Georgia state flag (White: bars, racism, place)

[stars&bars]

I want to hear the view from all Georgians regarding the changing of the state flag a few years back. Why weren't the citizens of Georgia given a right to vote on the issue as was the case in Mississippi?

[gaflsc]

Oh God.

Leave it alone dude. You're only asking for a *****storm to be stirred up....

[Georgiafrog]

The new flag is actually more historic and is fine with me.

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by Georgiafrog

The new flag is actually more historic and is fine with me.

Ditto. The previous flag was a product of the 1950s and was conceived by people with feelings, beliefs, and motives that are different from those of most Georgia citizens today.

[southgeorgia]

Originally Posted by neil0311

Ditto. The previous flag was a product of the 1950s and was conceived by people with feelings, beliefs, and motives that are different from those of most Georgia citizens today.

the current state flag is actually the first national flag of the confederacy, with the addition of the georgia's coat of arms.

this flag (same as our current state flag) is the one known as the "stars and bars"; most people mistakenly identify the confederate battle flag (GA state flag 1956-2001) as the "stars and bars".

The 13 stars in our current flag are said to represent the original 13 colonies, however, it should be noted that the final national flag of the confederacy also had 13 stars in a circle to represent the 13 states in the confederacy.


so the flag we have now is a confederate flag; i'm surprised at how many people still don't know this.

[stars&bars]

I understand feelings may be different today but doesn't anyone believe in true democratic values such as a vote? I mean the same people who oppose the flag are the same ones crying for more democracy, a better America but at the same time they oppose a popular vote and allow our politicians to decide the fate of the flag, to me that is absolute and nothing other than a sort of reverse discrimination of a sort!
If I am correct the Georgia state flag today is the flag of the Confederacy that would be flying atop the capitol in D.C. if the Confederate army defeated the Union so why is there so much controversy?
The Confederate battle flag was only used in battle if I'm correct. I keep hearing different stories about it. What pisses me off is that many people associate it with the Nazis but in fact the Confederate States of America was a sovereign country unlike the Nazi battle flag which was adopted by Adolph Hitler himself.
I still don't understand the big controversy!

[southgeorgia]

yes, it should have been put to a vote.


but i think we all know that if it had been, we'd still have the confederate battle flag flying over the capital, and that wasn't an option for our state legislature.


i hated the blue flag, but am satisfied with our current flag. regardless of it actually being the national flag of the confederacy, i think its quite sexy.

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by southgeorgia

so the flag we have now is a confederate flag; i'm surprised at how many people still don't know this.

I did know that it was based on the original national flag used by the confederacy. The battle flag with the crossed "stars and bars" didn't show up until around 1863. It usually had with a background as well, and was actually a little different than what most people think of as the "Confederate Flag."

Notice in my comments that I never made any mention of the stars and bars portion of the previous flag. That's not the reason for my objection of that flag or more correctly my preference for the new flag. My rationale is strictly based on the reasons and the motives behind the previous flag. White segregationists all over the south passed laws in the mid-1950s as a reaction to Brown v Board that changed mostly normal state flags to flags that included the Confederate battle emblem. Georgia joined in the party and did it as a direct afront to the federal government and to blacks in Georgia. That was the stated and obvious goal. There was no talk about history or anything else. It was about segregation and Jim Crow. Georgia needs to get past that ugly time.

[thedudewiththeplan]

I agree with neil0311, I have no problem with the battle flag itself, but the version of it that GA had as it's flag previously was created for the simple reason that they wanted to protest desegregation. This flag I am glad they replaced!

[Georgiafrog]

Originally Posted by neil0311

I did know that it was based on the original national flag used by the confederacy. The battle flag with the crossed "stars and bars" didn't show up until around 1863. It usually had with a background as well, and was actually a little different than what most people think of as the "Confederate Flag."

Notice in my comments that I never made any mention of the stars and bars portion of the previous flag. That's not the reason for my objection of that flag or more correctly my preference for the new flag. My rationale is strictly based on the reasons and the motives behind the previous flag. White segregationists all over the south passed laws in the mid-1950s as a reaction to Brown v Board that changed mostly normal state flags to flags that included the Confederate battle emblem. Georgia joined in the party and did it as a direct afront to the federal government and to blacks in Georgia. That was the stated and obvious goal. There was no talk about history or anything else. It was about segregation and Jim Crow. Georgia needs to get past that ugly time.

Exactly. And as a native Georgian this does not reflect my values. The flag we now have is the one I would have voted for anyway, and same goes for most people I know. Jim Crow, racism, and segregation have no place in Georgia anymore, and those who think that way have had to shut their doors and mouths. I personally don't think the St. Andrews cross would have won.