Confederate Flag

Over here the flag act only allows certain officially recognised flags to be flown on government buildings.
For example, the rebel Eureka flag is a popular symbol with some Australian but is never flown officially.

Is the confederate flag officially recognised at any state or federal government level?
 
The issue was raised in 1999 in South Carolina, and I thought that SC had agreed to limit the display of the confederate flag only in civil war exhibits. But, a quick google search shows that not to be the case, so I was mistaken.

"What does it represent? " To some it's a symbol of 'southern pride', to others it's a reminder of slavery and and is a logo for racism.

"Should it be banned?" Banning the confederate flag is not going to lessen racism, so I don't know.
 

It stands a constant reminder in the black community of the horror of KKK, lynching, home burning. A stab in the heart to those people. It is the flag of a defeated ideal. It should come down and never fly again.
 
I was married to a man from Alabama.. and spent lots of time in the South with his family. This I can say, Southerners do have a regional pride and identity that is much stronger than any other area of the country. In the States, most of us identify with our nationality.. (wrong word, as it SHOULD be our descent) For example, my ancestors were from Germany, so I identify with a lot of German traditions. When I met my future husband and asked him what "Nationality" he was, he told me he was Southern. Many Southerners do not identify with anything other than "Southern" and have no idea where their ancestors came from... usually because they have been in this country much longer than a lot of ours.. So I'm pretty convinced that when the majority of Southerners see the Confederate flag, Slavery and it's horrors does not come to their mind. They are proud of their heritage and the traditions of the American South.
 
I'm probably going to mess this up and my words won't mean exactly what I want them to. I think many Southerners loon at this flag as a time in their cultural that had a completely different meaning from what some of us may regard it to mean. For Southerners, it was a time of attempting to secede from the union and with it came their own flag. The flag to the Southerner is part of their culture and heritage. Slavery and the civil war were also part of this same heritage, but I think it is part of what defined them "back in the day." After all, many had relatives that fought in the Civil War. It is unfortunate that some pro radical groups have chosen to use this flag as a show of racism and extremism.

I don't think they should be flying it on any government or state buildings, but if they choose to fly it in their front yard, sobeit. If Jim Bob decides to fly the flag in his front yard as a means of honoring his past relatives, then it's no business of mine.
 
That's how it is with the Eureka flag over here. It's history is that it was a flag raised at the Eureka stockade when miners on the goldfields rebelled against the oppressive system of licences imposed by the government and harshly administered by the troopers. The rebellion was short lived and the miners paid a heavy price in blood but the system was changed.

Since then, the flag has been appropriated by any group that sees itself as bucking the system. Anyone can fly it because it has no official status. Anyone that is except official government buildings.

 
oldman said:
... If Jim Bob decides to fly the flag in his front yard as a means of honoring his past relatives, then it's no business of mine.
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All you say is true, oldman, but if Jim Bob flies that flag in his front yard down here, sadly, it's a safe bet he is not honoring his past relatives. :(
 
Here you go

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http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/...suspect-dylann-roof?google_editors_picks=true

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/20/charleston-shooting-confederate-flag-south-carolina
 
I wonder if this angry little punk felt it was fun to do this too. The Confederate flag should come down from all government facilities in the entire South. They lost that war and we wouldn't tolerate a swastika or rising sun flag to fly here on any official building, why should it? Southern pride my ass, that's just an excuse to reflect the sickness of hate still prevalent in the south.1434822924217.cached.jpg
 
I'm aghast that the south still flies the confederate flag. That is completely ludicrous, is it wishful thinking or are they living in the past. We Canadians are not impressed.
 
Flags are powerful symbols and the way they are flown can convey powerful messages, like this one where the national and state flag of S. Carolina are being flown at half mast while the Confederate flag is top of its mast.

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The respect shown with the half mast flags is cancelled by the contempt expressed by the one at full mast.
It is a slap in the face for the people grieving the loss of the nine murdered people.
 
Dame Warrigal said:
Flags are powerful symbols and the way they are flown can convey powerful messages, like this one where the national and state flag of S. Carolina are being flown at half mast while the Confederate flag is top of its mast.

...........

The respect shown with the half mast flags is cancelled by the contempt expressed by the one at full mast.
It is a slap in the face for the people grieving the loss of the nine murdered people.
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I'm in agreement with that DW! I think that if they are going to insist on flying it on their government buildings, the most basic decency would have had them lowering it at a time like this. I think it just exposes the meanness of their natures.
 
I've been reading comments about the confederate battle flag http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/22/u...ly-in-criticism-of-confederate-flag.html?_r=0

This one caught my interest

sherah

texas 6 hours ago
In 1965 the confederate flag was hung by angry, dangerous people along the 54 mile stretch from Selma to Montgomery. "Bloody Sunday" wasn't so named because everyone was wearing the color red. People were beaten with that flag hanging next to their bodies. They were beaten bloody with billy clubs. I don't know what the flag stood for before but I know what it stands for now:racism and innocent people being brutally murdered.

A parent calls this a teaching moment. Are you going to succumb to peer pressure or are you going to do what is right? Any politician who doesn't stand up and say, "I am absolutely opposed to the confederate flag" is a coward. Winning should never be more important than standing up for what is right.

That flag may have meant something different to my ancestors. I don't know. All that flag represents now is anger, hate and violence. If I see it on a building, a bumper sticker on the back of a pickup, in a gas station window, I give a wide berth. People were and are still being murdered at the hands of those that fly that flag. It represents something I want no part of.

This issue isn't black or white. It is saturated with the color red. The color of innocent people's blood with that flag hanging right next to their dying bodies. Now nine more people have died. A 5 year old child had to pretend to be dead. ANY politician who does not take a decisive stand against that flag doesn't care about that child and the many, many before them.
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Can someone enlighten me about the incident in 1965 that Sherah of Texas is referring to?
 
Bloody Sunday was a civil rights march with Martin Luther King where marchers were beaten by police as they crossed the Edmond Pettus bridge. It took place in Alabama... not Texas.
 

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