The Confederate Flag Controversy
You know, I haven't weighed in much on the confederate flag controversy - mainly because I can see both sides of the issue. I mean, The Dukes of Hazard was my favorite TV show when I was little.
I can also see that the confederate flag is a piece of history. I can see that to many it did not stand for racism. I can see to many others, that is all it represents. It represents slavery. It represents hurting others due to prejudice and discrimination.
The other day, another image came to mind. I began a comparison in my mind of the confederate flag to the swastika.
Stay with me here.
The swastika is a symbol that has been used throughout history. But eventually, a madman, a killer, the most evil human being in history got hold of that symbol. Regardless of what that symbol had stood for in ancient Rome, it was now his symbol. It was a symbol of his hate. It was a symbol of the violence and torture associated with this madman.
I don't know about you, but I would not wear or display a swastika and say it's because of its ancient history.
In the same way, I would not display a confederate flag and say it's because of the non-racist history, if it has that. I know that people who have been hurt by racism and discrimination hate the history of this flag. If it were me in their place, I would not want to see this symbol. Just as I would not want to see other symbols that may have had not-so-bad meanings to start with, but whose meanings were changed by atrocities of history.
This is not at all to degrade anyone on either side of the confederate flag controversy. It is just to state my opinion. I, personally, have to understand and respect why this flag is being removed. It is a part of history that will always be remembered. But I do not think it has a place in society today.
I can also see that the confederate flag is a piece of history. I can see that to many it did not stand for racism. I can see to many others, that is all it represents. It represents slavery. It represents hurting others due to prejudice and discrimination.
The other day, another image came to mind. I began a comparison in my mind of the confederate flag to the swastika.
Stay with me here.
The swastika is a symbol that has been used throughout history. But eventually, a madman, a killer, the most evil human being in history got hold of that symbol. Regardless of what that symbol had stood for in ancient Rome, it was now his symbol. It was a symbol of his hate. It was a symbol of the violence and torture associated with this madman.
I don't know about you, but I would not wear or display a swastika and say it's because of its ancient history.
In the same way, I would not display a confederate flag and say it's because of the non-racist history, if it has that. I know that people who have been hurt by racism and discrimination hate the history of this flag. If it were me in their place, I would not want to see this symbol. Just as I would not want to see other symbols that may have had not-so-bad meanings to start with, but whose meanings were changed by atrocities of history.
This is not at all to degrade anyone on either side of the confederate flag controversy. It is just to state my opinion. I, personally, have to understand and respect why this flag is being removed. It is a part of history that will always be remembered. But I do not think it has a place in society today.
Comments
Post a Comment