Breaking News: A large group of idiots are arguing with another large group of idiots. One group of idiots are saying the flag must come down because it promotes racism. The other group of idiots are saying the flag has nothing to do with racism and everything to do with heritage.
Timing is everything. The flag debate would be a bit more interesting if it took place before 9 people were murdered in Charleston. It would be even better if it took place before the recent Cop vs. Young Black Male conflicts that further divide the country along racial lines.
Don't you notice a growing trend these days: a huge political/religious/homosexual/racial (pick one) event or milestone occurs and the country is divided at the outcome. People flock to sides of battle on social media and post items that will either garner support or fuel debate. Sometimes I feel as if I'm the only one not chomping at the bit to let the whole world know my opinion for the sake of "likes" on Facebook (or retweets on that other form of social media).
Since you have read this far you shouldn't be surprised that I'll throw my opinion out there now...after all, my opinion should not be surprising based on my previous post titled "Scowling At Confederate Flags": The flag to racism is like the fork to obesity; it doesn't cause it...but it sure as hell doesn't deter it. Take a close look at who 98% of the the supporters of the flag are. Not a very diverse group. You shouldn't have to explain to a Nazi why the Nazi flag is offensive to some Jews. You shouldn't have to explain to a Confederate flag supporter why the Confederate flag is offensive to some Blacks.
The flag didn't cause that guy to kill 9 people in Charleston, but it looks really bad that this guy was a huge fan of the flag and put pictures of him posing with it on the internet. It looks really bad when you really start to think WHY he was a big fan of the flag. You are out of your minds to think the flag has NOTHING to do with racism. Racism is the reason why he posed with it.
I grew up on the west coast but I've been in the south for about 18 years now and one thing I know about this south is this; they are very traditional (and the food is phenomenal). There is more of a historical heritage in this part of the country mainly because it is older than most other parts of the country. The chances of you finding a 5 generation Georgian are higher than finding a 5 generation Californian. The non-racists that are defending the Confederate Flag are doing it most likely because their parents did (or would have if put in a similar situation). That would best explain the South's infatuation with the flag.
The North (hell even sometimes the West) doesn't get off Scott free. There are bigots everywhere and the bigotry is pointed in multiple directions. There were kids north of the Mason-Dixon line trying to celebrate their "heritage" with the same flag and everyone saw right through that bullshit. Either way, bigotry can be displayed in more subtle ways than waving a flag.
Yes, removing the flag EVERYWHERE is a bad idea. What about the historical sites and the graveyards? The places were the flag has been flying since the end of the Civil War, what about those places? How can these flags be found offensive when displayed for historical purposes? Although people often compare the Confederate flag with the Nazi Flag, the main comparison is that they are both historical. You can't have blockbusters like Raiders of the Lost Ark and Schindler's List without the Nazi Flag. You can't have blockbusters like Glory and Lincoln without the Confederate flag. Most importantly, you can't have the Dukes of Hazard without the General Lee. The Duke boys never said the N word on the show nor put on white robes and hoods. Although it was fiction, it is a good example of "heritage."
Don't worry...the flag isn't going anywhere...but it will be under fire for a while. That among other things will be under fire for quite a while.
No comments:
Post a Comment