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[quote=mb64282;9750098]This should have had a poll, "what do you think when you see a confederate flag flying?" whatever your personal interpretations are or whatever in-depth knowledge to the history of the confederate flag you have, to the majority of Americans it says, "backwards southerner who can't get over the fact we lost and want to go back the slave days." Whatever it means to you, ok, whatever, but the point is what it says to other people when you’re flying it. I almost ran off the road when I saw someone flying it OVER the American flag in the NC Mountains. You see it a lot here, and I'm pretty sure that the majority of people who resided in the southern mountains during the time of the civil war were northern sympathizers. If the south had won, they wouldn't have ended slavery because too many people in the confederate party made so much money off it. You can say it was all about trade and everything but that's like looking a slave from the civil war in the eyes and saying, "it's not personal, it's business." quote]
You should get used to seeing it above the American Flag, there are a lot of people(myself included) who are getting not so proud with the way America has become. I look at the Betsy Ross flag and think now that is what America is about...I look at the Confederate Flag and think now that is what freedom and liberty is about...as well as the dont tread on me flag...As much as I love and cherish my country, its getting to the point where I am not very happy with what the flag and our country has become.
You should get used to seeing it above the American Flag, there are a lot of people(myself included) who are getting not so proud with the way America has become. I look at the Betsy Ross flag and think now that is what America is about...I look at the Confederate Flag and think now that is what freedom and liberty is about...as well as the dont tread on me flag...As much as I love and cherish my country, its getting to the point where I am not very happy with what the flag and our country has become.
You know I find this mentality quite interesting, and I'll tell you why. Before we had elected the first Black President, I had many African-American students in my clas who would speak about not saying the pledge of allegience because they did not believe that the phrase "freedom and justice for all" was true at that time. Agree or not, that was how they felt. I also remember a time during the election when a certain candidate was bashed for not wearing an American Flag pin and his wife was criticized quite harshly for saying something like she was finaly proud of her country for the first time. It was amazing the uproar these statments caused and how flabbergasted everyone was at such unpatriotic and American hate speech.
Yet you are not the first person to say something on the line of what you had written above. I've heard things in the media similar to what you said, from Rep. politicians and the same people who were so shocked and disgusted before when it was coming from across the isle. Not sure where I am goig with this, I just find the contradiction amazing.
A large portion of people that became soldiers during the civil war did so to get paid. The same reason that they joined in the Revolutionary war. Another portion would join one side and then run and join another and then run back. To collect an enrollment initiative. Yep. So don't romanticize the era. A large portion of people that post would have lived in desperate poverty. If poverty is so dang romantic then there would be a lot more love for those who live in it now.
Has it ever ocurred to anyone that their state could have the drinking age set at 18? That would be a state right, no?
Do you know why they don't? So they can get a handout for road repairs.
States can drop the whole NCLB. They will just lose federal funding.
So, there are opportunities for the states to demonstrate they have "rights" but they would rather have the cash. The federal government did not create a nanny state, your representatives did. Why is that?
As for the comment, that we should not ridicule those who have the flag flying in the back of their trucks. I had the pleasure of meeting a kid who had a very large tattoo of a swastika. Now, after having been through the system a couple of times he all of a sudden wanted it removed. Now, did this kid have a change of heart and become more evolved? No, he got the tattoo to get a reaction and inspire fear. What happened is that the reaction he got was a couple of good beatdowns. As a juvenile, he found out there is no huge gang to join where he went. I'd say he got an education.
As for them going to fight for my right to ridicule: I have two brothers in Iraq. I have a foster brother who went to the Gulf War. My father is a Viet Nam Vet. No one in my family especially these individuals believes they are fighting for my right to ridicule. Don't try me.
The issue on the table was slavery. I didn't say that there was a great love for abolishing it. OTH, Thomas Jefferson was afraid of a race war.That is one of the reasons that he did not want to deal with the issue of slavery then. So, I'm pretty sure that there was a line of people that knew that it didn't get much wronger than that.
