SC Gov to push for removal of confederate flag.

[Digital_Damage]

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/sou...ort/ar-AAbXAw4

Racism aside, I never understood why people cling to a flag that was used by a bunch of traitors on the losing side of a civil war.

[sevenhelmet]

While can see the importance from a standpoint of history, I also see that it's a very inflammatory symbol of racism and slavery to many. While I would not support a ban on the flag itself, I think flying it above the state's capital is doing more harm than good. However, I am not from the South, so maybe someone who is can explain why I'm wrong.

[CatSnipah]

Someone should ask Hilary about that blue star on the AR flag and what it stands for.

[BoringGuy45]

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/sou...ort/ar-AAbXAw4

Racism aside, I never understood why people cling to a flag that was used by a bunch of traitors on the losing side of a civil war.

For partially that reason. The history books portray it as a war between the heroic North, which stood for freedom and brotherhood for all men, and the evil South, which stood for oppression, racism, and hatred. It's been 150 years, and the South is still told they ought to be ashamed of themselves even today, that slavery can never be forgiven, and being the descendant of a slave owner is as bad as owning slaves yourself. However, there was the very true accusation that the North was hypocritical in condemning slavery, while allowing sweatshops to exist where people were held in what was slavery in just about every sense of the word. Also, Southerners are portrayed as uncouth, stupid, racist, and generally a worthless segment of the U.S. population that the North would be best off just genociding.

Thus, while I understand completely how the Confederate flag is viewed as racist, I also see how it's also seen as a symbol of pride. Despite being told for 150 years that they are lower than the scum of the earth, the South hangs on to the symbol of the time when they stood up and fought. But all that said, it does bring a connotation of racism and disunity. It's hard to proclaim loyalty to America and opposition to racism when one has the symbol of the faction that revolted against America in order to keep slavery. Those who cling bitterly to avenging the South are no better than those who demand reparations slavery.

Again, don't let this post indicate that I support flying the Confederate flag. I don't. I just see (partially) where they are coming from.

[MountainRaven]

I see the flying of the Confederate battle flag as chiefly being a sign of ignorance: If you're going to display your Southern "pride", why not fly the first or third Confederate civil flags?

I also see it as being akin to Germans flying Nazi flags. I understand the history and the flag certainly should be flown for re-enactment events. But outside of that it suggests that the dark days that ultimately ended when the armies flying those flags struck their colors and left the field of battle aren't really over. Particularly when those colors had been struck and were only again hoisted in official fashion during the 1960s.

And we live in an era where half of the country firmly believes we're living on Mars while the other half equally firmly believes we're living on Venus (both sides happily ignorant of the fact that we are actually on earth and equally convinced that anyone who doesn't believe as they do is certifiably insane) - and certain persons have managed to convince themselves that the Civil War wasn't about slavery at all (despite slavery being mentioned in virtually every paragraph of South Carolina's declaration of secession). Because historical revisionism is cool, I guess.

[Koshinn]

Thats a good point re Germans flying the Nazi flag. Sure the Nazis did some bad stuff, but it was a time when they were being oppressed by everyone and yet stood up to fight. Right?

[brickboy240]

Isn't the current place for this flag the "compromise position" they chose already?

The flag is on a monument to fallen soldiers...not a memorial to slavery, slave owners or the slave trade. It is historically the flag they carried into battle. Most of the soldiers that died under that battle flag in SC NEVER owned slaves. The flag is small and on a much shorter pole than where it was before.

"...but, but it is used as a symbol of racism"

Yeah but the Klan also burns crosses in people's yards and carries the US Flag as well. Should we take the cross off the top of the church where the 9 were shot? I mean...the Klan carries that same cross....right?

The left (...and mostly liberal white northerners) have turned that flag into a symbol of slavery. They have beaten it into everyone's heads that we cannot have that flag anywhere.

I say that the flag should stay, since it is on a war memorial for fallen soldiers....NOT a memorial to slave owners or the slave trade. Slavery was the law of the land for a long time under the US flag but nobody is calling for taking it down on the Iwo Jima Memorial or any other war memorials...are they?

The flap over this flag is just silly. A little education in why it is on that memorial would go a long way. It is NOT intended to be a middle finger to blacks in that state - they have turned int into such a symbol and that is a tragedy.

[austinN4]

Someone should ask Hilary about that blue star on the AR flag and what it stands for.

The blue star above "ARKANSAS" represents the Confederate States of America, which Arkansas joined in secession.

[sevenhelmet]

Also, Southerners are portrayed as uncouth, stupid, racist, and generally a worthless segment of the U.S. population that the North would be best off just genociding.

Wow, I've never heard the South portrayed that way. Is this something you've actually heard said, or is it a projection of people's adverse reaction to Southern culture?

Pretty extreme to say that about one's fellow Americans- regardless of their individual failings.

[jondoe297]

I never understood why people cling to a flag that was used by a bunch of traitors on the losing side of a civil war.

Had the U.S. lost the Revolutionary War, that's precisely what people would say about anyone flying the stars and stripes.