Did you know the Rebel flag and the Confederate flag are two different flags? In today’s society, people do not actually know that there is a difference, but we do not get taught the difference in school. People today think the flag is considered racist and should be banned because of the way people misuse the flag. Misuse of the Confederate flag could cause repetition of history. People often associate the rectangular Confederate flag which is the flag to symbolize the fallen soldiers and the square Confederate flag which was used by General Robert E. Lee’s army in the war. (Coski) United Daughter of the Confederacy (UDC) is attempting to show people the real use of the Confederate flag instead of the incorrect way. UDC has launched formal …show more content…
efforts in 1948 so people could not misuse the flag but they still do. (Coski) If the UDC cannot make people realize that they are bashing the wrong flag, they could potentially ban and ruin part of our history. (Coski) With two large red horizontal stripes above and below a large white stripe, and a blue canton in the upper left with seven stars in a circular pattern that is the first Confederate nation flag called “The Stars and Bars.” (Mikkelson)This flag was widely disliked for multiple reasons.
One of the reasons where it was primarily the resemblance to the United State flag and caused confusion on the battlefield. South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas are the states that represent the seven stars. In 1861, six more stars were added for Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, North Carolina, Kentucky and Missouri. …show more content…
(Mikkelson) May 1863, the Confederate states adopted a new national flag known as “The Stainless Banner” and the design was to represent supremacy of the white man. Almost all white beside the upper left corner where the 13 stars are in the white and blue cross and red square are located, is the Stainless Banner. (Mikkelson)This flag is the racist part of history, and is often confused with the non-racist flag. Often, this flag caused problematic issues, mainly when it hung limp due to no wind, it looked to be a white flag of truce. Later in March of 1865, the third Confederate national flag was created and called “The Blood-Stained Banner.” Which the Blood Stained looked similar to the Stainless Banner but at the end had a red tip. (Mikkelson) During the American Civil War, there were three national flags, and only two of them had the “Southern Cross” that symbolized the Confederacy. General Robert E. Lee’s flag was square with the Southern Cross and was declined to be the national flag in 1861. The most common flag is the rectangle flag that is similar to the one General Joseph E. Johnston used. Currently the flag known today was never actually associated in history or officially recognized as a national flag. (staff) Named “The Stars and Bars”, the first national flag is commonly mistaken for the confederate flag, even though they have a completely different design. Other names for the Confederate flag are Rebel flag, Dixie flag and Southern Cross. (Thomas) Many people associate the Confederate flag with racism, but it was never actually used in history, it was just looked like other battle flags. People who fly the flag fly it for southern heritage, honor of the Confederate dead and symbolizes defiance, not to be racist or support white supremacy. Southerners have undergone the experience of military defeat, occupation and reconstruction and that is why people say “Heritage not hate” because the south has a stronger history than most of America. Often people think that the ones who fly the flag fly it to symbolize slavery or racism, but they actually fly it for honoring the Confederate soldiers. (Thomas) Neo-Nazi groups, White Supremacy and the Klu Klux Klan (KKK), are given the Confederate flag a bad reputation.
