History 120

Over the past few years, the controversial topic of the confederate flag has become more and more prevalent. For some the symbol represents southern pride, heritage of the confederacy along with many other positive notions. For others the flag is a symbol of hate and opression. In a country where the citizens are from a multitude of nationalities and backgrounds, your going to come to some point in time where two people disagree. The flying of the confederate flag should be a states right to choose rather than being controlled by the government.

In this article here, Howard Dean struck high controversey by stating that he wants the support of those that drive pickup trucks and rock the ol’ stars and bars. While this attempt to rally support from southern crowd earned him a standing ovation from supporters, other Democratic canidates were irrate and disgusted. Dean, who has made these types of statements on more than one occasion, believed that this statement would sway the southerners who have been voting republican, to change their mind and support Dean.

A more recent article, entais Hillary Clintion stating that the south, may be just a little too southern. According to Hillary, it is apparently Un-American to be southern and take pride in a flag which your fore fathers flew as they went in to battle. These days children are being expelled from their schools for wearing shirts that carry the symbol so proudly and it affects no only the children that were ousted, but those that view the flag as hateful.

In a society where freedom and rights are glorified, its funny that we are trying to control people still. The flying of a historical flag, should be someones own personal choice, not necessairly the states. If a state would like to fly the flag above their capital then it should be up to their citizens to choose. This would be the “democratic” way to approach the situation. Yet we let symbolism take charge of our opinions and in turn we would all like to everyone else to agree with the way we percieve things. WAKE UP! Thats not how life works, and if it was, I’d be a millionaire that practices polygamy

While it is belived that we should stand united under one flag, which we do in most cases with the American Flag, who are we to say what an individual can and cannot display. The symbol of the Confederate flag will always hold certain value to some, while it may be viewed in a completely different light by others. It really comes down to a matter of personal opinion, and who are we to tell someone else what to think and how to act. Sounds a little like we are trying to play a game of who wants to be a communist.

The confederate states of American were the government formed by southern states of the united states of American during the civil war. There were eleven southern states used flag which it made by southern states, and the confederate flag used during its existence form 1861 to 1865. The confederate flag is still a widely recognized symbol, to people in the southern United States who were support the confederate flag; it is a symbol of their heritage and pride. To northern states confederate flag see it as a symbol of the institution of slavery and racial segregation. After civil war, the confederate flag is still big historical issue whether or not people show displaying flag or just ban flag from united of American forever.
 

I found two very good articles that oppose each other and that are arguing against each other. In first article, should confederate flags be kicked out of class? There had biggest issue about wear confederate flag T-shirt, or school should display confederate flag in class room. The school don’t want to their student wear T-shirt which it has confederate flag in it, and they also they want their teacher displaying confederate flag in their class room. Some students say that the flag represents slavery and oppression and that it has no place in school pperpetuating racism.  If they see any students who wear confederate flag T-shirt they will be suspended. .” Hudson High’s principal, Greg Wright, says the ban is necessary to keep the peace. He told students, “I’m a Southerner too. But we’re Americans first. That has to be our priority.” The school think confederate flag symbol of the institution of slavery and racial segregation. Also confederate flag is big issues between students; sometime student will fight with each other for what the confederate flag stand for.

In second article, The Confederate Flag: Symbol of Valor on Behalf of a Bad Cause by Machubin T. Owens.  Machubin T. Owens supports the confederate flag in different point of views. He thinks confederate flag is symbol of heritage and pride. He said America is free country, and we have to right to show our feeling. The slavery was not the cause of the civil war; Northerners need to avoid the sort of triumphalism that characterizes so many anti-flag editorials. For instance, when slavery was abolished in the North, Northern slave owners were more likely to sell their slaves south than to free them. In addition, many Yankees grew rich in the slave trade. During civil war, the southern people who fight for their states they fight for their pride and some of them didn’t own slavery during the war.

After read those two articles, I have lots of thought about whether we should display flag in the pubic place or not. The confederate flag to some people were very offense I think because those don’t want to forget what happened during civil war, they want to use this issue to remember that war. And also they really don’t want to see that happened again. However, the confederate flag to other half people, they see heritage and pride. They want to remember those people who fight for their states. Confederate flag to me is symbol of history, and we should remember what happened during civil war, I think it is good thing to know, what confederate flag is. If we can look confederate flag in different point of view, see it as part of USA history not the slavery and racial segregation. Then we can use confederate flag as learning tool, that way we can respect flag, history and other people feeling.

article1

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EPF/is_21_103/ai_n11839312

article2

http://www.ashbrook.org/publicat/oped/owens/00/flag.html

more information about confederate flag

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confederate_flag

picture of confederate flag

http://wwwstd.enmu.edu/scottco/confederate_flag.jpg

http://www.cviog.uga.edu/Projects/gainfo/ucvflags.jpg

It all started during the American Civil War when the Confederate States of America created several flags to help them define the war.  The first flag designed by the Confederate States was the Confederate flag.   The Confederate battle flag, called the “Southern Cross” or the cross of St. Andrew, has been described variously as a “proud emblem of Southern heritage and as a shameful reminder of slavery and segregation.”  The display of this flag throughout the south has brought much controversy primarily because of the disagreements it has created as to what it truly symbolizes.  The people who support the Confederate flag, mainly in the South, state that the flag is a symbol of their heritage and pride in their ancestors who survived years of war under terrible odds and sacrifice.  People who disagree with the Confederate Flag see it as a symbol of slavery, a symbol of rebellion, and even its attempt at trying to enforce racial segregation.  Ever since the ending of the American Civil War, the Confederate flag has brought much controversy of whether or not it should be acceptable for southern states to raise a flag that many American’s think symbolize racial hatred and white supremacy.   

