What does the Confederate Flag mean to you?

[Democratic Hawk]

During the Civil War, it represented the paternalistic and fundamentally benevolent society of the South; however, it came to represent the bigotry of Jim Crow during the segregationist era

So, on the one hand, I'm proud of it - but I have mixed feelings about it. However, if one thing is for certain, I can't hack GOP politicians making use of it for their political ends- that really sticks in my gullet considering, in my opinion, the Republican Party, to a large extent, was founded as an anti-Southern party

Dave

[Plant City Rebel]

I don't see it as a symbol of slavery, maybe because after about 1830 only two members  of my family actually had slaves, Yet the others  still signed up to fight.   I also don't see the Cross as a symbol of the Confederacy.  I see it as the flag of the common soldier who left his family at home to join his countrymen in the defense of their homes.  Not a single member of my family joined the fight until AFTER Lincoln called for volunteers.  Now let me set one thing straight on my view.  I am an American I am proud of being a United States citizen.  I enjoy my constitutional freedoms very much.  I love being in a nation where even if you are wrong, you are still entitled to believe you are right.      However, this does not make me any less proud of my Confederate Heritage.  I'm not ashamed of it, I won't be ridiculed for it, and I am not less of a person morally because of it.  The one thing society forgets, is that SOUTHERN WHITES were not the only slaveholders, there were NORTHERN slave holders, and in some spots, Louisiana and Georgia mainly there were even BLACK slaveholders.  Revisionist history has forgotten that.  I think that it would do the whole country a bit of good to be reminded of that fact. 

[RBH]

I didn't check the entire thread, but did someone note that the "Battle Flag" (Second National) is not the flag on the Duke's car? The Duke's car has the Naval flag on it.

[??????????]

I didn't check the entire thread, but did someone note that the "Battle Flag" (Second National) is not the flag on the Duke's car? The Duke's car has the Naval flag on it.

Check out this site.

http://members.tripod.com/~txscv/csa.htm

All the flags of the Confederacy.

[Hitchabrut]

Nothing. However, I support freedom of speech (to some extent.) Wake up, liberals! Everyone had some racist sentiment in the 19th century. Lincoln was not the liberator who your 2nd grade social studies teacher depicted. He was no more tolerant than Jefferson Davis.

[A18]

LOL @ OPTION 1!!!!!!@1 SAVAGES. I wonder why the Iwo Jima soldiers and FDNY 9/11 HEROES raised the UNioN flag intsead of the ANTI-JESUS FLA?

It reminds me of the brave Confederate soldiers who fought like heroes, but were lead by a President like Davis with an overinflated sence of honor and a Confederate Congress that could only eat peanuts and cry, "Davis is a traitor!"

It is was a shame that a man of capabilty like Robert E. Lee had to go to those guys for assistance in that war.

Robert Ewings Lee was no less of a traitor than other prominent Southern trash like THomas Jefferson. When Lincokn offered him the job of military commander of God's Loyal Army, he turned it down knowing that Virginia would join the Atheist states.

Why don't you go burn a cross on your lawn PBrunsel, you are secessionist scum.

LOL

Don't ever go away

[7,052,770]

I dont think it belongs on state flags.

[nlm]

A reminder of the civil war and the causes there in - but hey, it does have a cool design. In it's modern use, I've come to associate it with red necks and the like, proudly displayed in front of single wides and on the bumpers of run down pickup trucks.

[A18]

It should be made the official United States battle flag. Or not.

[Inmate Trump]

I voted "something else."

The Confederate Flag means absolutely nothing to me.

I'd also say the same thing about any other flag.  I find it funny how people-not to mention whole governments-hold something as silly as a piece of cloth so dear.

[Plant City Rebel]

I voted "something else."

The Confederate Flag means absolutely nothing to me.

I'd also say the same thing about any other flag.  I find it funny how people-not to mention whole governments-hold something as silly as a piece of cloth so dear.

Clay,

it's not the piece of cloth that is being held dear, it is the sacrifice made by those who followed, fell and died for the beliefs that the flag stood for, and their willingness to lay their life down for it.  Remember, Dulce Et Decorum Est Pro Patria Mori.    I have the same respect for all flags because at some point, they represent someones final sacrifice.   