Due to these groups misusing the Confederate flag, it is causing people to think the flag is more racist than it is history. KKK used the Confederate flag as part of symbolize, but never actually used it in their rituals. White Supremacy like Dylan Roof often poses with the Confederate flag and cause a lot of mischief too many other Americans. November 2016, a policeman in Michigan actually had to quit because he was flying a Confederate flag on the back of his trucks. Dylan Roof posed with a Confederate flag before shooting up a church, and that caused the show Dukes of Hazzard because of the flag on the roof. (Allen) Groups like Neo-Nazi’s often use the Confederate flag displayed alongside swastikas and many other race hate motifs. No one actually knows why they use the Confederate flag to symbolize their hate crimes, but it is giving the flag a bad reputation and could cause us to repeat
history. Dylann Roof shot and killed nine black worshippers at a church in South Carolina in 2015. Roof was found guilty of 33 federal hate crimes, specifically towards African Americans and is in jail for life and could potentially be facing the death penalty. He admitted in court that his goal was to ignite a race war. Three days after the shooting, a website titled The Last Rhodesian made and ran by Dylann was found. Further examination of the website happened and found Roof posing with symbols from White Supremacy, Neo-Nazi and the Confederate flag. Due to him posing with the Confederate flag, it started a small protest to take down the flag off of the capital building in South Carolina. (Allen) Multiple journals by written by African Americans after the shooting, that they do not blame the confederate flag but understand why people want it taken down. Byron Thomas wrote a specific journal that made a supportive statement about the confederate flag. He stated “I hang the Confederate flag in my home, but that doesn’t mean it should fly over the Statehouse.” (Thomas) Thomas supports the Confederate flag completely, but also understand why people are upset with it. After the church shooting, people began to protest to take the flag off the capital building, and he agrees. Although he agrees with the majority of people to take it down, he understands that people are hurt after the shooting, and does not want them to hurt more. Also, he stated that if they do not take the flag down, he could cause a big protest and cause more people to get hurt. (Thomas) Not many people actually know the true history behind each flag. Most of America only knows the Confederate flag used by General Robert E. Lee. Often people associate his as being the racist flag, but it is actually the Stainless Banner that is racist. If people actually took a test over the different types of flag or did intense research, they would get taken by surprise. Not only do they refer to the wrong flag as being racist, but it is causing the people who hang the flag as heritage and pride, problems, but it could cause us to repeat history. With all the protest going on about the Confederate flag, people are going to start getting irritated and want them to stop. If people do not stop with the racist card on the flag, people who support it are going to start protesting back harder. Sooner or later, people are going to start bigger fights than what already is happing. History shows us that it repeats sometime along the line, and these protests are leading us closer and closer to war in the United States.
Newman, Ralph G. "Gallant Symbol of the Confederacy." Chicago Daily Tribune (1923-1963), Sep 15, 1957. 1, http://search.proquest.com/docview/180274550?accountid=12085.
For more than 200 years, the American flag has been a big part of the United States. Betsy Ross had been the first, reportedly, to make the American flag. It originally had thirteen stars, representing the first thirteen colonies, but later it ended up with fifty to represent the states in the Union. It is a symbol of our
...more overpowering and overwhelming than any general feeling of Southern pride. America has obtained a reputation to be an accepting and open minded country, welcoming all of any race, couture and religion. The Preamble states clearly that America will establish justice and insure domestic tranquility for all. Neither of these entities are accomplished in America as long as the Confederate flag remains raised. Our nation is furthermore divided by racism through a flag that is possibly being used as a degradation tool. This battle with racism has become far too large for American citizens and anything that is viewed as racist in such a manner as the Confederate flag is, should be censored from society, in only a helpful practice. A state flag should be capable of uniting its citizens, instead of dividing them. The Confederate flag should be lowered immediately.
Although many corporations have contributed large sums of money to campaign for a new Mississippi flag, that would replace the existing 1894 Confederate flag and improve economic and racial relations throughout the state, chances are slim that a change will occur. Many Mississippians are simply not ready for change and few African-Americans are actually pushing for a change. Many Mississippians view the original flag as part of the state’s heritage and do not want to replace it with a new one. However, I believe it is in the best interest of the state of Mississippi to change the flag, not only to ease racial tensions, but also to boost economic conditions.
