Is the Confederate Flag Racist? Options

[EmeraldKnight]

The discrimination part is more of an opinion of mine.

Yes, exactly.. its your opinion.. I dont suppose you have evidence for it, do you?

But I think the flag now represents racism. When the flag first came about no it didn't like you said, but now it does also represent racism, because of what happened mostly in the 50s.

What happened in the 50s? I'm not up to date on US history I'm afraid.. that's next year

[ComradeRed]

Ok the dicussion kinda differ from racism into slavery what thunder said really has nothing to do with it being racist. Just because 15% didn't own slaves doesn't mean they weren't racist

Uh... try more like 95% didn't own slaves.

[EmeraldKnight]

Uh... try more like 95% didn't own slaves.

Ok, if you present a statistic, might you add where the statistic is found? (although 95% seems a lot more reasonable than 15%)

[ComradeRed]

Ok, if you present a statistic, might you add where the statistic is found? (although 95% seems a lot more reasonable than 15%)

My history book puts it at 5/6 -- that's about 83%. And even then, most of those people are people who own only one or two slaves, and work in the fields alongside their slaves. Only about 1,500 families in 1860 owned more than 200 slaves (a large plantation).

[EmeraldKnight]

My history book puts it at 5/6 -- that's about 83%. And even then, most of those people are people who own only one or two slaves, and work in the fields alongside their slaves. Only about 1,500 families in 1860 owned more than 200 slaves (a large plantation).

Exactly, I think that point has been said over and over again.. but no one seems to be seeing it...

[ComradeRed]

What point? I just brought up some stats.

[EmeraldKnight]

What point? I just brought up some stats. 

The point that the majority of Southerners didnt own slaves

[saintsaens]

That is a racist view in itself.

You are absolutely wrong. It must take someone who lives in the south to understand this. It doesn't represent the hatred that of course we allll have for black people, because you know, we're southern, so we must be a bunch of racists, right? (That was sarcasm)
No, it's about our heritage, it's about where we came from. If it's a symbol of hatred to you, then tough.

It's rediculous these days what people try to say is racist. It's freakin retarded and I, personally, am sick and tired of someone screaming "racist" over the stupidest crap.

And your reply was the stupidest shit too. That flag represents the old southern way of life, AKA, slavery.

[EmeraldKnight]

And your reply was the stupidest shit too. That flag represents the old southern way of life, AKA, slavery.

Please be nice, not like your reply was any better..

Southern way of life? What the hell are you talking about? Did you read the above statistics at all? THe vast majority of white southerners DID NOT own slaves, so how the hell is slavery the southern way of life?

[ComradeRed]

The Southern Way of Life is about a lot more than slavery. If you read the Confederate Constitution, I guarantee that you will find yourself saying, "Wow, except for the slavery part, this is so much better than our Constitution." Without fail, this happens.

[angel-roh]

wait so u guys are saying that if i put my korean flag next to my house...thats called racism?

[Spirited Away]

wait so u guys are saying that if i put my korean flag next to my house...thats called racism?

Erm, do Koreans have a history of racism like the US in its early years?

If not, then I don't think your example is very sound.

[EmeraldKnight]

wait so u guys are saying that if i put my korean flag next to my house...thats called racism?

It would depend.. it may be viewed that way by some, but for most people, probably not

[onenonly101]

wait so u guys are saying that if i put my korean flag next to my house...thats called racism?

no, because um Koreans weren't lynched and beaten and so on because they were Korean. And when someone hangs a confederate flag in there house yeah everyone does assume they are racist.

[ComradeRed]

no, because um Koreans weren't lynched and beaten and so on because they were Korean. And when someone hangs a confederate flag in there house yeah everyone does assume they are racist.

Really? I wouldn't assume they're racist.

Chinese people were lynched and beaten by the Japanese for a long while, so does that mean that by having a Japanese flag you support lynching Chinese people?

