The Battle Of The Confederate Flag

The First Amendment rights have caused much controversy because it allows people to say, act, or feel how they see fit; for example, hanging of a Confederate flag or displaying a swastika in public view. It is a very hard and intense act; although it is their right to do so. According to the Supreme Court’s ruling, the displaying of these symbols is protected under the First Amendment.

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.

Within the United States of America, arguments, involving the Confederate Flag, are solved every sngle day. However, some controversies have managed to carry on from the 1800’s until present day without any solution. The text and symbolic meaning behind the “Confederate Flag” is a perfect example. The Confederate Flag is one of America’s most embattled symbolic controversies. Created in 1861in a battle between the South, Confederates, and the North, Union, two men by the name P.G.T. Beauregard and Congressman William P. Miles designed and created a flag that would represent the true southern pride and demands that would not only bring about conflict with one half of the nation but also with our American society today.

The start of the Confederate flag controversy was due to the request of the NAACP to remove the flag off of South Carolina’s Statehouse. This 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 flag is a sign of heritage and should stay on the Statehouse. Liberals tend to be in the favor of the anti-flag groups, and conservatives are more likely to be supporting pro-flag groups. Both sides use evidential logos to prove their arguments, and pathos to show how wrong the other side is.

Grandin, Greg. "Before It Was a Symbol of Racist Backlash, the Confederate Flag Was a Symbol

The capture of this vital southern city was a huge blow to the Confederacy. In early 1862, the Confederates concentrated their forces in northern Mississippi and western Tennessee to prevent the Yankee invasion. Many of these troops fought at Shiloh in Tennessee on April 6 and 7. Eight Rebel gunboats were dispatched up the great river to stop a Union flotilla above Memphis, leaving only 3,000 militia, two uncompleted ironclads, and a few steamboats to defend New Orleans. The most imposing obstacles for the Union were two forts, Jackson and St. Philip. In the middle of the night of April 24, Admiral David Farragut led his troops in a daring run past the forts.

The controversy of the showing of the confederate flag is something huge. You have the bunch that does not like the flag, and then there is the group of individuals the support and fly the flag with pride. There are five states that have laws, in their own state, that state it is illegal to burn or deface the confederate flag. On surface, these state laws would seem to conflict the 5-4 decision made by the Supreme Court in Texas v. Johnson. The controversial case in 1989 that held up the burning the flag as an act of protected free speech. (As it is stated under the First Amendment.)

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.

In Scott v. School Bd. of Alachua County two Florida students in 2003 were suspended from school for displaying images of the Confederate flag. Both students were told countless times to stop displaying this symbol. One student flew a Confederate flag on the antenna of his truck while the other student wore a T-shirt with the image clearly displayed. The principal believed the Confederate images created an “unhealthy environment and could lead to a dangerous environment at school.” The students sued the school saying that their First Amendment rights were violated. They argued that under Tinker v. Des Moines

Being a black woman, in a “white man’s” world, is a very hard thing to encounter; especially growing up in the south where racism is still clearly evident. Georgiana, Al, the small town I grew up in, a white man owns everything. The only exception is the night club that is open only Thursday thru Saturday, but even that business is on the way of being shut down just because it is a popular business owned by a black man. Growing up I have seen first-hand racism, discrimination, and stereotyping against towards the black community.

Thomas Jefferson’s motto, “Rebellion to Tyrants is Obedience to God”, that originates from the Declaration of Independence sparked rebellious characters in U. S. History. Society has delineated the definition of rebel in several ways. Many, in the new era, do not know the history behind the meaning of a true rebel. The definition of rebel has changed in America from patriot in the time of the American Revolutionary war to confederate in the Civil War and to redneck in today’s societal controversy concerning the image of the Confederate flag.

The first time the Confederate flag was flown in South Carolina was to mark the centennial of the civil war. In addition to that memorial moment, it also coincided with a slew of Jim Crow laws being overturned. While some considered the raising of that flag to be significant to the history of that state, there is sound reasoning to believe that the raising of that flag would be a reminder to minorities that the white race is dominant.

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.

The debate over the recent mass shooting in Charleston, South Carolina has sparked a controversy involving the presence of the Confederate flag. Apparently, there is a common perception among Democrats that the Confederates are associated with racial crime and hate in America. The suspect behind the shooting in Charleston has confessed that he acted about the idea of white supremacy in the South. A large section of the American population agrees the flag is a symbol of racism since it was established in honor of white civil war soldier who wanted to preserve slavery in the region. Interestingly, the flag has remained a monumental symbol in the states and is still erected in the front of South Carolina’s state house. For years after the

The Confederate flags those hung in the campus of Harvard University on March, 1991 triggered many controversial disputes among the faculty of the Harvard community. Many students argued with the hanging of those offensive flags in the window of the dormitory are the symbols of Slavery and offer many offensive message, while others claimed that those symbols are the form of freedom of speech and it should be protected according to the First Amendment.