[quote]NorCal916 wrote:
[quote]pat wrote:
[quote]NorCal916 wrote:
Regardless of the history behind the Confederate flag, we need to be honest about what it represents: separatism, segregation, and yes, racism. When I see the flag, what comes to mind? Redneck racist. That’s the truth whether you want to admit it or not.
Despite the “heritage” of the flag, it’s been hijacked by rednecks and used as a racist symbol. That’s what most people identify with it, despite its orgins.
What about the Nazi flag? What comes to mind? Do you know the sign was stolen from the Hindus/Buddhists? It had a much different meaning, but they used the symbol and just reserved it. It’s not their symbol, they hijacked it and now we associate it with Nazis.
How is this different?[/quote]
I think making a flag the center of attention in this case takes away from the victims and their families and the justice the shooter deserves.
A flag didn’t pull the trigger, a hateful racist did.
You can burn every Confederate flag in existence and it’s not going to help a single damn person. It’s not going to bring people together, it’s not going to root out hate, it’s going to do nothing. It’s a hollow victory.
People are pouring their vitriol into a symbol, in hopes that destroying the symbol will destroy what they hate.
Making this tragedy about a flag will only end up in more tragedy. We going to attack people bearing a confederate flag, because we automatically think they are racists?
I have lived in the south most of my life. The stars and bars have always been around, and it’s flown in all kinds of racial diversity with no one giving it a second thought until recently. In the '70’s, '80’s and '90’s it was just another flag and nobody paid much attention to it. Why all the sudden, it’s a big deal is beyond me.
I know this, 9 people are dead in a horrific terrorist attack. I say terrorist because though this guy isn’t part of ISIS or some islamic nut-job organization, his goal was to terrorize blacks. He’ll only succeed if we let him. And if we make it about a symbol rather than human relationships, he will have succeeded to some degree. If we pull together, help who we can help, and pay color no mind, he loses. I say lets make him lose. [/quote]
Why focus on the flag? Because it’s ACTIONABLE.
It’s an accomplishment. A feather in the cap. Something they can say THEY DID, even though little change is affected (or some might argue it create more division among the flag’s supporters).
- And of course, for votes.
I don’t care about the flag. But I’m not going to deny that it’s used as a racist symbol by Rednecks. Look at the asshole who put the flag up when Ben Carson moved into their affluent neighborhood!
It’s flying the flag on public monuments that is the issue. I don’t want a fucking Communist flag flying on a courthouse in Berkeley, CA! Or a Muslim flag flying on a school in Dearborn, MI!
Fly the American or State flag on tax payer funded land or put (insert flag of your fucking choice) on you own private property!
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9 times out of 10, Old Glory is sitting right next to the Star and Bars by those same racist red necks. I have seen the Star and Bars on front plates on cars and trucks driven by black people. Like I said, I live in Georgia, the jewel of the south and it’s probably the most diverse place north of Florida. Way more diverse than any Yankee state I have ever been in.
Your right they are projecting this bullshit on the flag. This flag was just part of life for so long, it baffles me that now people are having a hissy fit over it.
It’s typical Media driven America. If there’s a problem, give it a symbol and destroy the symbol. The problem stays but hey you got rid of a symbol.
All of it taking away from the fact that 9 innocent people were murdered in cold blood by a racist pig. It does there memory no justice, it does their family no good, it does not serve justice to the murderer. It just pisses people off who had nothing to do with the act.
I have traveled the world and I know one thing about the U.S. that is different than everywhere else I have been. It’s the least racist country on Earth. Go to Europe and see what they think of the Gypsies. Or Australia and their glamorous opinion of Asians. Or South America where they hate the indigenous people, blacks and anybody else who is not from there.
I am not saying their are not racial problems in America, I am just saying when it comes to tolerance we have it good comparably.