We are the UNITED States. United. So why is it, when I visit the south, I still see the Confederate Flag up?
I've been given many excuses for this: it's about Southern pride, tradition, heritage. But you cannot leave out that it is a blatant symbol of slavery. You cannot remove a flag from its original intended purpose, that is, to be a symbol.
I, more than anyone, understand wanting to connect to your heritage. I am all about Turkish culture. However, when something from your heritage (i.e. a flag) emits emotions of fear and pain from more than half of the population, one should not be so proud of that thing.
Furthermore, all regional flags in the U.S. should have been thrown out when we created the AMERICAN FLAG. We are not regions with different flags, but one nation with one flag. I would have the same rant if the Union decided they were gonna fly their Civil War flag. Because, as we all know, the Civil War is OVER and has been settled. So why still carry symbols from that blood bath? We need to move forward with one flag that unites us.
I'll leave you with a line from my Dad...whenever he would visit the South, he would inevitably hear, "The South shall rise again!" To which, he would respond with, "High enough to kiss a Yankee's ass!" But hey guys, really, let's try to get along.
I'm laughing to myself at your Dad's joke. But yes, I am weary about the confederate flag. For me, if & when I see it, it's not a symbol of southern pride...at all. It makes me uneasy. It makes me suspicious. And even if people are trying to reclaim it for something positive...there are a lot of people who aren't and so it remains a symbol of something tragic and painful.
ReplyDeleteHaha, classic from your dad! But anyway, probably the Southerners are just still a bit bitter since they lost, and it's easy for you to say "let's all get along" since your ideology (sort of) won... that's not to say I agree with them trotting about that appalling flag though. They really must be sick to be flying that thing...
ReplyDeleteAmen sister! I highly recommend you watch this story that aired on 60 Minutes this past weekend.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/04/07/60minutes/main20051850.shtml
It solidifies the fact that racism still runs deep in the south. I know you shouldn't lump all of the south in that negative statement, but it's hard to ignore the fact that things like this are still hanging in the air.
oh man...it's always Mississippi!
ReplyDeleteFirst, I couldn't agree more... that flag sickens me on a regular basis.
ReplyDeleteHere's the thing though, you wrote: "Because, as we all know, the Civil War is OVER and has been settled." Unfortunately, "we" don't all know that. And the war STILL hasn't been settled in a LOT of places and a lot of hearts down here (as silly as that sounds). Change is slow down here. Like 150 years slow.
i so haven't thought of that before but i'm with ya!
ReplyDelete