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

To me, it means that with the Yankees worrying about a different set of people, my Loyalist forebearers could end their Canadian exile and return to the United States.

[Dr. Cynic]

Y'know, there is a house around here that used to display the Confederate flag, and they had an extremely rascist kid whom I was FORCED to share a school with. Now, because of everyone's extreme dislike for him and his rascisim, a bunch of us called him "Redneck F***" among other things. He was beaten up by a bunch of people for calling someone the "n" word. It was at some point in that week that a bunch of people tore the flag down and pissed on it, and set it on fire.

To me, he stood for everything that flag stood for: "Rascist, traitorious, redneck, ass-clowns."

[7,052,770]

that's a bit extreme there, Lawrence, and not a story I'd tell if I were trying to convince people away from the Confederate flag...

[Schmitz in 1972]

To me the flag stands for the noble fight that the good people of the south fought to rid themselves of the oppressive tyranny of the north. The people of the south had their faults yes, but so did those from the north (When I went to Lowell Massachusetts I toured one of their old textile mills. I was amazed at how they glossed over their use of child labor. In the south a tour of an old plantation could never get away with trying to gloss over the use of slaves.)

[Rin-chan]

It reminds me of States and my cousin in Virginia (he's not a crazy confederate but we talked about stuff like this once... a long time ago...)

All in all, it doesn't really mean anything to me.  I'd rather have people fly American flags, but it doesn't remind me of anything particularly positive or negative.

Rin-chan

[CheeseWhiz]

All in all, it doesn't really mean anything to me.  I'd rather have people fly American flags, but it doesn't remind me of anything particularly positive or negative.

^^^^^

[Virginian87]

Obviously option 1.  It is an emblem of our heritage, not racist.  It should not be equated to the swastika.  Too bad it's no longer on the Georgia state flag.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

[Q]

My extensive study of the history of the issue has led me, without a doubt, to see it as a symbol of racism and hatred.  This is not to say that there are those who are proud of it without seeing it this way, but I feel that they are misguided in being selective in their views of history.

[??????????]

My extensive study of the history of the issue has led me, without a doubt, to see it as a symbol of racism and hatred.  This is not to say that there are those who are proud of it without seeing it this way, but I feel that they are misguided in being selective in their views of history.

I'd ask for a refund on your history education in that case. Someone ripped you off.

[opebo]

My extensive study of the history of the issue has led me, without a doubt, to see it as a symbol of racism and hatred.  This is not to say that there are those who are proud of it without seeing it this way, but I feel that they are misguided in being selective in their views of history.

I'd ask for a refund on your history education in that case. Someone ripped you off.

No, he's completely correct, StatesRights - in fact that is why you and your fellow Southerners are so fond of the rag:  you're still just as racist and hate-filled as ever. 

[??????????]

My extensive study of the history of the issue has led me, without a doubt, to see it as a symbol of racism and hatred.  This is not to say that there are those who are proud of it without seeing it this way, but I feel that they are misguided in being selective in their views of history.

I'd ask for a refund on your history education in that case. Someone ripped you off.

Yes, you're completely correct, StatesRights - in fact that is why you and your fellow Southerners are so fond of the rag: you're not racist and hate-filled at all. 

Indeed.

[opebo]

My extensive study of the history of the issue has led me, without a doubt, to see it as a symbol of racism and hatred.  This is not to say that there are those who are proud of it without seeing it this way, but I feel that they are misguided in being selective in their views of history.

I'd ask for a refund on your history education in that case. Someone ripped you off.

Yes, you're completely correct, StatesRights - in fact that is why you and your fellow Southerners are so fond of the rag: you're not racist and hate-filled at all. 

Indeed.

You like the black?  How about if your daughter brought one home?

And the gay?  Are you fond of the gay?  Maybe the other daughter likes the ladies?

[skybridge]

Ignorance, racism, bigotry, hatred, slavery, white supremacy, segregation, rednecks, illiteracy, Jim Crow, immorality, gilder, philistinism...