In this article, Alice Bernstein states that it is wrong for a confederate flag to be flown over South Carolina’s statehouse building or any other building. She states:

If there had not been the desire to maintain slavery, there would have been no Confederacy and no Confederate flag at all. The Confederacy arose from something completely hideous: the feeling in persons that other human beings should be their property…. The reason the Southern states seceded from the Union in 1861 was to be able to preserve slavery…. South Carolina might just as well display a bullwhip and auction block at its statehouse, because these and the Confederate flag stand for the same thing. 

In other words, Bernstein is extremely unhappy with how the Confederate flag started.  If they would have just abolished slavery then the Confederate flag and the controversies that come with the flag would not be in existence.  Most flags arise from the fact that a group of people want to use a symbol to represent what they stand for.  The American flag represents the 50 states and 13 original colonies; the Canadian flag represents the Maple Leaf, a symbol of their county.  The confederate flag represents a very dark period in US history.  It says that it was acceptable to imprison people against their will and treat them so poorly that many of them died. 

In this article, Jessica Kate supports the Confederate Flag in several different scenarios.  She states that the flag is a symbol of the fact that the people live in the south and also is part of the past.  She also states how it symbolizes what black people actually had to go through and what everyone else had to go through during the war including the people who died.  She states:     

A good way to look at the Confederate flag is to realize that it shows how far we’ve come as a society; from having blacks as slaves to giving them freedom. Also, regardless of how painful people today think slavery was, they weren’t a part of it, so they shouldn’t have any need to fool with the subject of the confederate flag, unless they’re just out to piss off a lot of people by not only taking away a part of the tradition of the South (to hang the flag), but also by calling those people racist, when maybe they aren’t. Not all people that support the flag are racist.

What Jessica is trying to say is that there is always more than one aspect to a controversy.  She discusses the many good ways in looking at this flag.  Some good ways include seeing how far we’ve come as a society, giving freedom to blacks, and even stating that they weren’t part of slavery. 

I agree with Alice Bernstein stating that it is wrong to have the Confederate flag flown over any buildings in this society.  At one point in time, I might have agreed with its existence because of the remembrance of the revolution and the pride it represents, but it grew into a symbol of hatred and racism perpetuated by the Klu Klux Klan and other bitter southerners.  I am extremely disappointed with the existence of this flag today because it represents a place of slavery, a place of rebellion, and even a place of racial segregation.  The fact that some of us today are still honoring those three things is just preposterous. If the South really was interested in preserving its history, they might consider creating a new flag that would be widely accepted by all races as a true symbol of the past that demonstrates both the pride of the southerners and the strife that African Americans were forced to endure.

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/confederate1.html

The Confederate States of America was a name taken by six southern states. They withdrew from the United States government in 1860-1861 because they feared the election of Abraham Lincoln might lead to restrictions about slavery.  The first flag of the Confederate States of America was the Confederate flag which described a proud image of the Southern heritage. Over time, the Confederate flags acquired a range of meanings, contradicting one another. Since the end of the Civil War, the use of Confederate flags has stirred up much controversy because it is a sign that glorifies slavery and segregation.

Shelby Foote  is a supporter of the Confederate flag because it stood as a symbol of what his great grandfather fought for in the Civil War.  He states he is aware of the pain it may cause his African American friends, but feels they have an incorrect meaning and knowledge of confederacy noting:

This country has two grievous sins on its hands. One of them is slavery - whether we’ll ever be cured of it, I don’t know. The other one is emancipation - they told 4 million people, you’re free, hit the road, and they drifted back into a form of peonage that in some ways is worse than slavery. These things have got to be understood before they’re condemned. They’re condemned on the face of it because they take that flag to represent what those yahoos represent as - in their protest against civil rights things (Foote).

Foote believes that there is a misunderstanding for the confederate flag and honors it as recognition of our history.  Foote does not ignore that slavery existed in America; he acknowledges it as a “grievous sin”.  However, he believes that because of these sins, people use it as a means of defining the flag.  Furthermore, he sees it as a noble symbol that stood for much more than slavery.

Alton H. Maddox Jr. discretely opposes the Confederate flag flying atop of South Carolina’s state capitol.  He states:

Since Clinton is also the commander-in-chief, people of African ancestry should expect from him the same reaction if the flag of Nazi Germany were flying atop any state capitol. The federal military would invade the rebellious state and arrest the state’s top officials for committing treason.

Furthermore, he is saying that using the Confederate flag would be the same as agreeing to Nazi Germany’s communism.  Maddox’s reasoning is that “crimes against humanity were perpetrated under both flags”.  To sum up his argument, Maddox feels that the flag is a “relic of the past” with no moral or lawful reason for its existence.  Racism is clearly the biggest factor in his argument since African Americans have suffered from inferiority, noting “It is difficult to see this country elevate the rights of any non-citizen over the civil and human rights of its African citizens who are still uncompensated descendants of enslaved Africans.”

I agree with Maddox’s opposition for the Confederate flag because even though people may have misconceptions about what it symbolizes, it is most important to consider the perspective of African Americans.  We can not erase our history and the existence of slavery.  There are obviously people who hold the subject of segregation and inferiority in our past in great despair.  I am deeply concerned that this flag still is used today, seeing that there is so much controversy about it.  The problem is that the flag is displayed publicly.  We need to take into consideration that certain people are affected by our past in a negative way and being publicly displayed further reminds them of their hurtful past.  I feel the best solution would be for those honoring the flag to hang it in their homes less openly.  This way, the Confederate flag is not being destroyed; we are simply respecting how others may feel.