Another avenue of views about the controversy that the Confederate flag fuels racism or gives our impressionable young men and women an avenue to racism tendencies comes from our political parties and the platforms that they adopt. Democrat and Republican Party do have different views of this controversy. As in every issue there will always be conflicting numbers that make no sense, but it seems that the Democratic Party view of the controversy had the biggest swing in recent months. In gallop polls of the 1990s Democrats were solidly behind the Confederate flag as a symbol of Southern pride and remembering the historical value of the Confederate flag as roughly 60% of Democrats during this period had that opinion. Since the recent controversy began that number has went down to the latest poll taken in July of 2015 that showed that on 70% of Democrats now believe that the Confederate flag represents racism. With the recent debate and pictures of a young white male who killed 9 black church goers draped in a Confederate flag may surely have boosted numbers it still is a large growing concern in the Democratic Party that their thinking could have been wrong in past years. The Republican Party through the same time frame have steadied their view and not changed much over the years. As in the 90s the Republican Party view of the Confederate flag has always been in favor of the flag being displayed at government buildings. When the poll was taken in July of 2015 roughly the
In David Sarratt’s article “The Confederate Flag: Controversy and Culture” (2005), he explains both sides of the Confederate Flag controversy, including current controversy and the issue of race involved in the Confederate Flag. Sarratt supports his claim with facts and examples of the Confederate Flag debate between David Beasley, who thinks the flag should be taken down and Charles Condon who opposes taking the flag down. He gives reasons in order to not support the Confederate Flag and a few details to elaborate it as well. His article interests readers who are mostly against the Confederate Flag.
The author mentioned that some citizens are still perturbed by the Confederate flag. While the number is slowly waning, many citizens were a part of the civil rights movement. They watched racist people protest against them using the flag as a symbol of racism, oppression, and hatred. To some, the flag may serve as a permanent reminder that racism is not truly dead in America.
Web. 5 Oct. 2015. This article includes information regarding the public’s view on the Confederate flag. It describes how race and age comes into play when it comes to opposing viewpoints.
In The Hill, a top U.S. political magazine, in June 2015, Contributor H. A. Goodman wrote, “The Confederate flag is indeed America 's swastika.” In the same way the Jewish community sees the swastika as a painful reminder of the Holocaust, the African-American community perceives the flag as a reminder of slavery and racial discrimination. The Confederate flag, a relic of the devastating Civil War, has become one of the most controversial and contentious icons in American history. The debate over the flying of the Confederate flag is in regard to the Southern Civil War ideals of slavery and white racial superiority that historians have agreed the flag represents. Supporters of the Confederate flag argue that as a symbol of Southern pride, honor, and character, the flag is a reminder of the South’s distinctive and rich history. Opponents of the flag contend that rather than a symbol of southern bravery, the Confederate flag symbolizes the racist, hateful ideas of the Confederacy. The Confederate flag, a clear symbol of white superiority, prejudice, and slavery, should not be allowed to be perpetuated by the government in a society where those ideals should be long gone.
In a society that contains over 300 million people, it’s challenging to find individuals with the same beliefs at you. By living in the South and living in a predominantly Republican household, many of my beliefs contradict my peers. One of the most recent times in which I’ve challenged a belief was the decision on whether or not the Confederate flag should be flown. The flag itself, represented a time of division, not a time of celebration. It reflects a time in which the South seceded from the Union in the 18th century due to their support of slavery.
The American South. An area full of rich history and the home to some of the nation’s largest conflicts throughout history, such as the civil war and the civil rights movement. Southerners have always been proud of their heritage despite its rocky parts and display it for all to see with a 150 year old flag. This is proving to be problematic, though, as the Confederate flag they are all so proud of, is really only 50 years old and has been associated with ideals of white supremacy and racism. Some Southerners and other Americans choose to not believe the truth about the flag, others were never taught the truth. However, it is incredibly important in forming an opinion on the flag, and to whether or not the flag must be removed from state buildings. And the truth is, due to its historical affiliation to racist whites in the South, white supremacy groups, and recent events such as the Charleston Shooting, the Confederate rebel flag should not be flown on state buildings as it is not culturally sensitive to African American people who have been targeted by these people.
In Columbia, South Carolina cable news network (CNN) Debates over displaying the Confederate battle flag are as familiar here as grits and sweet tea. But the outpouring of grief after a racist gunman killed nine African-Americans last week during a Bible study at a historic Charleston church is testing whether the longtime standoff can last. The flag debate is quickly becoming a major political issue ahead of the state's crucial first in the South presidential primary next year. Many Republicans, including Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum, have avoided taking a position on the flag, even though Jeb Bush highlighted his role in removing the flag from Florida's Capitol in 2001. Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton forcefully called on Americans
The start of the Confederate flag controversy was due to the request of the NAACP to remove the flag off of South Carolina’s Statehouse. This request is based on the fact that they, the anti-flag groups, claim that the meaning of the Confederate flag is one of hate and discrimination. On the other hand, there are other groups that believe differently whom are called the pro-flag groups. They claim that the flag is a sign of heritage and should stay on the Statehouse. Liberals tend to be in the favor of the anti-flag groups, and conservatives are more likely to be supporting pro-flag groups. Both sides use evidential logos to prove their arguments, and pathos to show how wrong the other side is.
