What's with all the confederate flags? (Pittsburgh, Harrisburg: school, cost of, bars)

[pman]

I hear Bloomsburg is somewhat unique since only college kids from coastal elite cities have different lifestyles than their neighbors. Lol
Pine to vine - somerset is one of the poorest parts of pa

[speagles84]

Originally Posted by pman

I hear Bloomsburg is somewhat unique since only college kids from coastal elite cities have different lifestyles than their neighbors. Lol
Pine to vine - somerset is one of the poorest parts of pa

And Fayette County makes Somerset County look ritzy.

Fayette County drags the Pittsburgh Metros median income down significantly (even though it only has 130,000 people)

[JettaPA]

Some of it is racial, but I think more of it is the rebellious nature of the flag. People in central PA are largely anti-government, and the flag is a symbol of people rising up to fight against that government.

[LeaderOCola]

Originally Posted by JettaPA

Some of it is racial, but I think more of it is the rebellious nature of the flag. People in central PA are largely anti-government, and the flag is a symbol of people rising up to fight against that government.

And getting their butts whipped for the effort

[Pine to Vine]

Originally Posted by Craziaskowboi

It's the redneckization of blue-collar white America, and it's actually happening everywhere, which makes it tiresome that people keep pointing it out in Pennsylvania over and over again, as if it's somehow unique.

Thanks for your perspective and all the links (+1). The behavior you linked to seems to fall into one of two baskets:

1) parades and proud display of the flag
2) chagrined populaces around the single display of the flag with municipalities such as these in Minnesota and Utah, with the latter even feeling they needed to publicly apologize for an individual brandishing the flag.

Lastly, I note the one individual who went as far as yelling obsecenites while lying the flag in a predominantly black neighborhood in South Bend.

I have a heard time believing that those who fly the flag don't have some measure of knowledge of its racist associations.

[convextech]

Originally Posted by Pine to Vine

We moved to Philly from Texas a few years back and made our first visit to the central and western parts of the state. While in Somerset County for a couple of days, we were surprised to see all the confederate flags. We saw 5 within the first 24 hours and couple more the next day. They hung from flagpoles, over balconies and were on a couple of bumper stickers as well.

When I visited my in-laws in rural South Carolina, I only saw two confederate flags in an entire week. What gives?

White trash rednecks. They're everywhere.

[Pine to Vine]

Originally Posted by convextech

White trash rednecks. They're everywhere.

Sorry, but I asked posters to avoid name calling and epithets.

[Cryptic]

I have seen the Battle Flag on T shirts in small town Wisconsin. Ironically, I bet the two guys wearing them had never been south of the Illinois state line.

Originally Posted by LeaderOCola

And getting their butts whipped for the effort

Whipped? yes. Easily whipped? No.

[Ted Bear]

Originally Posted by Pine to Vine

Sorry, but I asked posters to avoid name calling and epithets.

That is sort of hard to do in this situation.

As you are aware, this all started...at least the "I have to display my confederate flag"....when South Carolina took down the flag from the state house.

That ignited an "I got my rights" backlash and the dumbest of the dumb, who generally argue that the flag is a "battle flag" and does NOT represent the values and views of the KKK. General thought, as you are aware, is that the flag stands for slavery and repression of black people.

After all is said and done, draping the flag over your balcony or hanging it from a pole in your truck is akin to the cry for help/attention that you see from people with pierced lips, purple hair, and tattoos stenciled across their face. They have no idea what they are doing, but doing something brazen/argumentative draws attention, gives them a "voice", and is one way, however ill founded, for them to stand out.

That people look upon them as dangerous losers gets lost in the equation.

This too shall pass, be quiet for a decade or two, and then , for whatever reason we will see a resurgence. Sort of like fashion: it comes and goes.

[Pine to Vine]

Originally Posted by JettaPA

Some of it is racial, but I think more of it is the rebellious nature of the flag. People in central PA are largely anti-government, and the flag is a symbol of people rising up to fight against that government.

While I am likely on the other side of most anti-government folks politically and socially, I fully understand that they, like most of us, feel let down by our government in one form or another. As such, I feel it's entirely appropriate (and American) if they choose a symbol as a way of showing their disappointment and even anger. Something tea partiers often use is the "don't tread on me flag."

What I question is the use of the confederate flag, particularly after we've placed a national flashlight on what that flag communicates to African American citizens. I would think only the most sheltered of individuals would not be sensitized to this. As such, I keep putting myself in the shoes of an African American family who comes to Somerset and see all of this. Even if the flag flyers don't intended to, their brandishing of flag puts a considerable chill on the welcome wagon. I find the voice that states this flag solely represents their disaffection with government a bit disingenuous.

Finally, what I find counter-intuitive is that the prevalence of these flags in the rural north overwhelms that of the south, based on my repeat stays in rural South Carolina. It seems they "get it" better than their counterparts up north.