Confederate Battle Flag: Heritage or Racism?
Over the years, the controversy has boiled and caused most southern states to remove the flag. America's colorful history should never be forgotten, since it represents a time when two nations couldn't agree. So, many people do not see the Confederate battle flag, as a part of the south's changing heritage. The flag was called the "Southern Cross" or "the cross of St. Andrew" (Brunner, 2007) and has been a proud symbol of the south's heritage. During previous centuries the flag has been flown, next to the American flag and their state flag.
However, some say it is a "shameful reminder of slavery or segregation" (Brunner, 2007), for many African-Americans. According to the Southern Poverty of Law Center, many hate groups have begun using this flag to represent hate. But, not all southerners see the flag as a symbol of hate. Instead, they see it as a part of their heritage their ancestors died for. Whether it is wrong or right, we should never forget the men that died fighting for a cause they believed in. However, we shouldn't allow hate groups to use this flag to further their own hate and prejudice.
For years, the civil war raged on and at the end of the struggle, we all became one nation of Americans. Do you know if one or more of your ancestors fought in the civil war? What side do you think they fought on? Would you be proud of them or embarrassed by their choice? Did you know that there were many African-American's, who proudly fought alongside of the Confederate troops?
The Confederate flag should fly for those, who died in the belief that they were trying to make America better. But, out of the ashes of the civil war, America became one nation under God. Furthermore, as Americans, we should be proud of our history and learn from it, as we grow. In the 20th century, the Confederate battle flag shouldn't be discriminated against, because of the behavior of extremist. Therefore, we should not blame the flag for its misuse, because the flag is not the enemy.
References:
Brunner, B (2007) Confederate Flag Controversy
Retrieved of the World Wide Web on August 25, 2007
http://www.infoplease.com/spot/confederate1.html
Published by Imogen Rayne AAB BSCOM
Crystal S. Kauffman is a Freelance Copywriter, Published Author, Poet, and Songwriter with 14 years of experience. Her chosen pen name is Imogen Rayne, since she first thought of it in 1995 and adopted the n... View profile
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6 Comments
Post a CommentThe war was not over slavery Lulu, get a credible history book and see what the war was really fought over. Once you have given yourself a history lesson, think about the flag's meaning again.
i concider it racist cuz why did the people fought for to keep slavery so that flag is saying u still support slavery
I have 2 flags, and it does not mean I am a racist. People always associate the flag with the KKK. There are 5,000 members of the Klan, and hundreds of thousands of flags. The swastika should be associated more with the Klan. It is not racist. I have a black friend. It just shows rebellion and, in some cases, heritage. Always remember, heritage, not hate.
Considering venom, the issue of the confederate flag is symbolic for multiple reasons.
Your list of "Facts" Seems quite infantile in scope. The confederate revolution was over states rights, it wasn't until the war was done that the hate mongers convoluted the meaning of the symbols.
A) The banner is red white and blue, lending to the standard of Americas National identity.
B) The thirteen stars set against the cross bars, the stars respecting the colonial heritage ie the constitutional values on which the nation and states were founded. The bars as some refer is actually the Cross of St Andrew, yes one of the twelve Apostles of Christ's church, who went had the sentence of death by Crucifixion placed upon his said please but not as the cross of my Lord, so the X type of cross was used to kill St Andrew, hence the items upon the confederates flag had nothing to do with Race, but still stand today as testament of the faith of the confederates to stay within the concepts of the fou
It all comes back to the power of a symbol. Freedom would leave the flag alone, while those that would take freedom fight to have the flag removed. If everyone's entitled to their opinion, then there's nothing wrong with the flag.
Very good article. I feel as you do. I was raised in the South but my family was neither racist nor prejudice. I am sorry the Confederate Flag has become a symbol of "hate" and "racist" to so many.