I'm from "The South," a feat so big you have to capitalize it. Yet, even in my sweet-tea-loving state of mind, I have come to realize that southern pride can be misused. This is referring to the abuse of the confederate flag. Though the flag is a viable part of our nation's history and a "historical Southern symbol," it belongs in a museum. Stemming from one of the most hate-influenced periods in our national history, the Confederate flag should not be revered or displayed as it is.
Acknowledgement is due to the flag, firstly. Many of our ancestors were involved in the Civil War, and quite a few fought for the Confederacy. It's a part of our lineage, which is something we take pride in. Family lines are important, but that's where the distinction needs to be made.
Despite being a part of the South's history, the Confederate flag has become more of a symbol of hate. Initially, of course, the Confederate flag represented to Confederacy in the Civil War. There were many versions of the flag that were used in the Confederate States of America around that time. However, the flag that is most commonly reproduced today is a more rectangular version of a battle flag flown in Virginia and a similar one in Tennessee. The main difference between the Union and the Confederacy was the viewpoint on slavery-- the Confederacy being in favor of it.
Ultimately, slavery is the root of the inequalities and tension between races in the United States. From the start, the Confederate flag represented the fight for a continuation of inhumane treatment of a nearly four million human beings living in the South, merely based on their darker skin color and white supremacy.
Further down the line, the Confederate flag went on to represent some of the most major hate movements since the Civil War. For instance, segregationists adapted the flag to oppose the desegregation of schools. Additionally groups like the KKK and the Dixiecrats utilized the flag as well. In fact, Southern historian Gordon Rhea stated, "It is no accident that Confederate symbols have been the mainstay of white supremacist organizations, from the Ku Klux Klan to the skinheads...They picked it because it was the flag of a nation dedicated to their ideals: 'that the negro is not equal to the white man'."
Similarly, the Confederate flag can be compared to the swastika. This symbol originally roots from words meaning "good fortune" or "well-being;" however, since it was adapted by the Nazi party of Germany, the symbol is no longer recognized as such. Now, when the swastika is displayed or shown, it represents a part of history Germany profusely regrets and an irrational hatred of a specific group of people, the Jews. Like the swastika, the Confederate flag stands for the continued racism and hatred for African Americans-- something that should not be revered as it is.
Displaying this flag as a symbol of Southern pride is shameful, honestly. The Confederate Flag is a representation of the hate and racism that spans over centuries. We should look at it-- displayed in a glass case at a history museum, not on front porches or car windows-- solemnly, in remembrance as a part of our history that we are trying to move past.
