Confederate Flags hanging proudly on side of some Atlanta metro homes (Savannah: crime, live in)

[Big L]

Originally Posted by Frankie117

Ironically, during the 1930's (?) release of 'Gone With the Wind' the entire city was filled with such flags - even though the city had a black majority, still no one complained. Not sure why it is just now becoming an issue.

Blacks in Atlanta in the 1930's couldn't complain about the flag (or anything else for that matter), so that wouldn't count as a valid comparison to 2008.

I was born and raised in California, so seeing the Confederate flag when I first moved here irked me. That was mainly because back home the only time you saw Confederate flags was when you were dealing with a racist or a racist faction (i.e. skinheads, etc.). After being here for several years, I have realize that not everyone who flies the flag is racist. However, that still does not soften the negative connotation that most folks (especially transplants like myself) have of the flag as a whole.

I went to college in Louisiana and saw the flag there at times as well. Hell, there were even people across town at LSU who would wave a purple-and-gold version of the flag at football games. However, I think that I have seen the flag or flag merchandise more often in Georgia.

[plessthanpointohfive]

I really despise that purple and gold LSU version of the battle flag. I went to school there, too....and am from there....people sometimes forget that Louisiana is as much southern as Alabama and Georgia...

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by Frankie117

What's ironic, is that the North executed Southern civilians and burned as many cities as possible once the War of Attrition began. The South didn't hate the North in the way you seem to think.

Well, if the North had been out to "burn as many cities as possible", then nothing would have been left standing. Looks like an awful lot was left over after the war except a few key cities where major battles took place.

As far as the South not hating the North, I have never, ever, been up North and heard anyone say, "those damn Southerners..." in any frame of reference. I cannot count how many times I've heard Southerns say things like, "Those damn yankees need to go back where they came from", even today. The level of resentment 100+ years later in some rural areas here today is like nothing anyone can imagine in other parts of the country. It's not imaginary.

Originally Posted by Frankie117

No one was ever forced to pray in schools

That's because the North won the war.

Originally Posted by Frankie117

It is nothing personal atlantagreg30127, I always respected you on this site for helping people, but when comments like this come out, it really makes me wonder.

Wonder about what? That I have an opinion?

I've lived here since 1984. I came from West Virginia which technically was a Northern state, but in reality was overall somewhat neutral and tried as much as possible to stay out of it. Being "from the middle", I've seen obnoxious Northern behavior and I've seen obnoxious Southern behavior as well. I call it like it is.

I respect those who admit their cultural shortcomings as well as their celebrations the most, as well as those who live in the here and now as opposed to the "dead and then". When you say "the War" in the North, Midwest, or the West, you are refering to World War II - that which as an entire nation, we fought together. Down here, some folks are still living in the 1800s, and holding on to generations-old resentments. It's my opinion, that not only is it mentally unhealthy, but it also adds to the overall negative stereotype that people in all other parts of the U.S. still hold on to about the South. When you still have full grown men dressing up in Confederate uniforms and marching around the state Capital building to protest things - there are issues that need to be addressed that have nothing to do with flags or the number of Northerners moving into the area.

There's no need to "wonder about me" - I have an opinion, and from time to time whether asked for it or not, I spread it.

[RoslynHolcomb]

I rather like the Confederate flag. It's like a 'Beware of Dog' sign. Let's me know who to avoid. If I see them flying in a neighborhood I'm unlikely to try to buy a house there, or even spend much time there at all. I know that all the folks flying the flag aren't racist, but forgive me if in a pinch I'm not going to take the time to parse out the Nazis from the
'heritage' folks. The difference could mean my life.

[Vampgrrl]

Well to defend the flaggots...other people in this country look at the south like it is full of inbred, pig farming mud eating, cousin f***ing plantation owners who sit on the porch all day, hate black people in between our sipping a mint julep.

Get a life, both sides.

People shouldn't come to the south and start with the holier than thou crap, and people who can't get over 1865 and have Forgit, Hell bumperstickers on their trucks need to throw themselves off a cliff.

Do you want to make your world, state, region, town or nation a better place now? Then do something about it today.

