My neighbor, a nice guy ready to lend a tool or a hand to anyone around who asks, hung a confederate flag in his front yard last year. One of my other neighbors angrily told me about it and I said I'd see what I could do. I was warned not to get into it with an ignoramus. Anyway I drove by and saw my confederate flag owning neighbor. I pulled over and proceeded to point to the flag which he immediately informed me it was his right. I emphatically agreed with him but asked him to listen to a story. I asked if he knew that i had an African American friend who was raising her orphaned granddaughter. Both of her parents were casualties of the recent gulf wars. I asked if he was aware of the pain that his flag inspired to her. I asked him if he could imagine that child asking her grandma what that flag was for. Of how my friend would have to explain slavery to her 6 year old and why both of her parents still felt willing to die for this country. I got a little choked up i admit. I asked him to just think about it and reiterated his right to fly it. The flag was down that day.
So it's time we stop calling names but try to educate as many as we can to practice empathy.
That's great you were able to convince him to take down the flag. That's a rare feat.
From my experience though most people who fly the Confederate flag don't care to learn about its history with segregation and slavery. They just care about "Southern heritage" and being able to express their bigoted beliefs because gay people can get married, there was a black president, or "liberals" want to take away Christianity in schools and elsewhere
I live here. People are stupid about this confederacy bullshit.
Bunch of fucking traitors LOST the war they started.
"War of Northern Aggression", my ass. They fired first.
I get into a lot of "disagreements" with folks around here when I
point these things out when the subject comes up.
Whenever they call this bullshit their "heritage", I happily point out their error(s).
I don't believe in allowing people to foster their delusions.
I've said, on more than one occasion, "your 'heritage' is racist bullshit".
They sputter and try to argue that they aren't racists, but I don't let that stand.
It's like arguing with believers. I tear their "arguments" apart, too.
What can I say? It's fun for me.
There are tons of Confederate-flag-fliers here in the north too. It's more of a redneck symbol than anything around here though.
@KKGator The way I was raised, the confederate flag represents treason and pro-slavery. After living in the South I understand Southerners feel it represents their Southern (sometimes rebellious) heritage. But they don’t understand they represent themselves as separatists and bigots to everybody else! I dislike it, but tolerate it.
@EyesThatSmile I don't tolerate it. At all.
Tolerating it allows the ignorance to continue unchecked.
I won't do it.
@KKGator It is just symbolism. I try to understand their point of view. (As long as it isn’t hurting others physically).
@EyesThatSmile You do whatever you think you need to do.
I don't care about "symbolism". I don't care what their justifications are.
I can't respect people who are that deliberately ignorant.
They are wrong, and they need to know it's unacceptable.
They're like little children who do things they shouldn't, until someone tells
them to stop.
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