Timothy V Poll Question for the Day: 04-14-07

I dont think so

Thanks for the comment Begal.

It's a flag... it's symbol holds different meanings for different folk.

Interesting comment Don.

I read that the U.S. flag was hanging for many more years than the Confederate flag during the years that slavery was legal.

Thanks T.S. ..I'll check that out.

I find it funny when the south was trying to establish communities for the would be ex-slaves, adn the North made the freed slaves live in boxes in the allies, this flag has the stigmatism of racism. There was more compassion for the blacks in the south (least you forget that the first black senetor was from a southern state) than there ever was in the north. We are taught that the Civil war was for the freedom of the blacks, which is propaganda, as the slave issue was never brought into play until almost a year later after the war started to justify the war.
There is so much misinformation on this topic, that it has carried its way into many areas which are false.
Was there racism in the south, yes, not as much as in the north, but still yes.
Could a black own a home, in the south, yes, in the north, no, because they could not earn enough to own one.
In the south they had jobs to better themselves, schools, and hospitals, in the north, they had scrap jobs, that paid little if anything, lesser schools, and trash hospitals. Almost every advancement of the blacks by the blacks happened in the south, far more than the north because they had better chances.
No the flag is not a symbol of racism, but became one later due to the KKK and the media.

Interesting comment Dan....thanks.

Well, Tim, I was born in Kentucky and I do see it as a symbol of racism.

One thing about the KKK use of the flag, is that is is used in more modern times than in their past. THe early flag they used was if any, was the white flag with the red cross, still used today. The Confederate flag is from the second or third rebirth (not that this hate group ever truely died) and not from the start.

Like it or not...This flag is part of American history/heritage.

Isn't it actually "The Confederate Flag of America"? If so, what does that denote?

Barb....just why do you think it's a symbol of racism ??

Here in Kentucky a few years ago, a couple of young white boys were murdered by blacks because the boys had the Confederate flag hanging in the back window of their truck.

Kathleen..From 1956-2001, the state flag of Georgia consisted partially of the Confederate flag, but pre 1879, the Georgia state flag was blue, and no part of the Confederate flag was there.

Hey Liz....do that photobucket thing and show Kathleen the current Georgia flag. I googled it and I'm coming up with a dirfferent flag than Kathleen is talking about. The flag she is talking about was the offical state flag of Georgia from 1956 to 2001.

Kathleen....As far as I'm concerned ( I can't speak for those rednecks you are talking about ) it is part of our heritage and History. Sort of like the Kentucky State flag is part of my heritage and history if that makes any sense.

Kathleen..no offense taken..so don't worry.

Liz..according to what I found on an MSN search, the flag in your last comments was the official flag of Georgia from 1956 to 2001, and not the current Georgia flag.

YES INDEED.....AND HELL NO.....If you tend to look at this as a racist symbol, then you need to check your own identity. the history to this flag has been very well explained by many of the commenters on this thread and to be honest I have learned stuff I didn't know, from those comments. Let us all stop trying to read negative things into everything that is said, done or displayed these days; if we were to concentrate on the important and not the trivial we just might have a much better society to live in!!!

And as Liz said earlier....Your the best...Good job in bringing this to the debate arena. This actually might be a topic that we can sway opinions on...Keep it coming!!

Great points Todd...will do !!

Liz..I really like the second flag, but the first one is the current offical state flag of Georgia. Great job !! Check it out Kathleen. I'm not trying to make a fool of you by no means, but the flag that Liz has shown is the same flag I came up with when I googgled it.

Git-R-Done!

Hey, Y'all -- I reckon Miz Liz is quite correct on this subject...from a soon-to-be Miz Scarlett.
Bottom line ...it's part of "OUR" history. It's no longer about red/blue states we need to embrace & cherish all of our history. That is what makes this country great.

It's a flag. A piece of cloth with various colors sewn together to form a pattern.

yanno..I got a great life lesson in one of my English Lit classes one year. My students had been assigned to read To Kill A Mockingbird. My class, being in downtown Birmingham Alabama, was predominantly children of color. When we had a read aloud one day during class one of the white girls came across the infamous 'N' word and refused to read it. One of the young men of color finally interrupted her after the third time she skipped over the word, he asked permission to read that part himself and I nodded. He stood and read the passage aloud and very proudly then he lowered the book and spoke very clearly to the entire class...and I will quote him here and apologize ahead of time if it offends.

