The Battle Of The Confederate Flag

On January 1992 the NAACP put in affect a boycott on South Carolina to pressure the state to remove the Confederate flag off of its Statehouse in Columbia. The boycott is what initially brought life to this issue. The NAACP’s removal request is based on the fact that they, the anti-flag groups, claim that the meaning of the Confederate flag is one of hate and discrimination. On the other hand, there are other groups that believe differently whom are called the pro-flag groups. They claim that the Confederate flag is a sign of heritage and should stay on South Carolina’s Statehouse. Anti-flag articles are more likely to be found published in well-known Liberal magazines, when credible pro-flag articles were hard

In the past couple of year, there has been a controversial battle over the flying of the Confederate Flag on government buildings. The controversy has really started to stir up in the southern states such as South Carolina, Mississippi, and Georgia. On January 30, 2001, the state of Georgia changed its flag, removing the large Confederate battle cross from the 1956 design and replacing it with the state seal of Georgia. Now, the state of Mississippi is the only state that fearlessly displays the Southern Cross in its state flag. Though several Southerners see the Confederate Flag as a symbol of southern pride and heritage, many others see the flag as a dishonorable reminder of slavery and segregation in the south. Although this flag is under great controversy in the southern states, there is no reason why this flag should not be flown from government buildings because it isn’t demoralizing African Americans in the symbolization of slavery, segregation and domination although it is used by many hate groups across the united states they too need a history lesson because the confederate flag only started as a battle flag that some blacks fought under and held with pride.

Hear the Northern thunders mutter! Northern flags in South’s winds flutter! To Arms, To Arms, To Arms in Dixie! Send them back your fierce defiance! Stamp upon the cursed alliance! To Arms, To Arms, To Arms in Dixie! Advance the flag of Dixie! Hurrah! Hurrah! For Dixie’s land we take our stand, And we live or die for Dixie! To Arms! To Arms! And conquer peace for Dixie! To Arms! To Arms! And conquer peace for Dixie! –Confederacy chant. Many people praise it, display it, and chant it, yet others view it with pure disgust. Once again, the Confederate or “Rebel Flag has been shoved onto the table of debate due to the raising of the flag in front of the South Carolina State House. So much debate has arose that President Obama was questioned where this flag should be placed? President Obama replied with a very considerate answer. His answer was, “In a museum.” But why would he want to take down the flag and retire it? Many have applauded him upon the issue, yet others are left confused as to why? Many people fly the Confederate Flag with pride and none of which are racist. In fact, the flag does not even represent

As Winston Churchill stated, “The flags of the Confederate States of America were very important and a matter of great pride to those citizens living in the confederacy. They are also a matter of great pride for their descendants as part of their heritage and history,” but in present day, the American people are claiming the meaning of the confederate flag is hate and discrimination. In South Carolina, the confederate flag was taken down and placed in a museum after a heated debate stemming from a mass shooting of nine black churchgoers in a historical Charleston church during bible study. The shooter, Dylann Roof, was a white supremacist. A photograph of Roof emerged showing him holding a confederate flag which fueled the political flag debate. The confederate flag is at the center of the controversy over racism. Although, it was first created as an official flag of confederacy, the confederate flag has changed into what is now either a symbol of Southern heritage and pride or slavery and racism by Americans. It is time to put this flag in a museum to be honored by those it means something to and no longer stand as a reminder of the division our country once suffered, so we can move on as a nation, united.

Throughout the years there has been many flags that represent something unique of a nation. Flags that symbolizes our freedom and pride of becoming part of that nation. These flags give us the motivation and strength to fight until the end for the protection of our nation. However, as years went by, many different flags have brought about many controversies that have resulted in the fall and disappearance of them, all except one, the Confederate Flag. The Confederate flag is a well-known historical flag all around the United States and possibly around the world. However, this flag has provoked many controversial situations in the nation due to the way individuals interpret it.

South Alabama today is full of discrimination, confederate flags, and hatred towards black people. Many white Americans in the south will argue that the confederate flag represents their “culture” and their historical background, which I find ludicrous. The confederate flag flew under the laws of the confederacy where racism and slavery were openly accepted, if not encouraged, in the states of the confederacy. People that encourage the flight of the confederate flag have not considered that part of history in their argument for why the flag is flown. Instead, they argue some ridiculous claims that the flag represents a time where the south was at its “most successful point in history.” As many can tell, I believe that this sorry excuse to be racist is a load of poppycock. I know that not all people who believe in the flight of the confederate flag are racist, but the majority that does support this is racist.

