Recently, quite a debate has emanated regarding the Confederate Flag. This debate has been taken from a simple ember to an all out wildfire, spreading across America, by events in recent months like the Charleston African-American church shooting and the subsequent removal of the flag from the South Caroline State Capitol. This debate has deep geographic ties from all the way back to the Civil War and what the flag stood for then and what the flag has stood for since. Each side of the debate has determined their position based on their collective memory of the flag. Whereas, one side of the argument sees the flying of the flag as a symbol of racism and hatred, the other sees the flying of the flag as preserving southern heritage with …show more content…
The true history behind this flag varies quite a bit from the collective memory of the flag that is used to support arguments in the debate. One of the most important characteristics of the flag that has bee lost in its long history is the fact that the flag that many say represents the Confederacy and its ties in southern history is not really a symbol of the Confederate States of America at all. The Confederate States of American went through three different flags during the time of their existence. None of which were the flag that we know so well today, this flag instead was flown by General Robert E. Lee as a battle flag of his Northern Virginian army unit. This was the only means in which this flag had any ties with the Confederacy, other than being seen in the upper left hand corner of their second and third flag. Also, General Lee himself left the flag behind him after his side lost the war saying “I think it wiser moreover not to keep open the sores of war,” in a letter declining an invitation to the Gettysburg Battlefield Memorial Association. This begins to invoke the question of whether or not the heritage argument is justified or not as the General of the Confederate Army cut his ties with the flag after losing the war.
Another argument made by many flag supporters is “that the Confederate battle flag is a historic banner that embodies the noble service and
This viewpoint can be found in Eric Foner’s article “Rebel Yell” which is published in a well-known liberal magazine The Nation. Foner who is a historian believes that the main cause of the Civil War was the South’s opposition to freeing slaves. He states that slavery was the big reason why the Civil War was started and that all of the other issues stemmed off of it. This view is shared among the anti-flag supporters as seen in this quotation from another anti-flag article. “Try as we may to pretend that slavery wasn’t a big issue as any other, the truth is, had the South been agreeable to the idea of ending slavery, then the civil war may very well have never happened”(Amy par. 2). Foner then uses logos by explaining how the Declaration of the Immediate Causes of Secession shows evidence of this in its causes of secession. “To understand what the flag now flying in Columbia represents, one need only read the Declaration of Immediate Causes of Secession, adopted by South Carolina secession convention in December 1860”(Foner par. 2). Foner gives some examples of the declaration being about slavery by quoting some things it stated, and one quotation out of the Declaration of Immediate Causes of Secession is about Lincoln being a man “whose
The Confederate Flag is a demoralizing symbol to many African Americans in the United States. To a number of African Americans because they think this flag is a symbol of slavery and the domination whites had over slaves during the time of the civil war. This flag is
The confederate flag was used in the civil war where the south separated from the rest of the states. The reason for this was to keep slavery to not loose labor, they also didn't want to treat african american slaves as equals. The flag was used as the most popular symbol for the confederates. We fought our self and lost so many lives for this cause. In the end the north won, the south(confederate) join the u.s once more and slavery was not allowed and was passed as a law.
In my paper I will be discussing the Confederate Flag and its controversy in history and in todays views. The Confederate flag has been a negative symbol in American society since the 1800’s. It has been only recently that the Confederate flag has been brought back to life as a contemporary issue. In recent times the flag has been used as a motivation for racial strikes and other rebellious acts bring the issues of the flag and the controversy behind it back to life. The major questions I seek to answer in this essay it why the controversy of the Confederate flag only been brought back up recently and why the confederate flag was created the way it was. And the overall motivation behind its creation. The Confederate flag has only recently been brought back as an issue because of the recent racial attacks and an overall rebellious acts that swear under the confederate flag, back in the early 1860’s the confederate flag was first used to represent the southern states because the south was wanting to secede from the northern states. Because of the major shooting in Charleston controversy behind the confederate flag sparked back up. Major retailers like Walmart and Amazon and stopping the sale of the Confederate flag because of its growing symbol of racism. The Confederate flag has shifted from being viewed as the southern states to viewed as a symbol of racism. what does the future hold for the confederate flag and will it become a rare item?
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 Confederate flag has now become a hot issue for South Carolina, which is the last state to have the original Confederate flag still flying on its Statehouse. What got the State’s attention was the economic boycott of South Carolina that was announced on January 1992 by the NAACP to pressure the State to remove the Confederate flag off of its Statehouse in Columbia. 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
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.
The first reason the Confederate flag should be taken down is because it is a symbol of hate. More than 620,000 Americans lost their lives at the hands of other Americans. Nearly equal to the total number of American deaths in all other wars combined. The fight for freedom for enslaved Black Americans, or for the Confederates of the South, the fight against
Over The course of time the Confederate flag has Flown in Historical battles and supported those men who went to was and fought to death under the flags stars and bars the confederate flag has even been bashed by those who may not fully understand the flag and its meaning in history. Before all of this began, a man named Nicola Marschall founded the first version of the confederate flag also known as the Stars and Bars this version of the flag was soon removed because it looked like the American flag and it was soon captured by the Union Army at Columbia. After this happened, we soon made yet another version of the flag also known
The Confederate Battle flag is one of the most recognized symbols in the United States. It is not always a welcome symbol in today’s society. Take for instance the state of South Carolina having to remove it from its statehouse on April 12, 2000. The reason it is not always welcome is because people often misinterpret its true meaning. It is not a symbol of hatred but, a symbol of southern pride and honor. The pride and honor of all the men and women who carried it the flag into battle fighting for what they believed in, Southern independence.
Picture if you were treated differently by a flag that was flown, this can happen in our country at anytime. The confederate flag was flown as a symbol for the southern states in the civil war for keeping their culture which included slavery. The confederate flag should not be flown because it is offensive, symbol of hate, and racist.
The confederate flag, a topic that has been the center of controversy for many years now, is an emblem of southern pride and heritage to some, while to some it is purely a symbol of hate and racism. After the shootings in South Carolina, it is clear that the flag should be taken down. Since it represents white supremacy and inequality and not Southern pride.
All the conflict the Confederate battle flag has raised in the past month elevates the question “should the flag stay up or be taken down.” Many states have already taken it down from official buildings. Other questions appear asking if the flag symbolizes racism or heritage. As said by Coulter “Think of all the actual people you know, Southern or Yankee. Have any of them ever expressed support for slavery? Ever, ever, ever? No they haven 't” (Battle Over Flag).No one wants to see slavery come back. The Civil War and slavery is definitely a big scar on the United States. The flag does not represent any of this; the Confederate flag stands as a symbol of heritage in the eyes of many people, but as a racist disgrace in the
The American South. An area full of rich history and the home to some of the nation’s largest conflicts throughout history, such as the civil war and the civil rights movement. Southerners have always been proud of their heritage despite its rocky parts and display it for all to see with a 150 year old flag. This is proving to be problematic, though, as the Confederate flag they are all so proud of, is really only 50 years old and has been associated with ideals of white supremacy and racism. Some Southerners and other Americans choose to not believe the truth about the flag, others were never taught the truth. However, it is incredibly important in forming an opinion on the flag, and to whether or not the flag must be removed from state buildings. And the truth is, due to its historical affiliation to racist whites in the South, white supremacy groups, and recent events such as the Charleston Shooting, the Confederate rebel flag should not be flown on state buildings as it is not culturally sensitive to African American people who have been targeted by these people.
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.