Confederacy Love and Hate
I read an article in a local paper that was based on the Confederate Battle Flag, and discussed this area's history in regards to the Civil War. This particular article had been written because of some opposing views about one of the local high school mascots and their flag... the Rebels and the Confederate Battle Flag. Over the summer, this battle has been waged and there have been more than the usual number of shirts with the Confederate Battle Flag on them.
Now I'm a born and bred southerner - conceived in Georgia, born and raised in Tennessee - but that doesn't mean I'm a redneck hick. Yeah, I've been looking at a few of those shirts and thinkin', "I like that," or "that's funny." One of my favorites reads: "If this flag offends you, you need a history lesson." I like it because it's true. But I wonder how much history the shirt owners have bothered to learn. No, I do not own a shirt depicting this historically and educationally abused flag, but I do have a certain respect for that flag. As I do the old flags of America's first years (Don't Tread On Me). Ya know, at one time those were seen as the flags of Rebels. And as Americans, how many of us are not proud of our great flag and the country we have become? I dare ya to doubt the pride of a Brit. Or to say that the Union Jack is offensive, because the religious oppression your ancestors endured and finally fled.
About that Confederate flag history... Well, the history lesson you get all depends on who you're talkin' to, or which books (or websites) you read. I like stories that get to the point and this website gets right to it: http://www.infoplease.com/spot/confederate3.html
Although hate groups have perverted this flag in the eyes of so many people, there are still those that love this flag and have respect for what it stood for and stands for in their hearts. The majority of those that understand its meaning are much older than I, the majority of those are southern, and most of those people come from Scottish and Scotch-Irish ancestry. How 'bout an example?
My wife's grandmother is an active Daughter of the Confederacy. She is the daughter of a Confederate soldier. She is as southern as a person, place, or thing can be. Ask this woman about the history of the Confederate Battle Flag. I'm sure there would be some factual information thrown in there... somewhere. But more than that. You would understand that this symbol has nothing to do with racism, oppression, hate, or any of the other horrible things that have become associated with it. On the other hand, if you were to ask a woman who watched as her father was killed by a hate-group that used this flag, I'm sure you would get quite a differing view. In both instances, people are drawing on their education and the experiences that educated them and formed their views. To one, it is a symbol that holds a dear history of country, family, ideals, and childhood memories. To the other, it is a symbol of hate, fear, loss, and all the horror involved with these.
"If this flag offends you, you need a history lesson." But if you can't understand how someone can be offended by it, you need a lesson in ethics and/or compassion. And how many of us can see both sides of the fence? I know I've had a problem doing that, at times - and I still do, at times. But I never claimed to be perfect.
I'm not entirely a religious man, not exactly free of a bias point of view, I don't like all people (let alone love them), I have as much prejudice in me as most people do, I'm too serious when I don't need to be and not very serious when I should be, I don't call my son or my mother like I should... and the list goes on. So, as you can see, I'm not casting any stones toward anyone for their point of view (this time). But I am saying that some things are misunderstood. And without knowing the whole story behind each individual person and their reasoning: it is impossible to know what offends them, what they know, and what are their limits for compromise. In today's world, it's the same thing as trying to be politically correct with everyone while trying to "be one of them."
As the addage goes: you can't make all of the people happy all of the time.
Everyone needs education. If they don't think so, it's probably because they have no need for education...
History lesson? Ethics? _________? Yeah.
That too.
Now I'm a born and bred southerner - conceived in Georgia, born and raised in Tennessee - but that doesn't mean I'm a redneck hick. Yeah, I've been looking at a few of those shirts and thinkin', "I like that," or "that's funny." One of my favorites reads: "If this flag offends you, you need a history lesson." I like it because it's true. But I wonder how much history the shirt owners have bothered to learn. No, I do not own a shirt depicting this historically and educationally abused flag, but I do have a certain respect for that flag. As I do the old flags of America's first years (Don't Tread On Me). Ya know, at one time those were seen as the flags of Rebels. And as Americans, how many of us are not proud of our great flag and the country we have become? I dare ya to doubt the pride of a Brit. Or to say that the Union Jack is offensive, because the religious oppression your ancestors endured and finally fled.
About that Confederate flag history... Well, the history lesson you get all depends on who you're talkin' to, or which books (or websites) you read. I like stories that get to the point and this website gets right to it: http://www.infoplease.com/spot/confederate3.html
Although hate groups have perverted this flag in the eyes of so many people, there are still those that love this flag and have respect for what it stood for and stands for in their hearts. The majority of those that understand its meaning are much older than I, the majority of those are southern, and most of those people come from Scottish and Scotch-Irish ancestry. How 'bout an example?
My wife's grandmother is an active Daughter of the Confederacy. She is the daughter of a Confederate soldier. She is as southern as a person, place, or thing can be. Ask this woman about the history of the Confederate Battle Flag. I'm sure there would be some factual information thrown in there... somewhere. But more than that. You would understand that this symbol has nothing to do with racism, oppression, hate, or any of the other horrible things that have become associated with it. On the other hand, if you were to ask a woman who watched as her father was killed by a hate-group that used this flag, I'm sure you would get quite a differing view. In both instances, people are drawing on their education and the experiences that educated them and formed their views. To one, it is a symbol that holds a dear history of country, family, ideals, and childhood memories. To the other, it is a symbol of hate, fear, loss, and all the horror involved with these.
"If this flag offends you, you need a history lesson." But if you can't understand how someone can be offended by it, you need a lesson in ethics and/or compassion. And how many of us can see both sides of the fence? I know I've had a problem doing that, at times - and I still do, at times. But I never claimed to be perfect.
I'm not entirely a religious man, not exactly free of a bias point of view, I don't like all people (let alone love them), I have as much prejudice in me as most people do, I'm too serious when I don't need to be and not very serious when I should be, I don't call my son or my mother like I should... and the list goes on. So, as you can see, I'm not casting any stones toward anyone for their point of view (this time). But I am saying that some things are misunderstood. And without knowing the whole story behind each individual person and their reasoning: it is impossible to know what offends them, what they know, and what are their limits for compromise. In today's world, it's the same thing as trying to be politically correct with everyone while trying to "be one of them."
As the addage goes: you can't make all of the people happy all of the time.
Everyone needs education. If they don't think so, it's probably because they have no need for education...
History lesson? Ethics? _________? Yeah.
That too.
posted by Tuck at 9:54 PM
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