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As long as you allow symbols and words to hold this much power over you, you will never really be able to escape the past get ahead. That's the bottom line. If you just stopped letting it bother you, stop letting it have power over you, stop living in the past, you could spend some of that energy on improving yourself.
But hey, whatever floats your boat.
Isn't that the same as saying to a person who likes the confederate flag to get over the past that it represents for them too? Couldn't you say to them that if it bothers them the way folks see the flag in a negative light to stop letting it bother them too? Does it really go both ways?
Last edited by annibelle; 01-11-2008 at 06:47 PM..
Reason: corrections to grammer
Isn't that the same as saying to a person who likes the confederate flag to get over the past that it represents for them too? Couldn't you say to them that if it bothers them the way folks see the flag in a negative light to stop letting it bother them too? Does it really go both ways?
If all you did was complain about it, yeah, I would tell people to just get over it. However, just complaining about it isn't enough, is it? We have to make displaying the Confederate flag a hate crime and force people to stop flying it. That's where I have a problem. As I said, if it really bothers you that much, that's fine...whatever gets you off...just don't start trying to force your views on me using the police power of government to dictate what kinds of colored pieces of cloth I can display.
If all you did was complain about it, yeah, I would tell people to just get over it. However, just complaining about it isn't enough, is it? We have to make displaying the Confederate flag a hate crime and force people to stop flying it. That's where I have a problem. As I said, if it really bothers you that much, that's fine...whatever gets you off...just don't start trying to force your views on me using the police power of government to dictate what kinds of colored pieces of cloth I can display.
If the flag is displayed on your personal property, I agree, you should have that right to display it. But as for it being displayed in the south on the state capital and all that, I think that's pushing it.
If the flag is displayed on your personal property, I agree, you should have that right to display it. But as for it being displayed in the south on the state capital and all that, I think that's pushing it.
So even if the majority of people in a particular state want to have it on the flag, you would have them take it down? So does democracy only work when the majority agrees with you?
So even if the majority of people in a particular state want to have it on the flag, you would have them take it down? So does democracy only work when the majority agrees with you?
I don't know. I don't agree with much of what goes on in San Fran either, but I don't live there and certain decisions made are made at the local level. So, I guess if the majority of people in the state wanted the flag to fly over the state capital in spite of how offensive it was to others, then yes, it's their capital. But doesn't the capital represent the state and all folks? Does the flag represent all southerners? No. It never has. From what I learned on this board, that flag only represented the views of free white southourners. Why not just fly a flag over the capital that represents all like the American flag?
I don't know. I don't agree with much of what goes on in San Fran either, but I don't live there and certain decisions made are made at the local level. So, I guess if the majority of people in the state wanted the flag to fly over the state capital in spite of how offensive it was to others, then yes, it's their capital. But doesn't the capital represent the state and all folks? Does the flag represent all southerners? No. It never has. From what I learned on this board, that flag only represented the views of free white southourners. Why not just fly a flag over the capital that represents all like the American flag?
Why not just let people decide what flag they want to fly over their respective state capitals? If you don't like it, you are free to move. Just don't try to force your views on me. Unless I am physically harming you, back off. The Constitution protects my right to free speech...I'll go look again, but I don't think the Bill of Rights says anything about your feelings not getting hurt.
Why not just let people decide what flag they want to fly over their respective state capitals? If you don't like it, you are free to move. Just don't try to force your views on me. Unless I am physically harming you, back off. The Constitution protects my right to free speech...I'll go look again, but I don't think the Bill of Rights says anything about your feelings not getting hurt.
As a white person, it denotes to me a period in our history when a certain portion of our country embraced slavery. So with that, I can see it being offensive to most blacks and some whites, like me. I liken it to a German displaying a swastika. They too could say that the swastika to them, is a symbol of heritage. Some elder Germans may still feel a sense of pride in the symbol. People need to weight their own gratification against the effects it has on millions of others. Sure, anyone in this country as the right to display a Confederate flag. But that doesn't mean it's the respectful and kind thing to do when most people by now, know how offensive it can be to others. Frankly, people of Scotch-Irish ancestry have the option of flying the flags of those nations - the countries that their forefathers are from.
One common theme that keeps getting repeated is America and its guilt for having slaves. True... Our ancestors bare that guilt. Anyone who refuses to learn from history is destined to repeat mistakes. America didn't start slavery in America. Slaves were here before america became a nation. That dishonor would most likely go to England.
The Cofederate flag. It is hurtful towards African americans. Justifiably so. Its not only the white mans shame but also the black mans. Forced servitude would shame anyone with any pride. Although powerless to change or control what happened it would shame anyone. Just as a rape victim feels shame.
Reading the many posts. Backfist, and Annabelle wrote I have a better understanding of the why it offends.
Some posts like blacks should be grateful because they might have ended up in africa instead???? WTH. Thats like saying a victim of child abuse should be happy because at least they are abused in a rich mans house instead of a trailor park.
In earlier posts I tried to explain what the flag meant to southern whites.
The meaning today is not the same meaning of 150 years ago.
The meaning to the average white does not reflect what it means to the idiots of the KKK. Just as the American flag has a different meaning to the average american than it does to some right wing militia.
For the post that the person is so ashamed of america that they would never fly the flag? Why stay where you detest the country so deeply? I wouldnt.
Annabelle Great posts..
Yep. And treason is defined by the victor. This is why we don't consider George Washington to be a traitor, because the rebellious, treasonous colonists won their independence.
No, victory doesn't define it, alliegance does. I'd wager that there are still those in England who'd consider Washington a traitor. Likewise, there are probably some in England who consider Benedict Arnold a hero.
Quote:
Maybe, it depends on your point of view. Of course, if you consider the Confederacy to have been treasonous, then you must also consider the United States to be treasonous.
If you take the point of view of an American citizen, you can't escape the conclusion that the Confederacy's action was treason. If your loyalty lies with the Confederacy, perhaps you might ask yourself why you're living in the distant past and what the Confederacy has ever done to earn your devotion. Because at no point in your life or the lives of anyone you know has the Confederacy ever done anything to make the South or America what it is today.
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