Americans are still debating this issue of the confederate flag 150 years later because it still reminds people of the past. This flag has caused so much harm for majority of African Americans ancestors, which is a constant reminder for us. When this debate first came into play last summer it caused a major rift in our society because it made a lot of supporters for the flag express their position more, and likewise with the opposers. These types of debates can break a job environment. You never truly know where someone stands until a big issue like this comes to light. Also, I believe it's still being debated is because people truly do not discuss the topic of slavery and the hardships associated with it.
In my paper I will be discussing the Confederate Flag and its controversy in history and in todays views. The Confederate flag has been a negative symbol in American society since the 1800’s. It has been only recently that the Confederate flag has been brought back to life as a contemporary issue. In recent times the flag has been used as a motivation for racial strikes and other rebellious acts bring the issues of the flag and the controversy behind it back to life. The major questions I seek to answer in this essay it why the controversy of the Confederate flag only been brought back up recently and why the confederate flag was created the way it was. And the overall motivation behind its creation. The Confederate flag has only recently been brought back as an issue because of the recent racial attacks and an overall rebellious acts that swear under the confederate flag, back in the early 1860’s the confederate flag was first used to represent the southern states because the south was wanting to secede from the northern states. Because of the major shooting in Charleston controversy behind the confederate flag sparked back up. Major retailers like Walmart and Amazon and stopping the sale of the Confederate flag because of its growing symbol of racism. The Confederate flag has shifted from being viewed as the southern states to viewed as a symbol of racism. what does the future hold for the confederate flag and will it become a rare item?
According to the article, “1 and 5 Americans think Confederate Flag belong at government buildings: Poll,” on AL.com, written by Leada Gore, The Confederate flag is always a hot topic in Alabama. A recent poll shows, however, the display of the old South banner is a national issue as well. The Center for American Progress Action Fund recently polled 636 registered voters to determine if they thought Confederate flags should be removed from all government buildings. Of those polled, 64 percent said they were opposed to Confederate flags flying at government buildings. Twenty-one percent said they supported flying the Confederate flag at government-owned properties and a surprisingly high number- 15 percent- weren’t sure (AL.com). When you think of the
They will claim that although the flag was created for a specifically Confederate purpose, it has come to represent the distinctive culture and values of the American South. They might even note that although that culture included a nasty racist past, the American flag has its own negative baggage to carry around as well. The defender of the Confederate flag might note that it wasn't their flag under which various Presidents and Congresses dispossessed Native Americans of their lands, driving them ever farther to the west.
Hear the Northern thunders mutter! Northern flags in South’s winds flutter! To Arms, To Arms, To Arms in Dixie! Send them back your fierce defiance! Stamp upon the cursed alliance! To Arms, To Arms, To Arms in Dixie! Advance the flag of Dixie! Hurrah! Hurrah! For Dixie’s land we take our stand, And we live or die for Dixie! To Arms! To Arms! And conquer peace for Dixie! To Arms! To Arms! And conquer peace for Dixie! –Confederacy chant. Many people praise it, display it, and chant it, yet others view it with pure disgust. Once again, the Confederate or “Rebel Flag has been shoved onto the table of debate due to the raising of the flag in front of the South Carolina State House. So much debate has arose that President Obama was questioned where this flag should be placed? President Obama replied with a very considerate answer. His answer was, “In a museum.” But why would he want to take down the flag and retire it? Many have applauded him upon the issue, yet others are left confused as to why? Many people fly the Confederate Flag with pride and none of which are racist. In fact, the flag does not even represent
Is the Confederate flag really a flag of hate? Contrary to popular belief, the Confederate flag does not stand for racism, it stands for freedom. It stands for the men who lost their lives fighting for a doomed country, white and black. It stands for not letting others push you around and control you. I stands for the “bad side” in the Civil War. It is the proof that despite the fact that we boast about being stubborn, we are ignorant to the fact that all we do is follow the crowd. It represents a piece of history incredibly rich, yet so full of sorrow, that we are trying to erase. But people do not see this, they only see hate, and they are too oblivious to truly understand what this symbol of liberty stands for. This is why the
One of the most trending topics in America right now is the Confederate Flag and whether or not it 's racist. 42 percent think the flag represent southern heritage and the other 42 percent think it 's racist and should be taken down. 75 percent believe it 's racist and only one in ten will agree that it is southern heritage. Depending on what region is asked about if it is racist, there are different answers. The Midwest say it is racist and the south, of course, say it 's not racist. A poll showed that African Americans, Democrats, and the highly educated were more likely to perceive the flag negatively. The Confederate States of America came into existence on February 4, 1861. It had six states at first and they were the Deep South. Those states were South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Georgia, Alabama and Louisiana. After April 1861 four upper south states joined. They were Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Arkansas. They made they 're own court system and congress. It reflected a lot of the American government. The confederate flag should be taken down because it is a symbol of hate, rebellion and racism.