[onenonly101]

No because the Confederate flag is not the U.S. flag and in the South many blacks were lynched with the Confederate flag flying right by their body

[ComradeRed]

And many Chinese were killed with Japanese flags flying over their body... your point?

[onenonly101]

My point was that hanging the American flag on your house is much different than hanging a Confederate flag on your house. Because the Confederate flag represents racism to many.

[ComradeRed]

And the Japanese Flag might represent racism to many too...

Since when are people's free speech rights compromisable because some other people might be "offended".

I will proudly fly the Confederate Flag next Indepedence Day -- along with the Ross Flag -- to remind people how far we've gone from our original ideals as a nation.

The Confederate Constitution has six major changes from the US Constitution. One of them is slavery. The other five are all things that we should do TODAY -- things that are more in line with what Jefferson had in mind.

5/6 of the Confederate Flag represents freedom and liberty, and only 1/6 represents racism and slavery.

[Spirited Away]

5/6 of the Confederate Flag represents freedom and liberty, and only 1/6 represents racism and slavery.

That is the case for many people, however, to many others the opposite is true (5/6 racism, 1/6 freedom and liberty).

[ComradeRed]

The six major changes in the CSA Constitution are:

- Slavery
- Purposes of Congressional spending limited --> MUCH less corruption in the CSA Congress than the USA Congress
- Abolishing riders on bills --> We DESPERATELY need this
- Supermajority to approve spending --> We desperately need this too
- Line-item veto (I oppose this BTW)
- One-Term Limit for President

Five of the six changes have nothing to do with race... hence only 1/6 racism.

There are five slavery-related articles in the CSA Constitution. Of these, THREE DIRECTLY ATTACK THE INSTITUTION OF SLAVERY (by prohibiting the importation of new slaves, by restricting slavery in the territories, etc), one is neutral in content, and one protects the property rights of slaveholders.

In other words, even if the South DID win the Civil War, the institution of slavery itself was to meet a somewhat slower, but inevitable economic demise. At the same time, we would all enjoy liberties to a much greater extent than we do now.

If I had a time machine to go back to the Civil War, and knowing the unconstitutional future of America with a Union victory, I would unquestionably have supported the Confederacy. If the CSA Constitution were in force today, we would have a balanced budget, no horrendous abuse of civil liberties like patriot, no FDR-style mini-dictatorships, much lower taxes, less spending, and less war.

Now I know that was really controversial, but onenonlyone... I'm sure you support NOT being bigoted... so I think that to be fair, everyone should actually read the Confederate Constitution before passing judgment on what side was actually right in the Civil War. Remember that before Lincoln brought slavery to the forefront in 1863, the entire world looked at the North as a tyrannical power, and the South as an oppressed minority seeking only to be left alone.

[EmeraldKnight]

That is the case for many people, however, to many others the opposite is true (5/6 racism, 1/6 freedom and liberty).

Exactly..

*Sigh* I think this is a useless topic.. because there realli is no changing longstanding views.. no matter what the Confederate Flag may have been intended to represent, racist actions in the last century have forever marred it..

Minda, I value all your facts and stuff, but the truth is.. people dont care for obscurities like that, no matter if the Supreme Court rules it as not being racist, people are going to view it and possibly use it as such..

Racism is in the mind, not in some piece of cloth; the racist feelings are projected onto the flag..

Blah.. that somewhat made sense.. I think...

[Spirited Away]

Blah.. that somewhat made sense.. I think...

Very much so.

If some law declares that the Confederate flag does not represent racism, there will still be people who think that the law is biased and discriminatory.

ComradeRed, those are genuinely interesting facts. I learned a lot from them.

[onenonly101]

Since when are people's free speech rights compromisable because some other people might be "offended".

Since the FCC was made

[T00000]

if the person who displays the flag is doing it with racist intentions, it is racist. period. therefore the argument about what the south stood for our whatever does not matter much.