Why do people in the South still post the Confederate flag?

Whether it be in college dorm windows , the bumpers of their cars, heck I've even seen it on flag posts. They lost and that dream is dead. Its offensive to me .

 

I think some of those are either racist or just honoring those that died during the Civil War. In their eyes they stood up to the "tyranny" of the North

 

Because it's their heritage! The dream of winning the Civil War is dead, as you say, but those people lost their relatives and ancestors for a cause they believed in and who among us would dare say they're not allowed to honor them?!

It is not offensive to me at all. I live in the northeast U.S. and every week on my way to the supermarket I see a confederate flag flying beside a US flag and an MIA/POW flag on three different flag poles. I never look at it as offensive but rather just realize that the person in the house must have lost an ancestor fighting on the Confederate side.

It's been 150 years... don't you think it's time to move on and let those people honor their dead?

 

I use to be offended by the flag because in my opinion it represents division. I see hate groups with this flag and they use it as a symbol against minorities; preferably black Americans. Now, I just see it as a flag that people carry to represent Southern Pride or the Southern Rebel. I still don't agree with the symbol but I guess as I grew older I just mellow out and let people live the way they want as long as they are not hurting me.

 

Yes, good points. The reason it's being used really *does* really make a difference. If it is being displayed for heritage, great. But you're right, sometimes it's used as a symbol of division chosen specifically to cause trouble.

Case in point... a few years ago I was in Gettysburg (yes, I do go there often and it's like my second home ) and there was a pick-up with Confederate flags hanging from all of the windows. That's common at G'burg. I see as many license plates from south of the Mason-Dixon as from north of it. So flying the flags from your vehicle... it's welcomed and no one looks twice because just as many Confederates died on that soil and all visitors are welcomed with open arms.

*BUT* then the truck started playing Dixieland from very loud speakers. And they cruised back and forth along the main drag like that, taunting anyone to dare say something. Not just playing it once while going through town... cruising with it blaring. That's where the line is drawn in my mind. THAT is offensive because at least 50% of the people in town that day were not from southern states.

 

The funny thing to me is that they don't even use the right flag, but the flag of the Army of Tennessee. My attachment is the right flag. Still I can understand why that one appealed to people more, it is prettier.

Anyway, I think to most people in the South it's just for a sense of pride and a way to distinguish themselves from the North. We've always had some major differences, and I think they want to keep it that way in some respects. Still, to others it's just a way to be more of a redneck.

 

I've often chuckled at this bit of trivia, yes. The flag often used now is the Confederate battle flag. And it was square, not rectangular.

The reason the flag you posted had stopped being used is because it was thought (by whoever makes those decisions) that all the white looked too much like a surrender flag... so in 1865 (uh... spring, I think, maybe March) the red stripe was added and called the "blood stained banner."

 

The confederate flag is a symbol of heritage, unless it is used in combination with a hate group or something similar, It is just a symbol of their heritage, and nothing to get offended about. It also doesn't make any sense why they don't use the correct flag also, stated by conovy above.

 

Save yo' confedric money, da south will rise agin'!!
There really is sort of a mystique of sorts linking the south to the stars and bars. Everyone who flies the flag is pictured as being akin to someone like the Dukes of Hazzard portrays, or the factually weak minded, inbred, racist.(whatever color a racist truly is)

Yes folks, there are other colors of racists. Problem is, as I see it, the stars and bars are mostly flown by white racists which really is at the root of all of our problems. The other colors of racists do not have their own flags so they are at war with those who have. I do not speak of the black panthers, because they have their own flag but just hate white folks as apposed to the total racist who hates everybody's skin color other than their own which is also in question.

That being said, I think everyone should have their own flag so everyone else would spend so much time trying to figure out what it means, we wouldn't have time left for wars or paranoia. Take the soldiers stance. He/ she fights under the American flag and there is no paranoia. They know that absolutely everyone is out to get them.

But seriously, most folks fly the " Stars and Bars" because it really does mean something to them. Most will fly it second only to the American flag, which gives it honor, but not so much so that it hides our national banner.
Whether it is respect for the southern soldier who died fighting for what he/she believed was right, or just because the south is a very special place to be born and raised in. It really makes little difference. It's just a flag. It represents no nation, no thought of racism, nor separation of the north and south. It's nothing that everyone needs to get hairy about. It's one persons thoughts because it is as individual as the flags everyone else has. LSU has a flag, Notra Dame has a flag, Christians have a flag, Muslims have a flag. Do you or anyone else have a flag that I can find fault with? The reason I cannot find fault with anyone else's anchors they grasp onto is if it is not my anchor it should mean nothing to me. It is after all, yours.
I have mine and maybe several but it is no mans privilege to even speculate about the whys. Smile, no one, so far as I know has ever been "flagged," to death. Dern, my emoticon won't work. Smile anyway!

