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Importance of monuments
Essay about the confederate flag
Essay about the confederate flag
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On June 28, 2015, an activist by the name of Bree Newsome did something unspeakable; she climbed up the flag pole of the South Carolina state house and removed the wretched Confederate Battle flag that has been swaying in the air since 1961. Many saw this as a social media act for attention, but what I saw was a woman who was desperately trying to get the attention of the ones that can make a difference for a situation that truly needed attention. Although many consider the Confederate Battle Flag to be a symbol of southern pride and heritage, it represents the entirety of southern history, much of which involved slavery and should be taken down; not only from the state capital, but anywhere this symbol of racism stands. The history of this flag has been tainted by slavery and groups like the Ku Klux Klan, which have misrepresented what it means and have created acts of not only violence, but racism and hatred as well. Also, the main purpose of the creating …show more content…
It signifies pride and heritage the exact same way that any state flag or national flag such as the Flag of the United States does. Just because white supremacist groups like the Klan have tainted this flag with acts of hatred and racism does not mean that its history lies within those lines. There have been many groups who have wanted to preserve this flag in a positive way like the Sons of Confederate Veterans do. They are a group who fight to preserve the pride and heritage of the Southern Nation. Many of these men are men of color who are taking this hallowed piece of tainted history and are trying desperately to make it whole again. So to blatantly attack this flag with its one dark segment of history and completely disregard the positive aspects of the South is completely absurd. The Confederate Battle flag should remain exactly where it is so that open-minded people can cherish it and feel free to express their heritage at any
~~For many American citizens, a controversial flag such as the Confederate flag flying above a government edifice delivers a great amount of pain. Emett Burns, an African-American involved in the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, spoke of his views on the Confederate flag: "It [the flag] says to me 'If I could put you in your place, I would.'" (qtd in Schaiver) The NAACP finds the flag extremely offensive and explained their outlook on it with frustration, saying, "enough is enough." (qtd in Cabell) Mims, an African-American 42 year old disabled paper worker, announced his vista upon the flag: "It is like the Germans and the Jews—they are trying to eliminate us." (qtd in Burritt) A recent legal case concerning the Confederate flag, the Plaintiff argued the fla...
Ambiguity Over the Confederate Flag by Frank X Walker tells the story of life in the South during slavery. The narrator, speaks in first person for one part of the poem, while the other half is spoken from an omniescent on-looker. Through both of these perspectives readers are given two separate accounts of what slavery was like during that time. By using the principles of New Criticism readers are able to fully understand the context of the poem. Furthermore, through this technique, readers draw conclusions in response to the text. From this analysis and through close reading it is clear that there is a major tension regarding how whites viewed slavery verses how African American’s viewed slavery.
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.
Imagine standing in front of the defaced statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee only to hear two sides of people curse, hurt each other. This situation is too familiar for people who visit Charlottesville, VA, the formerly peaceful town. The controversy between Confederate memorials never ends. Many people argue that Confederate monuments should be taken down because they become the flashpoints of unrest and violence. As far as I am concerned, confederate memorials should remain as these memorials are the legacy of history; history is value-neutral and innocent.
“The Confederate Flag: Controversy and Culture.” David Sarratt American Studies University of Virginia. Web. 22 Feb. 2014
The Confederate flag is a famous symbol of the South’s side in the American Civil War. The controversy surrounding this flag has received a great bit of media attention considering how deeply affected and offended some people have become. Southerners consider themselves to be personally affected. A majority of supporters state that banning the Confederate flag strips them of their heritage, referring to the South’s part in the American Civil War. Persons who do not support the continued showing of the Confederate flag, such as non-Southerners, African Americans, and many others say that while the flag is a symbol of southern history, much of the history in the South includes racial segregations, lynchings, and slavery. As a matter of fact, the purpose of the Confederacy in the Civil War was to make sure slavery stayed an institution in America. The man who created the Confederate flag, William T. Thompson, stated this about the symbol of heritage: “As a people we are fighting to maintain the heavenly ordained supremacy of the white man over the inferior or colored race; a white flag would thus be emblematical of our cause” (Miessler par. 3). This alone clearly shows what the goal of the Confederacy
Throughout Tony Horwitz’s novel Confederates in the Attic an overarching theme of Southern Pride occurs. Tony gets first-hand experiences of what southern heritage means through a cross-country road trip visiting historic sights and meeting locals. Tony meets people from every walk of life and is open to their stories and historical information. He meets people who have been oppressed and the oppressors themselves. Many people show their pride through commemorating the past, in the south this often means commemorating the Civil War. Pride is coupled with the ways men and women choose to honor the Civil War, and the rift it has caused within racial tensions.
For over a century, many writers and historians theorized that the Confederate loss during the Civil War was, in fact, inevitable, and that they were only fighting a losing war against an overwhelming invading force. This idea shows the southern gentleman, in his honor, taking up arms against what was obviously a superior foe in order to preserve their state’s rights, their families, and their homes, with no hope of coming out the victor in the contest. This is a romantic notion of a time forgotten where gentlemen fought a barbaric would-be conquering force in order that their economic tyranny be forced upon the southern gentleman. This can be countered by the fact that they were only looking for a way to soothe their own defeat, that many sought post-war political gain, and that invading the north during the war was a hope to achieve victory.
