While on the way to work recently, I stopped at the gas station around the corner from where I live to fill up my car. Also filling up their tank at a nearby pump was a trucker who worked for a company based here in Michigan. The trucker (a white male approximately in his mid to late 40s) gave me a nod of hello and I returned the favor. Something else I noticed about the trucker is that he was sporting a baseball cap with the Confederate Flag symbol on the front of it.
I realize that many people who display the Confederate Flag do so without any racial or political connotations. In fact, I recently learned that some use the Confederate Flag as a symbol of generalized working-class masculinity, suggesting rowdy rebelliousness, and detached from any intended historical, Southern regional, or racial significance, although almost always in a white context. The trucker that I encountered likely fits into this category. Having said that, because of its racist symbolism (through its use by several hate groups), I get a bad taste in my mouth whenever I see the Confederate Flag. Even though I live in Michigan, I see Confederate Flags (on the license plates and rear windows of motor vehicles) on a semi-regular basis. Because I don't like seeing them, whenever I'm behind a vehicle that has one displayed, I will go around them the first chance I get.
Although I feel it's bad policy for government buildings to display the Confederate Flag, I'm not saying that individuals should be stopped from doing so. However, I think it's important that they understand that the Confederate Flag stirs negative feelings in the hearts of many (including non-blacks). A few years ago, I was watching the "E! True Hollywood Story" about the TV show The Dukes of Hazzard and it discussed the controversy surrounding the displaying of the Confederate Flag on the roof of the Duke's car The General Lee. The creator of the show (Gy Waldron) was interviewed on camera for the "E! True Hollywood Story" episode. Courtesy of You Tube, I just watched the episode again. Waldron stated that painting the flag on the roof of the car was done innocently because it was commonplace in the 1950s and 1960s to see the flag painted on cars throughout the South. He added that because the use of the flag on The General Lee was not done as a political statement, he saw no reason to bow to pressure from anyone and remove it. I can appreciate that painting the flag on the car wasn't a political statement and why Waldron felt no need to remove it, but he lost me when he discussed the reason why it was used in the first place. The show debuted in 1979 and was set in the present, so why use something that was commonplace in the 1950s and 1960s? Although I haven't seen the big screen version of The The Dukes of Hazzard, I read that there was a scene that addressed the displaying of the Confederate Flag on The General Lee.
Rocker Tom Petty took a different view than Waldron regarding the Confederate Flag. Back in 1985, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers released an album titled Southern Accents. In support of the album, the band did a tour they called "Pack Up the Plantation". As the stage backdrop, the band used a giant Confederate Flag. A music video (taken from the tour) for the song Rebels contains the backdrop as well as a scene of Tom draping himself in a Confederate Flag that was handed to him by a fan in the audience. When I first saw this video as a teen, it caused me to question what message Tom was trying to convey. Apparently, someone talked to Tom because I remember him doing an interview on MTV where he asked fans not to bring their Confederate Flags to his shows. He may have also discontinued the use of the Confederate Flag as the backdrop at his shows, but I'm not sure.
What are your thoughts on the Confederate Flag?
8 comments:
I feel that people who still display the Confederate Flag are doing so in poor taste. It doesn't matter their reason behind it.
The Confederate Flag is different than, say, the Nazi flag.
Some state flags look similar to the Confederate Flag. A lot of variations on the Confederate Flag might lead you to believe they're the Confederate Flag but aren't actually the Confederate Flag. Some people celebrate the flag - as you've stated - for many different reasons.
Interestingly enough, most American Neo-Nazis and KKK members use a different flag... the current US flag, I believe.
My uncle has a Northern Virginia flag that he flies. He's been called racist and a group of people actually came on the lawn to protest it.
I roll my eyes at stuff like this. His family - Talbots I believe - fought and died in the Civil War. It's part of his history and he has every right to fly the flag if he chooses.
I recently saw a group of people flying an Afghan flag. I doubt they were terrorists.
This stuff is too overly PC for me to take seriously.
Good post though. :-)
And PS (because I missed it in the initial comment):
Is anything wrong with the almost always white context?
I've seen the confederate flag on the backs of windows with the following disclaimer "History, not Hate"
I can appreciate that.
The swastika was a symbol of good before the Nazi's used it for hate. Now you can't see a swastika without being offended.
Does that mean "they" (those who use the symbols for hate regardless of race) should win the rights to these symbols?
I don't think so.
Hey Malcolm, There is no excuse for this, historically or otherwise. It is hurtful to certain sectors of society and there is no place for this type of symbolism in America.
Jessica: Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this issue. Because you live in the South, have you had any confrontations/incidents due to someone displaying the Confederate Flag?
Josh: I'm not sure if the "you" used in the 3rd sentence of your comments was directed at me specifically or people in general. Because I've seen state flags that have similar designs to the Confederate Flag, I know the difference between them. It's unfortunate that those who protested against your uncle seemed to not know the difference.
Just to be clear, the "almost always in a white context" aspect was stated in information I found online. In answer to your question, I don't see anything wrong with that. However, it does drive home the point that one's feelings about the Confederate Flag are often drawn along racial lines.
Even though you think the issue is overly PC, can you at least understand why the displaying of the Confederate Flag is offensive to some?
By the way, American Neo-Nazis and members of the KKK do use the US flag as you believed.
Running Mom: Although I don't believe I've ever seen it myself, the "history not hate" disclaimer is something I can appreciate too. Even though the people who use them as symbols of hate and oppression shouldn't win the rights, I don't think there's any denying that they have fucked it up for those without malicious intent.
Pjazzy: As much as I cringe when I see the Confederate Flag, I think we venture into dangerous territory if we attempt to ban it. That would open up the floodgates to get all sorts of symbols banned because they are offensive to some.
In addition to the reasons that have been mentioned for displaying the Confederate Flag, another is a reminder of where we are and where we need to go. For example, this is why Ludacris wore one during his performance at the 2005 VIBE awards. At the end of his performance, he removed and stomped on the flag to reveal his version of the flag; a flag comprised of the colors of Africa (black, red and green).
In this day and age, I can understand why people take offense to things, but don't always understand why some bother to.
In my thought process, I have to equate it similiar to the post I recently left about Michael Eric Dyson. ... Thinking that there's still a vast white supremacy movement, yet it's been replaced with "code language," i.e. "symbols" like the Confederate Flag, comes across to me as Area 51-esque and grassy knoll-like.
Yes, I understand how it can be offensive not only to African-Americans, but Americans in general. It represents separation and war just as much as slavery and hatred... among the many things it represents.
But the call to guilt the vast majority of the time is "racism" when the flag is flown. Every other thing that the flag could stand for to an individual is usually ignored and one single meaning is taken from it. Hence my "overly PC" reaction.
"You" was in general, btw.
If you want always white context, wait until tomorrow! ;) Happy St. Paddy's Day! Me Irish bones do tickle with anticipation.
As a Canadian it might be different for me...but I will tell you...that flag makes my skin crawl.
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