other than white people hang them up and show them like they're proud of it. I am white as well.

Now Ive heard people say that its a way to show their southern heritage...which I call foul because your showing your hickness by the hunting camo you have on from head to toe, the trailer you live in, and the Chevy pickup you drive, again, covered in hunting camo.

 

[MetalMat]

Nope

 

[Proprioceptive]

No. It's a flag. Flags aren't racist. Everyone knows this.

 

[OCGuy]

Not at all.

 

[PepePeru]

no the flag is not racist, but the people that fly or display them usually are.

 

[mugs]

ITT: someone will point out that the civil war was fought over states' rights while ignoring the fact that it was fought over states' rights to allow slavery.


Regardless of what it may have represented in the past, racists have turned that flag into a symbol of racism. Knowing that, I don't think any reasonable non-racist person would fly it. Same with the swastika.

 

[ghost recon88]

no the flag is not racist, but the people that fly or display them usually are.

This

 

[daw123]

Nope.

 

[Nik]

Nope. Got one hanging in my garage.

 

[shiner]

That was not the symbol for the C.S.A. That was the Confederate Navy Jack

There were several national Flags that changed, each with more stars added to the circle, as more states joined the Confederacy. The most recognized is probably this one:

 

[Onita]

Unsuccessful troll is unsuccessful.

 

[rudder]

The flag itself is not racist. It can be used to promote racism. The southern heritage thing comes from the southern states not liking the Federal government being in their business. It will surprise you to note that most of the confederates that died in the civil war were too poor to even think about owning slaves.

 

[Mursilis]

ITT: someone will point out that the civil war was fought over states' rights while ignoring the fact that it was fought over states' rights to allow slavery.

Don't you mean a state's right to leave the union? For the states that seceded, slavery was already legal in that area.

 

[shiner]

ITT: someone will point out that the civil war was fought over states' rights while ignoring the fact that it was fought over states' rights to allow slavery.

Not entirely...but I don't have the time to give you a history lesson right now....

 

[Nik]

That was not the symbol for the C.S.A. That was the Confederate Navy Jack

There were several national Flags that changed, each with more stars added to the circle, as more states joined the Confederacy. The most recognized is probably this one:

I've never seen that flag in my life (and it was only used for 2 years). I've seen Union Jack everywhere.

 

[Nik]

Don't you mean a state's right to leave the union? For the states that seceded, slavery was already legal in that area.

It was legal in the north, too.

Abraham Lincoln went to war with the south over their right to secede.

 

[Mursilis]

It will surprise you to note that most of the confederates that died in the civil war were too poor to even think about owning slaves.

If you actually ever studied history, it won't. You'll already have known that.

 

[shiner]

I've never seen that flag in my life (and it was only used for 2 years). I've seen Union Jack everywhere.

Hehe...the Union Jack.

The National Flag was flown from 1861-1863.

The Second National Flag was flown from about mid 1863, I think, until about mid 1865 I think. There was a third flag that was adopted shortly before the end of the war that added a red strip to the Second National Flag.

I can't remember ever seeing the Second or Third flags fling anywhere. However I have seen the various versions of the First and the Navy Jack flying quite often.

 

[soulcougher73]

The flag? No. The meaning behind the flag..a bit i suppose, but i could care less. I have no problem if people want to be racist. It is their life and their freedom to choose to be racist. I do have a problem with racist if they act on it violently or breaking the laws. But if some guy just doenst like black people so stays away from them..then i dont care.

I am white and non racist. But i respect peoples freedom to be that way if that is what they want.

 

[ravana]

no the flag is not racist, but the people that fly or display them usually are.

Ta Da!

 

[shiner]

I'll be damned....Wikipedia actually has a pretty good entry for this subject..

Flags of the Confederate States of America

 

[slightlyhuman]

no and yes. most people are rednecks who fly them. i live in arkansas and am not a redneck(except my southern accent).

 

[Nik]

Hehe...the Union Jack.

The National Flag was flown from 1861-1863.

The Second National Flag was flown from about mid 1863, I think, until about mid 1865 I think. There was a third flag that was adopted shortly before the end of the war that added a red strip to the Second National Flag.

I can't remember ever seeing the Second or Third flags fling anywhere. However I have seen the various versions of the First and the Navy Jack flying quite often.

bahahaha union jack. my bad. I'm multitasking. I have no idea why I bothered typing that instead of the confederate battle flag

 

[preslove]

It was legal in the north, too.

Abraham Lincoln went to war with the south over their right to secede.

Not in 1860. Unless you're making some strained reference to the fugitive slave act.

And if you read the declarations of secession of the first 7 states to secede, along with arguments put forward by those urging secession, it is clear that those states withdrew from the union because they thought slavery was in jeopardy because of the election of Lincoln.

edit:
Want a good lecture on the causes of the civil war?

http://academicearth.org/lectures/slavery-and-state-rights

The entire lecture course is fucking fantastic and well worth the hours of your time it will take up. But that one video is incredible.

 

[MJinZ]

ITT: someone will point out that the civil war was fought over states' rights while ignoring the fact that it was fought over states' rights to allow slavery.


Regardless of what it may have represented in the past, racists have turned that flag into a symbol of racism. Knowing that, I don't think any reasonable non-racist person would fly it. Same with the swastika.

Exactly. Regardless of whatever your intentions are, flying a Swastika and flying this flag has the same basic effect.