No doubt Lincoln at first was more interested in preserving the Union than ending slavery. If indeed he considered blacks inferior to whites, there is no getting around his signing the Emancipation Proclamation.
Lemonhead, African-Americans, as they well know, do not have to leave the city limits to worry about having any possible problems due to the color of their skin. (http://news.yahoo.com/s/huffpost/20090709/cm_huffpost/228253 - broken link)
Our country was basically founded by wealthy white guys.
And yes, several of them had slaves. And yes, some Northerners had slaves, though it was a much smaller percentage.
The Underground Railroad did not point to a southerly direction.
Centuries later, the pursuit of happiness, as well as free speech, applies to everyone.
I'm not about to lecture someone who has a battle flag bumper sticker.
While I do not shy away from them, I have not had too many ideological skirmishes since moving to the south. I certainly do not believe that the south, compared to the north or the west, is a hotbed of racism.
Regardless, I do wonder if maybe one of these days, Greatday's daughter is going to end up having a mighty interesting conversation with someone.
I'm wondering the same thing. It would be like me, a Cuban-American, allowing my daughter to wear a Fidel Castro t-shirt. It may not effect her life personally, but it just seems so wrong.
Why? Its pretty obvious that the Cuban people liked Castro. Whats wrong is insinuating that everyone should perceive your misconceptions the same as you.
Slavery is a stain on our history. But its also history & that means past. The civil war was not simply over slavery any more than WW2 was because of Pearl Harbor. Both were straws that broke the camels back is all.
As far as the NAACP thayre as bad as any other hate group out there. They exist to incite hatred & keep people blood up so they donate & keep the ball rolling, nothing more.
Good posts. Intolerance is akin to ignorance,as my mother taught me..but I grew up in NY so, - can post here,but certainly can't discuss this issue with my neighbor...the South is not a mecca for racists,(I hope)and intolerance,but I do see inklings of it, and I don't think that's a good thing.
Why? Its pretty obvious that the Cuban people liked Castro. Whats wrong is insinuating that everyone should perceive your misconceptions the same as you.
Slavery is a stain on our history. But its also history & that means past. The civil war was not simply over slavery any more than WW2 was because of Pearl Harbor. Both were straws that broke the camels back is all.
As far as the NAACP thayre as bad as any other hate group out there. They exist to incite hatred & keep people blood up so they donate & keep the ball rolling, nothing more.
To the bolded, you are absolutely right (well except for the misconception part). I should have said, "IMO" or "For me it would be like my daughter....". The way I wrote it did place assumptions on others to think the way I do.
As far as misconceptions, well if your argument is one of everyone having their own experiences and perceptions, you can't then say mine are misconceptions anymore then the pp allowing her DD to have a Confederate flag towl is a misconception. Isn't that you whole point?
As to Cuban's liking Fidel, I am wondering on your experiences that bring you to this conclusion. As a Cuban-American, I have quite a few that have brought me to my conclusion. I just wonder how you came to yours?
As to Cuban's liking Fidel, I am wondering on your experiences that bring you to this conclusion. As a Cuban-American, I have quite a few that have brought me to my conclusion. I just wonder how you came to yours?
I am wondering, too. Merely saying something does not make it so.
There have been a lot of declarative statements in this thread, but not all that many in the way of citations.
From the stickie at the top: Providing citations and explaining your reasoning is encouraged.
I don't know how many participants in this thread actually display the Battle Flag, but from reading these pages, it looks to me like there is differing intent behind its use, and that it will always be with us.
Iam wondering the meaning of it,what it signifies to a southerner.
I have read the history,my question is for people who put the flag above all else...not on a beach towel,lol.
I think to some southerners, it means being southern, or at least that is what many of them tell me. Personally, I think some people could be lying as well.
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That would be a state right, no?