 

Possibly it might be best if the stars and bars did retire because some folks are offended by it no matter what the intention of the flag holder might have. Again, to me it's pretty much a personal thing, but the flaunting of the banner does take to a different level.

Many folks do deem the attempt at splitting from the United States by southern states as traitorous, and rightfully so. But, as a comparison, England deemed a few new colonies as traitors with their Declaration of Independence. Many in Scotland could be called the same over their recent vote over financial freedom from the UK.

Yes, it was a traitorous deed on the part of our southern states and they raised their own banner and renamed themselves but they lost the war that followed. I do not have, nor desire a confederate flag because it represents the deaths of more Americans than any war since has taken. Still, that's just me. I guess the question could be better asked to the Sons and Daughters of the Confederacy, or someone in better touch with that part of history versus now, than I.

 

There's a variety of marginal reasons for this behavior but it does boil down to living with at least one foot firmly rooted in the past. I'm all in favor of pride in one's heritage but there are plenty of ways to show it without obsessing over a symbol of pig-headed violence on both sides. Especially if it offends others.

 

I agree that it's a matter of heritage. My country has been a republic for over 100 years, but some people still use the monarchic flag.

 

It's unfortunate that symbols or flags can have different meanings to different people. To me, the Confederate Flag represents people who were for slavery and oppression. While to someone living the south it could represent the memory of a relative or ancestor who sacrificed their life during the war. Everyone has a different perspective.

 

Its part of the culture. While I live "Out West" (though, God bless her, my mother was a proud Texan) and don't completely understand the phenomenon, I can understand the historical significance to the folks that live there. For example, people in Utah still celebrate the Mormon pioneers and in Oregon the trail blazers to said. Its not much a stretch to think that Southerners will celebrate their 19th century heritage too. Granted, there are some serious social issues bound up in that, but still, history is history.

 

I think it has turned into a culture thing, but yes, it is a symbol of racism to many and very offensive. I see it as a sign of general rebellion. But that's my personal take based on my personal observations.

 

I think the answer is somewhere between money and ignorance. I live in Tennessee and am amazed that this flag is flown everywhere. I asked a young neighbor about it when she added the sticker to her car. She replied "heritage, southern pride, and it's my coolest bikini!"

Could not really respond to the answer.

I'm all about heritage as my mom's parents were from Scotland and we have a blue and white cross flag for special occasion. But citing heritage while flying the wrong colors is an issue that stems from ignorance, racism, and the ability of companies and retailers to make items that people buy. Such as bikinis, Tshirts, coffee mugs, car tags, stickers, hats, etc. It's all about the money. If nobody bought the items, nobody would sell them.

The retailers sell to a public that they know are willing to buy this stuff and that includes flags.

I've read that Southern Slave traders would try to out run shipping patrols on the high seas by tossing cargo overboard to lighten the ships. By cargo I mean chained living human beings. Yep, there's a lot of heritage to be prideful of there.

On the other side of the coin there are many Confederate cemeteries around the Southern states that are maintained by volunteers. I know of one right next to the Harley Davidson dealership outside of Chattanooga. I met some of the people doing a clean up and they could care less about what side they fought on, they just wanted to pay their respects to people that died in battle. That's a different kind of Southern Pride.

Here's a link http://www.southeasttennessee.com/w...nfederate-cemetary-chattanooga-tennessee.html

 

I agree with you entirely, and have had this debate many times over the years. Not only is it offensive, it really should be treated as treason. The Confederate flag represents states dividing away from the mother country and becoming our enemy. To display this flag as if that country still exists is to say they want to remain divided.

 

Since I posted on this thread the first time I've made a mental note to keep an eye out for the flag as I wondered if I had grown blind to seeing it. I know see it everywhere since I've made an effort to see it again. Nothing has changed, as in there are no more or less that before in truth, just that I'm more aware of them.

 

I live up North. Obviously we don't have the Confederate flag. I notice it greatly when I travel. It is almost as if southerners want to be treated differently. It seems they really do want to be separate. Many of them still call us "Yankees", but we don't call them an old worn-out name. Keeping the "rebel" flag alive is a sign they are divided from us.