[atlantagreg30127]

As a frame of reference for those new to the area who have nothing to go by regarding the flag issue, here is a link to a site that shows all the flags used in Georgia since it was settled:

Flags That Have Flown Over Georgia: The History of the Georgia State Flag

The flag that riled everyone up was the one that was adopted by the state in 1956 (not the 1800s) during the era of school desegregation battles. It flew from 1956 - 2001 until then-Governor Roy Barnes signed a bill to change it to the one that followed (see the one from 2001 to 2003). An updated flag was then later put in place to reflect a much older design from earlier the state's past to supposedly appeal to everyone.

I'm not from here. I could care less about the flag. Flags are pieces of cloth, not something to freak out about. Especially in a place where they've changed 1100 times since the place became a state. I come from WV and the flag we adopted when we became a state has remained unchanged since that time. We don't change it every 40 or so years depending on the political issues of the time, but to be honest, they could change it and put a martha stewart bunt cake on it and it wouldn't make me feel like any less of a native West Virginian. I certainly wouldn't threaten a Governor or put on a costume and march around over it.

To be fair and knock both sides in the head: I've already said my piece earlier about the "heritate" ranters - there is no heritage in the Georgia flag. There have been so many of them there is not one bit of REAL history behind any one of them, so, it's just a rant from people who hate change and who refuse to let images from the Civil War die. Now, on the civil rights side, I will say the same thing.... The Civil War is history. Slavery is HISTORY. Get over it! If you're going to let a few colored bars and stars freak you out and ruin your day, then that's an interesting episode for Oprah to tackle, but it's just too unstable for me to want to deal with. No one is asking folks to forget the past, but you have to live for TODAY.

We're in 2008. It's AMERICA. Not Northern America or Southern America, and not white America or black America. The Civil War is a bad spot on our history. Slavery is a bad spot in our history as well. We can add what happened to the native Americans to that, and in 200 years they'll have added how we treat our citizens regarding health care to that, too. But regarding flags - we've got one now. They'll change it in a couple of years again anyway, so just deal, and move on.

[LovinDecatur]

Originally Posted by atlantagreg30127

Well, if the North had been out to "burn as many cities as possible", then nothing would have been left standing. Looks like an awful lot was left over after the war except a few key cities where major battles took place.

Actually, you hit on a good point, atlantagreg...the whole 'Burning of Atlanta' thing is by and large a myth, as factually less than 10% of the buildings in the city were destroyed during the battle, and these were concentrated around the railroad yard.
Actually, Atlantans themselves were responsible for the destruction of most of the city's antebellum buildings...they were pulled down during the Reconstruction period to make room for more modern structures.

[RoslynHolcomb]

Actually Greg, when I see the Confederate flag, the Civil War and slavery is the last thing on my mind. I'm thinking about neo-Nazis, skinheads and assorted 'Aryan' types that might have beef with me and my multi-culti little family. Frankly, if folk want to run around in Confederate costumes that's their biz. Like I said, it's hard to discern the difference between the two, so I simply avoid them.

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by RoslynHolcomb

Actually Greg, when I see the Confederate flag, the Civil War and slavery is the last thing on my mind. I'm thinking about neo-Nazis, skinheads and assorted 'Aryan' types that might have beef with me and my multi-culti little family. Frankly, if folk want to run around in Confederate costumes that's their biz. Like I said, it's hard to discern the difference between the two, so I simply avoid them.

I understand where you're coming from, and I was just expressing my opinion. It's a double sided blade sometimes and we're all guilty of a certain amount of paranoia, and unfortunately, sometimes an amount of truth tossed in regarding stereotypes and images.

[Vampgrrl]

I have known 2-3 people who were into battle re-enactments who were not racist at all just big history nerds.

It is absurd as years ago some people wanted to blast the granite carvings off Stone Mountain which would have been a very bad idea. By enlarge Georgia doesn't do neoNazis or KKK outside of heavily isolated areas and there is no support for it. Even the Forsyth County Hosea Williams march years ago was created by people who came from well outside the Atlanta area, and in many cases outside of Georgia.

Besides as multi cultural as Atlanta is, do you think anyone who has that irrational fear of other people would live there?