The answer is obviously no in most contexts. The confederate flag's intent actually does depend on the context, unlike the Nazi flag which is essentially synonymous with the Holocaust no matter when and where it's used. And I think everyone here knows this too, by the way.
To test that, imagine you're in a parking lot and you see a truck with a confederate flag bumper sticker on it and elsewhere in the lot you see a truck with a swastika bumper sticker. Which one of those guys are you more eager to avoid?
With the confederate flag truck, it very well could belong to a dangerous member of a hate group, but more likely it's just some tone-deaf fat guy who listens to Lynyrd Skynyrd, likes hometown southern country values, thinks he's tougher than he is, and doesn't like being told what to do. But when it comes to the truck with a nazi flag bumper sticker on it, you know with damn near 100% certainty that that guy is crazy and probably dangerous.
Saw a guy with Valknut and Sonnenrad tattoos a few weeks ago. Got the f**k away from him as fast as I could, even though this was in a very public place. Seeing a confederate flag inspires no such reaction.
Being pro-treason and pro-slavery doesn't inspire that reaction?
Come on now, there is no way you seriously believe that everyone who displays a Confederate flag actually supports slavery.
You could argue that it would be better to use some other flag to show regional identity, but there's really no other flag I am aware of that represents the south.
Yeah. I have a Larry the Cable Guy hat with the flag on it. Anyone claiming Larry the Cable Guy put it on his hat for the purpose of commenting on slavery is being purposrfully obtuse, dishonest, and bad-faith.
On Married With Children (set in Chicago) Kelly Bundy had a Confederate Flag patch on her jacket in a few episodes. Was this commentary on slavery?
On the Adventures of Pete And Pete (set in New Jersey) one of the kids wears a Confederate flag bandana. Was this commentary on slavery?
On Saved by the Bell (set in California) and Dennis the Menace (Illinois) characters have Confederate Flag decorations in the background. Was this commentary on slavery?
On the Dukes of Hazzard we know they have the Confederate Flag on their car. Was this commentary on slavery? Ditto for the license plate on the Bandit in Smokey and the Bandit?
Lynard Skynard? Alabama? Hank Williams, Jr.? Kid Rock? Kanye West? A lot of musicians incorporated the Confederate Flag into their musical performances. Was this commentary on slavery?
Irish soccer fans and NASCAR fans display the confederate flag at sporting events. Is this commentary on slavery?
When I graduated from William & Mary, our college mace that we marched behind had a confederate flag incorporated into the design. Was this commentary on slavery?
Like there are around 15 prominently located Confederate flags on flag poles around my home town. I usually drive past one like 4x a day. I barely notice them, let alone see them as commentary for slavery.
It clearly has become a generic symbol for "the south" or "rebels" at this point and anyone claiming otherwise is being deliberately dishonest.
Or, much more commonly, unaware of the truth. Though that doesn't make the argument any more accurate.
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