"Nigger...N...I...G...G..E..R, it's a WORD made of six letters put together to form sounds that become that word. It has no more power than the word elephant, until WE give it power. Stop living in the past, stop giving the word power and it will become just what it has always been meant to be...a word."

He then very quietly resumed his seat and the reading continued with no one else skipping that word. Offhand I'd have to say for a 16 year old young man he was rather bright, the only power a word or a flag has is the one that we each give it. Stop trying to make that flag more than what it is, it is colored bits of cloth sewn together.

Daphne, thanks for sharing your student message. A very astute young man.

timmy- of course it isn't. this is like the secondbtime i've posted on this type image/point today

what's with the redundancy? lol

good stuff

Emma.....Blatant points whoring ? Oh let's see here...I joined Gather back in September of last year..and to date I have 8385 points...and I haven't cashed them in yet. If you want to accuse someone of points whoring..I suggest that you go after William M and his " Good Morning Gather " series.

Also...I would like for you to explain why you think the Confederate flag is a symbol of racism ?

Maureen..Cassie and Daphne.....Thanks for your comments...great story Daphne !!

wow...over 8000 points and you haven't turned them in, that's downright stupid!

Some Southerners pretend to believe the 'stars and bar's is merely a symbol of Southern pride, yet it is often used by racists to represent white domination of African-Americans, or as an alternative to the American flag, which they consider to be an emblem of what they describe as the 'Jewish-controlled government'.

*eye-roll*

A confederate flag waver tries to tell himself that slavery wasn't racism, because, over time, there have been slaves of all races. They also defend this wholly racist symbol by saying they are honoring their dead in the civil war.

*another eye-roll*

This is a big steaming pile of white supremacy rhetoric. When you see this racist flag displayed on pick up trucks, and sewn onto NASCAR jackets, it's always a sign of racist intent. George Allen, AKA "Senator Macaca," had one in his office, right alongside a noose. Imagine that!

Now you silly racists, who support the flying of this flag, go right ahead. You're not fooling anyone!

Emma..the Confederate flag is a symbol of Southern Pride, not racisim. Perhaps you should read some of the commets above where blacks were more oppressed in the north during and after the Cival War.

The Cival War was fought because the South wanted to seperate from the United States, and it had nothing to do with slavery, thus disproving you theory of the Confederate flag representing racisim.

Cassie..you need to learn how to write in English.

Timothy, this is even funnier in the face of your correction for Cassie--It's "civil", not "cival" and "comments" not "commets."

Cassie, two words for you--Alcoholics Anonymous

Southern Pride--riiight. How proud you Southerners must be of your pathetic history!! No matter what the flag stood for in the past, in modern times (and it is modern times, in the northeast at least!) it's a symbol of racism. Deal with it! hehe

Timothy, sorry--I filled my redneck quota by reading a few of your posts. maybe I can get to the others in a day or two, when I feel less nauseated. Btw, nice plaid shirt ::cough:::

The swastika is an ancient symbol, used by Buddhists and Hindu's in religious and civil (or "cival," for Tim's benefit) ceremonies in Nepal and India. It can be seen on Indian temples, entrance of houses, as decorations at weddings, festivals and other celebrations. There is even archaeological evidence that swastika-shaped ornaments go all he way back to the Neolithic period! Yet, because the Nazi's used the swastika, it has been all but eliminated in the Western world. It is the same with the Confederate flag—perhaps it started out as something noble, but now it's a racist symbol and should be used a nothing more than a cleaning rag!

Uhh Candace, careful, you'll get your stirrup pants in a bunch.

Typos there Emma, and how dare you put the south down !! You are just as much a racist bigot as you accuse us from the South of being !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Get it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hmmm. I have been wondering that myself Liz .

At last the flag has been lifted from this one.

Well, my beautiful confederate flag is carefully folded and put away. Shall we ban a Black Panther's "traitor's flag or is that,.. yes again the type of exception,

that speaks of honesty and righteous revenge against so many massacred Southern civilians.