The Confederate Flag Dispute Essay

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

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.)

Symbolism over substance is the idea that getting rid of the confederate flag will stop racism or change the past, but there is no substance to that, removing the flag won't end racism or change the history. This quote is an example of how the Confederate flag is not just a symbol, “The flag as we know it was born not as a symbol, but as a very practical banner. The commanders of the Confederate army in Virginia (then known as the army of the Potomac) sought a distinctive emblem as an alternative to confederacy's first national flag - the stars and bars – to serve as a battle flag,” (Coski, 2). This quote suggests that the flag isn't supposed to represent racism, it was just suppose to represent the Confederate army in battles. However, some may say that the Confederate flag is a symbol of racism but this is untrue.

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 power that comes from an object or symbol is not inherent. At one point in human history a cross was simply just two sticks laying on top of each other. Humans gave it power by using it and acknowledging it as a symbol. The case is the same with the confederate flag. It is a powerful symbol because of the connotations that humans have given it. The problem is not everyone has the same idea on what the confederate flag stands for. Gene Demby, author of When The ‘Heritage’ In ‘Heritage Not Hate’ Is More Skynyrd Than Stonewall Jackson spoke to multiple people who all have different reasons for liking the flag. Rather than see it as a sign of slavery they connect the flag to their childhood or a memory they have that has literally nothing to do with slavery. Gene’s point is that the flag is significant based on personal heritage and experiences not that of the past. Hugh Howard author of, How the North distorts Civil War history has yet another approach. He doesn’t necessarily debate the meaning of the flag, but does illuminate that most people only have one side of the story when it comes to the reasons for the Civil War. The north was in favor of slavery just as much as the south, yet nobody seems to have a problem with the Union flag. This leads to the conclusion that it isn’t the flag itself that is the problem rather the people who endorse it. Lastly Byron Thomas, author of I am a black South Carolinian Here’s why I support the Confederate flag uses the fact that he is

After a 15-hour legislative debate, South Carolina voted to remove the Confederate flag from Statehouse. Millions watched as the flag came down on Friday, marking a milestone in how America commemorates the war that tore the nation apart.

The opposing side wants us to listen and not worry about the flag just the information to support why it is not racist. When thinking of the flag it is important to keep in mind that the Confederate Battle Flag was just a battle flag and nothing more. The Confederate Battle Flag was never a National flag, so it could have never for slavery. The opposing side says that this is continued by a lack of education and ignorance people. The people that criticize the Confederate Battle Flag have to be misinformed about the history behind the Confederate flag and have simply joined in an on wrong information that is not completely true at all. The KKK known as the Ku Klux Klan has used the United States of America's flag more than the Confederate Battle Flag itself. The racist organization such as the KKK have taken a good symbol of history, and have misled the south that the Confederate flag is a racist symbol and that they stand behind the idea of it. They just want the good memories of the great Confederate Soldiers that fought under the flag would not be happy with their racist plans of it. In no possible way does the Confederate Flag represents hate or violence at all. SCV which stands for Sons of Confederate Veterans is a historic long time group that has tried to fight the dirt that has been put on the Confederate flag for being a racist symbol of history that has been brought about by the horrible organizations. The group really does not promote any type of hate groups, they proudly only promote the history behind the Confederate Flag and that’s all. The group till this day still tries to continue to educate the public to withstand the good reputation of the Confederate soldiers and make me realize that the Confederate soldiers went to fight for the country as a whole, not just one individual

Many people still feel the tension in the air when they talk about the Confederate flag. For many people it symbolizes a time filled with hate and oppression. The South used this symbol as what backed them in the civil war. They left the United States as a whole because they did not like the talk of slaves being free. Nowadays it is a symbol just like the swastika, it originally never meant anything bad or hurtful, but a single idea changed that. When the south used it to justify why they fought it tarnished its original meaning completely. People all across the country are supporting its removal; even big companies are changing their

In “Keep the Confederate Flag Flying”, Selwyn Duke’s persona is informative. He wants to appeal to the southern states in America. Therefore, the intended audience is the southerners that will stand with him in keeping the confederate flag flying. The tone of this article is somewhat serious, as he is trying to convince others to help with his cause. The tone is shown when Selwyn Duke said, “As you know, one criminal who committed a heinous act had sometimes sported the symbol, so the thinking…er, feeling…goes, it should be sent to cultural Siberia. But the flag should remain—especially right now” (Duke 1). This quote also introduces his persuasive style he uses to convince the people to do whatever they can to keep the flag

We all have heard the romantic story of our flag. How Betsy Ross sat in her living room all night, sewing together the stars and stripes. Today, Betsy’s masterpiece still flies high all around our country, but, in many of the southern states, there is a second flag that flies with it. The Confederate flag. The birth story of this war flag is not romantic in any shape or form. During the Civil War, there was much confusion on the battlefield between the original Confederate flag, “Stars and Bars”, and our “Stars and Stripes”. So the leaders of the Confederates had their Committee on the Flag and Seal create a totally different flag to use for the battlefield, and they would use their original flag for parades. Hence, the birth of the Confederate

Pro-Confederates argue that the flag we have come to know as the Confederate flag is not the same flag as the one flown on Confederate battle fields. While it is true that the flag we see today wasn’t the official flag of the Confederate states, it was flown by several Confederate Army units, including Robert E. Lee’s unit (Brumfield). After the end of the Civil War, the Confederate flag largely disappeared, but made its comeback during the Civil Rights movement. According to Malik Miah, a reporter for Solidarity, the Confederate flag was flown at the South Carolina state capitol beginning in 1962 in defiance of the Civil Rights movement (Miah). The flag had flown at the South Carolina state capitol ever since – until now. Other defenders of the Confederate flag say that the flag is merely a symbol of the heritage of the area and the sacrifice of veterans who died defending it (Lagarde). However, the history of African-American racism and the Southern heritage are intimately intertwined. Looking at the Confederate flag brings feelings of prejudice, discrimination, and

Recently there has been a big debate over the nation for the flying confederate flag.Is the confederate flag a true symbol of “Heritage or Hate”? Many states in America’s south had the confederate flag as a part of their state flag, but this has been changed over the past few months. The confederate flag has been known and flown for many battles over the past century and a half, which was ever since thebeginning of the Civil War in 1861. Some people today see this flag as a symbol of hatred and are willing to get rid of it by taking it down. On the other hand,some people see this flag as a symbol of American history and want to keep this flag flying for heritage. The real question is who is right and why?

Morals. Everyone has them, although they may differ. It is taught to us when we are young children to always be polite and kind to others. Yet adults, those who are supposed to be the most mature, show less humanity than children, and go out of their way to offend other people. The Confederate Flag for example. It is shown on cars and flying outside of buildings, but what is the point? Those flaunting the flag must know that others may take offense to it. The Confederate Flag is symbolic of a racist past and should be banned from public places because hate groups have adopted it and weaponized the flag to create division and oppression.

Many people believe the Confederate Flag is a symbol of racism, and a symbol of people wanting to break away from the already great rights we have today in America.

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.