The Confederate Flag is the symbol for the Southern state in the Civil War. It is not just pieces of material. The flag represent families and where they came from. Flags have been a part of history since the beginning of time and the Confederate flag is a large part of the United States history. People need to learn what the flag has represented. The true meaning. Not what they think the flag has represented. Teaching the meaning of the Confederate flag needs to start in the schools with young children. Without knowing the true history and meaning of the Confederate flag the war over the flag may never stop. People cannot change history by removing a flag from a pole, it is history and history will never change. Society can move forward by educating people on the Confederate flag and change the way future generations view this traditional symbol of the South.

William Thomas was 36 and the owner of a plantation in Virginia near Norfolk. He had a wife, two daughters, and a son who he intended to pass the plantation on to just as he father had to him. Following the events of Fort Sumter, he elected to join the Confederate army to defend against what he saw as the Union’s invasion.

Months prior to the battle, the Confederate Army dealt a blow to the Union Army at the battle of Chancellorsville was in May 1863. At the battle of Chancellorsville Major General Joseph Hooker, who commanded the Army of the Potomac, lay in defeat by a smaller force under the command of General Robert E. Lee. The Army of the Northern Virginia had sent the Union forces retreating inflicting over 15,000 casualties. In mid June 1863, General Lee moved his army across the Potomac River for the second invasion of the North. On June 28th, General George Meade took command of the Union forces. On June 29th, the newly appointed Commander ordered his army to pursue General Lee. They would later meet at Gettysburg.

This controversial issue has come to the forefront recently in the court of public opinion. After talking with many friends, acquaintances, family members, and co-workers, it seems many are ambivalent about this subject. It is surprising that while people think it is racist, they still believe the state should have the right to fly the Confederate flag. Although many were uncertain, there was two strong opinions that categorically oppose one another.

Can the same flag that symbolizes southern heritage also be a symbol of hate? In 2015, a tragic shooting occurred at the Emanuel African Methodist Church in Charlestown, South Carolina. The Charleston shooter, Dylan Roof, was charged with killing nine African-Americans. After this horrible act, he waved the confederate flag in photographs sparking an issue with the flag. Two articles were released concerning whether or not the confederate flag should be removed from the South Carolina capitol. The first article, “Take Down the Confederate Flag, Symbol of Hatred”, was released by The New York Times editorial board on June 22, 2015. This article proposed that the flag should be removed. Following the release of this article, on June 24, 2015 “Keep the Confederate Flag Flying” was released by Selwyn Duke claiming the flag should remain. In these articles, both authors incorporated persona, audience, tone and style to effectively argue whether or not the flag should remain to Americans who may side with their argument.

In The Hill, a top U.S. political magazine, in June 2015, Contributor H. A. Goodman wrote, “The Confederate flag is indeed America 's swastika.” In the same way the Jewish community sees the swastika as a painful reminder of the Holocaust, the African-American community perceives the flag as a reminder of slavery and racial discrimination. The Confederate flag, a relic of the devastating Civil War, has become one of the most controversial and contentious icons in American history. The debate over the flying of the Confederate flag is in regard to the Southern Civil War ideals of slavery and white racial superiority that historians have agreed the flag represents. Supporters of the Confederate flag argue that as a symbol of Southern pride, honor, and character, the flag is a reminder of the South’s distinctive and rich history. Opponents of the flag contend that rather than a symbol of southern bravery, the Confederate flag symbolizes the racist, hateful ideas of the Confederacy. The Confederate flag, a clear symbol of white superiority, prejudice, and slavery, should not be allowed to be perpetuated by the government in a society where those ideals should be long gone.

Confederate flags symbolise different things to others. One may say, “It shows slavery and persecution” and others say “It is pride of southern heritage”. More so today, people will see it as persecution, and believe it is wrong to wield around the flag of the nation, who pursued one of America’s greatest shames.

The author mentioned that some citizens are still perturbed by the Confederate flag. While the number is slowly waning, many citizens were a part of the civil rights movement. They watched racist people protest against them using the flag as a symbol of racism, oppression, and hatred. To some, the flag may serve as a permanent reminder that racism is not truly dead in America.

This Pew article describes findings related to public opinion about racial equality and the Confederate Flag. Fifty-nine percent of Americans believe the country has some way to go in order to achieve racial equality. This is an increase from a year ago when opinion was more closely divided. There is a large divide along racial lines, though, with only 53% of whites believing this while 86% of African Americans do. Whites are also far less likely than other racial groups to say that racism is a big problem, though the number of those that believe this has risen.