I believe people should not be able to take down the Confederate statues.We shouldn't be able to take them down because, it’s apart of our country's history, people lost their lives fighting for what they believe and we don’t want to ignore the fact that our country has flaws and we need to own up to it.
The Civil War was partly about slavery. Therefore, many use the flag as a symbol of hatred towards people of different descent, especially African Americans. The idea that “negro is not equal to the white man,” or white supremacy, has caused many racist attacks (Coates, 2015). Most of these attacks have involved the presence of a Confederate flag. Recently, Dylann Roof committed a gruesome attack on nine African American congregants at their local church during a bible study (Henderson, 2015). He claimed to have been motivated by the Confederate flag. Sadly, this violent attack provides a perfect example of the racism symbolically presented by the Confederate flag.
The symbols of the Confederacy are not just about supremacy, but also, inextricably, about class. Confederate monuments and flag signify terrorism. They were raised deliberately to send a solid message to all who strolled in their shadows about who was still in control. The majority of African Americans whose descendants were enslaved. There have been many attempts to relocate monuments, remove flags, rename schools, and change the name of various holidays (“Confederate Remembrance 3”). Confederate monuments should be taken down immediately and placed in museums where citizens who support the monuments and the heritage of what happened a long time ago can view them
Regardless of the original reasons for the creation of the Confederate Monument, whether in memory of fallen soldiers or to advance a more sinister agenda, the fact that it was created, and continues to stand today despite so much controversy serves to illustrate the ever-changing attitude of the Nation. Instead of denying or concealing turbulent times in America’s history, a monument is built to remind the people of a time when lines were not so clear. A time when the Nation faced diversity head on, to overcome and surpass obstacles that may attempt to entangle the morality of the people. The Confederate Monument in Arlington National Cemetery is an everlasting testament to America’s commitment to not burying its past, but to accept it, to learn from it, to honor it.
Most of the narratives written about the Civil War in America state that the fall of the Confederacy was because of their low morale as well as internal divisions. However, The Confederate War by Gary Gallagher makes a counter argument, he gives evidence that the Confederate morale was fairly high throughout the war. Gallagher argues that the defeat came from the battlefield rather than the home front. He believes that Confederate civilians were mostly confident up until Lee’s surrender at Appomattox. Gallagher divides the book into four section, Popular Will, Nationalism, Military Strategy, and Defeat, to defend his argument. His thesis argues that, “Contrary to what much recent literature proclaims, defeat in the military sphere, rather than the dissolution behind the lines, brought the collapse of the Confederacy. Lee’s surrender at Appomattox convinced virtually all Confederates that their attempt at nation-making had failed” (11).
A culture is the beliefs and interests of a particular group of people. About 150 years ago, a proud and noble culture was created in the Southern portion of the United States. It was created by Southerners from all walks of life, ranging from the gentry to the "good ol' boys." They loved their culture so much that they created a country. It was a country of blue skies, green hills, beautiful meadows and forests, and old-fashioned Southern hospitality. There were large plantations that grew some of the finest crops in the world. Though this country seemed Utopian, its creation soon instituted the bloodiest war in American history, the War For Southern Independence. The beautiful countryside suddenly became a battlefield. The blue skies turned gray with the smoke of rifles and cannons. The blood of Rebels and Yankees stained the grass as the meadows and forests became overwhelmed with the foul stench of death. Johnny Reb fought hard for what he believed in and what he thought to be right. Though the "boys in gray" lost the greatest battle of their lives, they and their ancestors still hold a special place in their hearts for this short-lived nation. This nation was independent for roughly four years, but the legacy of the Confederate States of America will not be forgotten.
This is no more so true than with Confederate Veterans, and the racial and political motivations that have, in some way, lived through the decades. Though the sesquicentennial over the conflict has just recently passed, many issues of contention and struggles over Confederate iconography in the American public still dominate certain realms within the historical discourse. Groups such as the Sons of Confederate Veterans still exist in some meaningful number in modern times, and still fight for what they view is the protection of their heritage. Memory – particularly when it comes to war – is a peculiar thing. The impact of this sort of historical memory seems deepened by the intense personal nature of civil rebellion, and widened by the physical access to so much of the history in lands, documents and artifacts. It is, indeed, a curiously American idea to -- in many places -- honor those who sought to break away from the nation. It is likely that these questions and observations cannot be fully answered by the historical record alone. Much of it, admittedly, is victim to interpretation, and the roles culture, upbringing and regionalism play in the way Americans recognize their heritage. That alone is a concept worth its own study. However, it seems true that Southern heritage cannot ever truly escape the racial and political problems of its past, if it is forthright in its presentation. Gregory P. Downs, writing on the way American’s memory of war is shaped, mentioned this in perfect summary. He wrote, “By severing the war’s conflict from the Reconstruction that followed, it drains meaning from the Civil War and turns it into a family feud, a fight that ended with regional reconciliation. It