From 1861 to 1865, the Confederate Army fought against the Union to preserve the institution of slavery and slave labor. Without this institution, southern states would not have a flourishing economy or even remotely enough workers to preserve farmers’ plantations.
The Civil War was a fight between one nation, a nation that was threatened in that unity. A war was fought in which lives were sacrificed and loyalty was tested. Opposing sides argued, fought, and killed for what they believed in and only one came out successful. That is why, today, slavery is abolished and the United States of America is still standing.
The Confederate Army drafted many designs of a flag that represented not only rebellion from the United States, but the institution of slavery that they could not let go of. It was a sign of opposition, and evolved into a symbol of racism. Known as “The White Man’s Flag,” it is the very foundation of a deeply-rooted system that some white supremacists just don’t want to change. Today, it looks like this.
(www.fox4news.com)
This flag is simply the most ridiculous and pointless flag our country still “proudly” waves. It is a shock that some even have to bring up this point. There is no reason why we should be fighting to take down a flag that is currently being waved as a sign of white supremacy.
This is not the 1800s anymore. We are not a slave state. We are not segregated. And yet, we are most definitely not unified. Waving a flag that represents the very rebellion against the United States and our president is ludicrous enough, but waving a flag to signify the racism your body portrays and stands by is even more disgusting.
Many may be offended by my statements and discuss the issue of people burning or stepping on our nation’s REAL flag, and justifying the legitimacy of the Confederate flag by stating that the people against its existence don’t know who their ancestors were.
Maybe no one does. Maybe, some of the flag’s agitators don’t even have family members who were slaves during that time period, or even at all. Maybe some of our ancestors even owned slaves. But that doesn’t make a difference.
Not knowing who your ancestors are doesn’t change the fact that they are your ancestors. Having the power now to express your concern and your defensiveness about issues like these is something our ancestors were never allowed to have. By speaking up now, two centuries after racism was supposed to end, we are making huge steps to end discrimination and strengthen equality.
By letting this issue die down and being impartial to the argument, one is simply condoning the racism that ensues every day for those who are not “lucky enough” to be white.
A flag is supposed to represent the people it flies over. It is supposed to reign over our country and protect its citizens from injustice. And lately, the American flag has not done so. So, sorry for stepping on the flag that condones police brutality and systemic racism and choking a black man who says “I can’t breathe” while carrying off a white man peacefully in a bulletproof vest.
But the very support of another flag that represents the divide of a country and the segregation of the colors is more disrespectful than the people discriminated against standing on one that doesn’t even recognize the trouble it is creating for its inhabitants.
We need to change, and we need to do it fast. We have been fighting this war for too long. It's time for the Confederate flag to be taken down everywhere.
