Stone Mountain/Conf flag? (Atlanta, Andersonville: new home, school, place to live)

[Danny55]

Hello,
I visited GA recently and am looking at Georgia for school as it has the best program that I am looking for. I loved GA but I do not understand the concepts behind Stone Mt. I mean it was commissioned by KKK members, yet shows famous GA African Americans in the laser show. The very fact of being proud of the confederacy is puzzling to me, as most historians agree that the main issue for the formation of the confederacy was, overwhelmingly, the preservation of slavery. Don't people in the south find those conf flags racist? why do they still have them? or is it just about southern pride? enlighten me. Anyway I loved GA and saw a lot of diversity and no racism while I was there, so it seems like a great place to live.
Thanks,
Danny

[MisterNY]

Originally Posted by Danny55

Hello,
I visited GA recently and am looking at Georgia for school as it has the best program that I am looking for. I loved GA but I do not understand the concepts behind Stone Mt. I mean it was commissioned by KKK members, yet shows famous GA African Americans in the laser show. The very fact of being proud of the confederacy is puzzling to me, as most historians agree that the main issue for the formation of the confederacy was, overwhelmingly, the preservation of slavery. Don't people in the south find those conf flags racist? why do they still have them? or is it just about southern pride? enlighten me. Anyway I loved GA and saw a lot of diversity and no racism while I was there, so it seems like a great place to live.
Thanks,
Danny

Danny,

Glad you liked it. I like Stone Mt as well. Look at it this way, if KKK members had something to do with it, why delete/ignore it? If it's part of it, and they showed famous AAs, what's the problem?

To let a flag make you mad, in my opinion is stupid. I will not let a flag be an issue, regardless of what it stood or stands for. I think making an issue of the flag is more of an issue than the flag itself. I don't care if it's southern pride, oppression. It is part of the past, and what it stood/stands for should have no bearing on my daily life.

To clear the air, I'm mixed (1/4Black-3/4white), my wife is black (Caribbean) and so are our kids. I don't make a stink of things, and neither do my wife and kids. Too many important things in life to sweat flags and such.

Sometimes, it's not even the flag to worry about, but the person waiving it.

Glad you liked GA. It is a great place to visit and live.

[testa50]

Where exactly did you see the flags? Was it part of the show?

Confederate Flags crop up in all sorts of situations, and whether I find them offensive or not depends a lot on the context. If you see them as part of a historical montage or something, on a historical item, or within a town like Andersonville, it makes sense. If you see them flapping in the wind outside of someone's house, or in a public area in general display, that's another situation--in these situations, it seems less historical and more likely to be bigotry.

Then you also have our state flag issue complicating everything. For several decades, starting in the 1950s, Georgia's flag contained the confederate battle flag. So some of the confederate flags you see are left over from that era, or are people protesting the newer flags.

Flag of Georgia (U.S. state) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

As for Stone Mountain itself, yes, the rock has had lots of symbolism for different groups over time, and this has often been very racially charged. You can read about it here:

Stone Mountain - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The fact that it used to be so associated with the KKK and Doughters/Sons of the Confederacy caused MLK to say "let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia" in his famous speech.

So yeah, all of that stuff is pretty significant here still, as Georgia was in the forefront of both the Confederacy and the Civil Right Movement, and it makes sense for Stone Mountain to be a place where these sorts of historical issues rear their heads. But all in all within the city we are generally a tolerant bunch.

[suprascooby22]

Originally Posted by Danny55

Hello,
I visited GA recently and am looking at Georgia for school as it has the best program that I am looking for. I loved GA but I do not understand the concepts behind Stone Mt. I mean it was commissioned by KKK members, yet shows famous GA African Americans in the laser show. The very fact of being proud of the confederacy is puzzling to me, as most historians agree that the main issue for the formation of the confederacy was, overwhelmingly, the preservation of slavery. Don't people in the south find those conf flags racist? why do they still have them? or is it just about southern pride? enlighten me. Anyway I loved GA and saw a lot of diversity and no racism while I was there, so it seems like a great place to live.
Thanks,
Danny

Rule of thumb when moving south, YOU are the visitor here and need to understand that and some of our traditions you may not like but as I mentioned they are OUR'S so we need not explain them to anyone. Example being why some southerners endorse the rebel flag and why some dont.

[JPD]

Originally Posted by suprascooby22

Rule of thumb when moving south, YOU are the visitor here and need to understand that and some of our traditions you may not like but as I mentioned they are OUR'S so we need not explain them to anyone. Example being why some southerners endorse the rebel flag and why some dont.

It is perfectly reasonable for this person to ask whatever question about "our" culture that they please.

Attempting to learn more about your new home is the polite and respectful thing to do, no matter where you're from or where you've moved to.

[DeaconJ]

...and if we want to be backwards and ignorant then by God we will be.

[ATL_II_DMV]

If I had my way, I'd burn all confederate flags, but I don't let it bother me like others said.

I'd also have J Edgar Hoover's name removed from the FBI building too

[lorilove]

Danny - the debate over the Confederate flag gets complicated here in the South. Most of us are very proud of our Southern roots but not proud of slavery. But there are individuals with strong feelings about the Confederate flag and how it relates to their Southern identity.

In the 90's when they finally removed the symbol from the official GA flag, the debate about the subject became very heated and basically all of goverment seemed to shut down. There are still a great deal hard feelings over that issue. For many of us, we got so tired of the subject we just wanted it done with (think healthcare debate, global warming and deficits all rolled into one).

I am white so the symbol of the flag means nothing to me but I do realize it is offensive to others and for that reason should be retired. I think most people that I know are like MisterNY that makes the decision to move on and not let the flag issue stop them from enjoying life in Atlanta.

The KKK had a great deal of influence in the carving but I don't believe they specifically commissioned it.

For me, Stone Mountain is a celebration of Southern heritage. The Confederacy is a part of our history that you cannot ignore but it is not specifically a celebration of the Confederacy.

[ATL_II_DMV]

The confederate flag represents terroism and defectors of this country IMO.

If you want to separate your ancestors, fine, I have no problem with that. Represent their batallion or their unit, or their name individually, don't represent the flag.

I might say RIP to one of my dead uncles that was a gang member or a member of some radical organization, but I won't go around represent their gang flag or what they stood for

[DeaconJ]

Do most southerners really feel some deep and nostalgic connection to the confederate flag? I certainly don't, but it's still part of the history of our country and as such shouldn't be erased or denied; on that same note, it also shouldn't be admired or glamorized in the name of southern heritage. It was part of a huge mistake that was made by leadership in the South - I think we can all agree on that. But as an historical relic, the flag has it's place.

The only situation that I can think of where use of the confederate flag would be appropriate is when honoring those who died in the war. But it sends a message of hate when proudly displayed as a bumper sticker or t-shirt.