Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I guess a flag can look differently to different people at different times in history.
That's true...
Flags can evoke very emotional responses. Not always logical ones. What we have been trying to do here is show the history behind one in a way that is logical and historical and as accurate as possible.
People still can have emotional responses to any flag. We understand that. Your point is well taken. Liz
After 9/11, I was almost afraid of all the people driving around with huge American flags. This said to me that they supported a plutocrat like Pres Bush and it was okay to go over and obliterate the Middle East and anyone who looked Middle Eastern. I guess a flag can look differently to different people at different times in history.
Surely you cannot be serious. At that period in time, I imagine that the American Flag was the most unifying sight in all of existence. That you were made to feel uncomfortable by the sight of it is quite the IQ test for you personally. The American Flag, in the immediate period following 9/11 was a dramatically unifying symbol for our country, and still is. A rallying point, a statement of cohesive solidarity. And to think there were detractors who would rather be snorting coke or sucking bongs..................
After 9/11, I was almost afraid of all the people driving around with huge American flags. This said to me that they supported a plutocrat like Pres Bush and it was okay to go over and obliterate the Middle East and anyone who looked Middle Eastern. I guess a flag can look differently to different people at different times in history.
What would your thoughts have been had Iraqi, Iranian, Egyptian, Syrian, Hezbollah, PLO flags been seen shown on cars driving around following 9/11? The United States of America had just been attacked, ATTACKED! Lawsy mussy, if anything, I was grateful to see the unity of the peoples parading the United States flag, and even joined them.
Surely you cannot be serious. At that period in time, I imagine that the American Flag was the most unifying sight in all of existence. That you were made to feel uncomfortable by the sight of it is quite the IQ test for you personally. The American Flag, in the immediate period following 9/11 was a dramatically unifying symbol for our country, and still is. A rallying point, a statement of cohesive solidarity. And to think there were detractors who would rather be snorting coke or sucking bongs..................
Wake up and smell the ignorance, people!
Last edited by musicaldogs; 09-26-2007 at 11:39 PM..
Reason: egh.
Can you clarify? What ignorance are you talking about? I remember the flag shortage. Flags could hardly be found for purchase. Check with any flag maker or flag supplier and you will find that they could not get flags made quickly enough. All over America they were suddenly sold out, virtually unavailable. The magnetic flag market soared. Flags of every description and manner of material surfaced and were quickly snatched up for proud display.
Display of the flag had absolutely nothing to do with George Bush. It was all about American pride and solidarity. It's sad that you could not have allowed yourself to be American and join in.
My husband and I were driving around today, looking at neighborhoods we might buy a home in. In a driveway we saw a car parked with a Confederate flag sticker on it. My husband said, "No way am I living in a neighborhood where someone has a Confederate flag displayed." I don't want to live around racist people either, but perhaps the person isn't racist, but is just really into the Civil War. And also I think it's impossible to find a neighborhood without any racist people, so unless every house has the Confederate flag hanging up, there is no reason to believe this neighborhood has more racist people than any other neighborhood.
What does the Confederate flag mean to you?
It screams "redneck" to me. I wouldn't buy a house where I see Confederate flag stickers on my neighbors' cars either, but that's just me.
The owner might not be KKK-level racist, but I think you'd have to be at least somewhat bigoted to display one so prominently...knowing what that flag means to OTHER people.
It screams "redneck" to me. I wouldn't buy a house where I see Confederate flag stickers on my neighbors' cars either, but that's just me.
The owner might not be KKK-level racist, but I think you'd have to be at least somewhat bigoted to display one so prominently...knowing what that flag means to OTHER people.
I can't have my behavior (including the symbols I display) determined, influenced or modified by those who choose to be victims, those who refuse to educate themselves or by those who wallow comfortably in ignorance. If each of us modified his/her behavior to accommodate the ignorance of others, not a one of us would ever leave the house.
What 'the flag means to other people', as has been carefully discussed and dissected in this thread is what ought to be modified, not my personal choices.
It screams "redneck" to me. I wouldn't buy a house where I see Confederate flag stickers on my neighbors' cars either, but that's just me.
The owner might not be KKK-level racist, but I think you'd have to be at least somewhat bigoted to display one so prominently...knowing what that flag means to OTHER people.
I understand. Unfortunately or actually fortunately in bigger picture, different people do hear different sounds, they see different colours/shapes/sizes/meanings, when a symbolic item is before them - makes the world potentially richer to have these differences of opinions and thoughts. However, what is harmful and then potentially hurtful is ignorance, and then the hate or misunderstanding that steams from that simmering mess.
As you state, the flag screams a non-positive imagery to you, and you also recognize that the same symbol means something negative to "OTHERS". However, my battle here is to both recognize that some dislike this flag, while also trying [while wiping the blood from my forehead from the repeating knocks upon the wall...] to show that this dislike towards this flag is misguided - the flag in and of itself does NOT stand for racism, hatred, nor oppression towards any group/race of humans. Unfortunately, there have been various peoples that have used this flag for their own nasty and unkind agendas, while also using other items [ie: Bible, US Flag, etc.] for their cause [yet we don't hear of that nor recognize nor get as upset about that, now do we? ].
IMHO, it is those that are ignorant of history and then also have blinders on towards what their fellow human might really believe that are the racist and bigoted ones. Those that have an axe to grind over a misperceived wrong, those are the ones that concern me. Its up to each individual to look in their own mirror, and decide for themselves what they see - if they view a symbol as this or that, then that is their perception, again, based upon their own belief system. If someone finds something offensive, I am sorry - but maybe, just maybe, they need to look at to the WHY that they find it offensive, and then maybe by looking and then also understanding what the symbol really means, the history of it, then they can not only find out more about what the object truly represents, but also about themselves.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Surely, SURELY you jest?
The United States of America had just been attacked, ATTACKED! Lawsy mussy, if anything, I was grateful to see the unity of the peoples parading the United States flag, and even joined them.
].