The Confederate Flag Analysis

The Confederate Flag has long been a point of contention in the United States. Earlier this year, in the first half of 2015, the issue was one again brought into the public limelight. This time in the great state of South Carolina, where the Confederate flag has flown over the state capital building for many generations. The issue was brought by a group of citizens that petitioned the state government to remove the flag, because they viewed it as a symbol of hatred from a time gone by. The proposal to remove the flag was met with staunch opposition, from those who feel that the flag is a representative of their southern heritage.
To begin to explore the question of what the flag represents, we must first examine why people feel so strongly

about it. During the Civil War the Confederate flag seemed to become a symbol of the southern states, as well as the Confederacy itself. At the time one of the issues that was paramount in the dispute between the union and the seceding states, was slavery. Since the surrender of the Confederate army, the flag was sparsely used, mainly to honor Confederate soldiers or as a symbol of southern pride.
In the early twentieth century, the flag began to be used again.

This time by groups such as the Ku Klux Klan, who perhaps selected the banner based from a misconceived notion that it was a representation of slavery, and oppression. As years went on additional groups spreading hatred, such as the Aryan nation, and Neo Nazis began flying the Confederate flag as part of their activities. Interestingly, these same groups will also display the current American flag alongside the Confederate flag, and the Ku Klux Klan is known for burning crosses as a means to instill terror into the minds of those who oppose their views. Yet, there is no movement to eliminate the display of the American flag, or the display, or wearing of a cross which a religious symbol to millions across the world from a wide variety of

churches.
In contrast the Confederate flag as we know it, was not the flag of the Confederacy.
"The flag flown above the Capitol grounds in Columbia and commonly called "the Confederate flag" was never actually the official flag of the Confederate States of America. The CSA had three national flag patterns between 1861 and 1865, which can be viewed at the Museum of the Confederacy website." (Hanson)
"However, because the first CSA national flag was so similar to the United States flag, it was difficult to tell which flag was which on the battlefield. That’s why the Army of Northern Virginia began using a separate battle flag that looked like a square version of the flag most people are familiar with today." (Hanson)
"An oblong version of this flag was used by the Army of Tennessee and adopted as the Second Confederate Navy Jack. This version is the one most strongly associated with the Confederacy today, and has been nicknamed the “rebel flag,” “Southern cross” or “Dixie flag.” It’s sometimes incorrectly called the “stars and bars” -- a term that actually refers to the stars and bars present on the CSA’s first national flag." (Hanson)
In essence the Confederate flag is not, nor has it ever been a representation of the beliefs of the Confederate States of America, Ku Klux Klan, Aryan Nation, Neo Nazis, or any other such organization. It is in fact a soldier’s flag of the men of the Confederate Army. These men fought and gave their lives to establish what they believed would be a nation that would better serve them, much the same as the revolutionary forces during the American Revolution.
We now have to ask ourselves why this continues to be an issue and what the opinions are that cause such a distain for a piece of fabric hoisted upon a pole. A poll making inquiry into some of these questions was conducted by CNN in July of 2015. The poll found:
“Among African-Americans, 72% see the Confederate flag as a symbol of racism, just 25% of whites agree. In the South, the racial divide is even broader. While 75% of Southern whites describe the flag as a symbol of pride and 18% call it a symbol of racism, those figures are almost exactly reversed among Southern African-Americans, with just 11% seeing it as a sign of pride and 75% viewing it as a symbol of racism.” (Agiesta)
This is an intresting result from the poll because the percentages of African-Americans, and Southern whites are nearly equal, but opposite of each other. This says that the issue over the flag is less about the meaning of the flag itself, but instead emphasizes the racial divide that still exists. It also indicates that to take an action with such an opinion difference would be to give one’s opinion and will greater weight than the other. This is the exact conduct that the flag is claimed to represent.
Another interesting result from this poll is “African-Americans age 54 or younger are more likely than older African-Americans to support removing Confederate flags from government property (80% among those age 54 or younger, 63% among those age 55 or older); private companies choosing not to sell or manufacture items featuring the flag (71% among younger African-Americans vs. 54% among older ones); and redesigning state flags to remove references to the Confederacy (64% favor that among African-Americans age 54 or younger compared with 54% among older ones).” (Agiesta)
The older generation of African-Americans are the one who would have been exposed to a greater degree of racism, with a closer relevance to the Civil War, as they are the Children and grandchildren of those subjected to the issues of slavery. Yet, fewer of them fell the flag represent racism. Instead it is the younger generation who were raised in increasingly more tolerant times that seem to have the issue.
In an article discussing the subject Reuters.com printed “That flag has a lot of different meanings to a lot of different people," said David Stone, 38, who organized the event. "It doesn't symbolize hate unless you think it's hate - and that's your problem, not mine.” (Liston) The person summarizes it well, that because you believe the flag to represent one thing, you should not hinder another from what they feel it represents to them. Additionally, he explains that one must address their own problems with hatred or it will manifest everywhere for them.
If we continue to allow the desire of one group to effect such actions of the removal of the Confederate flag, then to what will be the end. “The immediate political and media focus in 2015 was on South Carolina, as that state continued to face outrage, pressure and sanctions from organizations around the country for flying the flag on public grounds. Still, seven other states in the South also have flags that make various references to the era of the Confederacy.” (Reasearch on the Confederate flag, divisive politics and enduring meanings)
The Confederate flag is not only part of Southern history, but it is part of American history. Yes, it was at a time when horrific acts against humanity were accepted, but that is part of who we as a nation were.
“If the goal of our shared civic experience was the avoidance of pain, then we’d take down that flag.

But that’s of course not the goal. Rather, we use history to understand our nation in all its complexity — acknowledging uncomfortable realities and learning difficult truths. For white southerners — especially those with deep roots in the South — those difficult truths are presented front and center throughout our lives. Yes, the South seceded in large part to preserve slavery. Yes, had the South prevailed, slavery not only would have been preserved for the indefinite future, it may have even spread to new nations and territories. And no, while some southerners were kinder than others, there was nothing “humane” about the fundamental institution of slavery itself. As Coates and others have often and eloquently explained, it was a system built on plunder and pain."

(French)
To throw away what the Confederate flag represents to some because of what others chose it to represent to them, is only closing our eyes and forgetting about a negative part of our history. In order to progressively more forward in history we must always remember where we came from. Therefore, the Confederate flag is a piece of history and should not be removed as a symbol of hatred.