Southern Pro-Slavery Rhetoric By 1860, the slave states had approximately four million slaves making up approximately one-third of the South's population. However, opposition to slavery began as early as the 1700's by religious leaders and philosophers in North America and Europe who condemned the practice, arguing that slavery was contrary to God's teachings and violated basic human rights. During the Revolutionary War, many Americans came to feel that slavery in the United States was wrong because they believed that protection of human rights was one of the founding tenets of the United States, and slaves were not accorded rights. Slavery was likely opposed more rapidly in the North, in part because fewer people in the North owned slaves.
known for their love of the confederate flag. The confederate flag is a sign of
“The Confederate Flag: Controversy and Culture.” David Sarratt American Studies University of Virginia. Web. 22 Feb. 2014
Your First Amendment rights are extremely close to being violated by none other than the United States Congress. I refer to the Flag Desecration Bill that, if passed, would do irreparable damage to our right to free speech and undermine the very priniciples for which the American flag stands. Fortunately, West Virginians have an ally in Sen. Robert C. Byrd. Sen. Byrd, who previously favored the bill, now fights to protect our rights by stopping the passage of this bill. I applaud his stand and want to reinforce his position. I also encourage you to join Sen. Byrd's campaign to ensure the legacy and supremacy of the greatest law in the land: the United States Constitution.
The Confederate flag was used symbolically during the Civil War. For Southerner’s, the flag represented a source of southern pride as well as a way of remembering the fallen Confederates. As the Civil War proceeded, the meaning of the flag began to change. Currently, the flag is being used as a symbol of racism. Due to this change in meaning, controversy over the flag has been exponentially growing.
Abstract Several times in our nation's history, Congress has introduced a bill that would provide for banning flag desecration. Each time, however, the Supreme Court ruled that this act was protected by the First Amendment freedom of speech rights. The debate over this topic continues, with both sides arguing for "the good of the country."
The Star Spangled Banner is a sacred song in the United States of America. It not only is a symbol of the fight that soldiers have had to go through, but also a representation of freedom. When the National Anthem plays out of respect for our country, and those who fought for it, everyone is supposed to stand and remove their hats. Currently in the National Football League (NFL) there is a handful of players, mainly African Americans, that have been taking a knee or raising a fist during the play of our National Anthem. This I believe, is a great sign of disrespect for our country and our veterans. This I believe, is very immature and unnecessary. This I believe, should be put to a stop by the NFL and the players should be ashamed of himself for doing this. I am aware that the players have the right to do this, but there are many reasons why this should not be taking place.
Many students all across America stand and salute to the flag every morning and repeat these words, “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, To the republic for which it stands, one nation, Under God, Indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” There are controversy behind these words of historical allegiance, and that is why many people are refusing to stand for the pledge. This nation was founded upon freedom and liberties, and with those liberties comes with the freedom to choose your religion. The words “Under God”
The American Civil War was the bloodiest military conflict in American history leaving over 500 thousand dead and over 300 thousand wounded (Roark 543-543). One might ask, what caused such internal tension within the most powerful nation in the world? During the nineteenth century, America was an infant nation, but toppling the entire world with its social, political, and economic innovations. In addition, immigrants were migrating from their native land to live the American dream (Roark 405-407). Meanwhile, hundreds of thousand African slaves were being traded in the domestic slave trade throughout the American south. Separated from their family, living in inhumane conditions, and working countless hours for days straight, the issue of slavery was the core of the Civil War (Roark 493-494). The North’s growing dissent for slavery and the South’s dependence on slavery is the reason why the Civil War was an inevitable conflict. Throughout this essay we will discuss the issue of slavery, states’ rights, American expansion into western territories, economic differences and its effect on the inevitable Civil War.
In 1791, Vermont, and in 1792, Kentucky were admitted to the Union and the number of stars and stripes was raised to fifteen in correspondence. As other states came into the Union it became evident there would be too many stripes. So in 1818 Congress enacted that the number of stripes be reduced and restricted henceforth to thirteen representing the thirteen original states; while a star should be added for each succeeding state. That law is the law of today.
Our flag gleams on buildings, it waves on our front porch, it soars in the wind above schools and parks, and it even rests on the casket of those who have fought for our freedom. Our flag symbolizes our country, our freedom, and our hope. The flag should not be burned by protesting. The flag should be shown the utmost respect; to burn the flag would be discounting the lives of the ones who have fought and still fight for our freedom.