If we grant the premise that the confederate battle flag and its racist connotations are baggage of the right, let’s compare that to how the left embraces/eschews the racist elements in their midst. I know of no one in the positions of power or notoriety that embraces that stuff on the right. Whereas you can’t swing a dead cat among lefties without hitting one of them sympathizing and championing the various manifiestations of modern racism on their side.
The Word of God will not return void.
I think it started when there was a misunderstanding where I posted that the MAGA movement isn't exclusively meant for white people. To which you replied pointing out that there are MAGA supporters that fly the confederate battle flag which isn't very welcoming after which I said I don't condone that and clarified what I meant was that the MAGA movement isn't exclusively designed to be beneficial for white people only. I added the word "beneficial" for clarification and that's what I meant.
I said the point I'm making. It's ignorant to assume that that flag is accompanied by racists. In the South it is more of a symbol of Southern culture, not a symbol of racism. It's everywhere.
Are you getting snarky with me? Many millions of people just look at that flag as a symbol of Southern culture. Just because people use it to symbolize something bad, it can only be used for that now?
Well. Not me. I don't care about that flag. I'm not part of the culture. But, I can talk about friends and neighbors where I lived in Missippi. Can you please tell me about your experience? Are you going to assume that every white person there is racist? How bigoted is that?
Well that's just ignorant.
I think people need to understand it first. I don't care about that flag. But I have met a lot of kind Southern people who see it as more of a cultural icon. There's a lot more nuance to understand about it than that it can only ever be a racist symbol. Even Kut, of all people, understood that. I think it's bigoted to condemn an entire culture based on preconceptions, without knowing any of them.
I think where the flag issue blurs the line is over flying the confederate battle flag which is seen as a symbol of engaging in battle to preserve slavery. LG pointed out that some Trump supporters are flying the battle flag but then again both flags battle and confederate states flag are seen equally the same. To some they both represent racism there is no distinction. Some don't even know the difference.
It is something that starts early for a southerner. They call it the Bible belt for a reason. There is something Yankees don't celebrate as much as the south does, Memorial Day.In the south, it is known as Flag Day.Most churches have their cemeteries near by.Kids grow up seeing ancestors who fought for their country with Confederate flags flying on their headstones .Northern soldiers fly Old Glory,and the southern Confederate headstones fly the Southern Cross.Both flags flys on Flag Day. Children see this flag in their church cemeteries from the time they are small and now are told to hate the flag ,and not have pride in your southern history. The flag will never fully go away,and with the uneducated masses viewing it as only a racist symbol ,and statues destroyed, the cancel culture will always have their boogie man. Do some racists fly it? Sure .Do some fly the U.S. flag,sure.Are all Republicans racists? Sure.Are any Democrats racist? Absolutely Not. Does it belong at a Trump rally ? NO.
In my experience not many, but that's just from people I've encountered the 8 years I lived in Missippi. I don't ever remember it being discussed though. And this was 20 years ago. long before Democrats created a wedge issue out of it. So I can't speak for how people view it now. It's a different generation.
I would agree with that. I think also that some of those northerners just see it as a cool rebellious thing to do. "I'm gonna fly the rebel flag because I want to be rebellious." To them it's just a symbol of rebellion.
I think that's true too. Back in the late 70s when I was in high school a lot of dudes had that flag on their trucks. It probably was a symbol of rebellion. But you bring up a good point. I don't recall any of them speaking of the flag as being the confederate battle flag. They just called it the rebel flag. But trendy progressives will step into conversations and assert that it has to be what they say it is. I dunno. Probably because they saw it on CNN.
