Conversation of the Week LXXIII: Should the Divisive Confederate Flag Be Flown and Used by State Governments today?

I am not from this country and I don't know exactly what this flag means or represents.
However, based on all your comments and what I read in the article, I believe that there is a limit of what should be put in a platte. If it is offensive to a certain group of people, it should not be allowed and it is their righr to protest against that decision.
If the flag somehow or indirectly represents a stand for slavery at a crucial time in the history of the country, so there is no way to not associate it with racism, as slavery only existed because of racism! It is two concepts that can't be apart.

The confederate flag in its pure meaning, brings a lot of contradiction between the two races. But who are we to judge the fact that the sons of the confederate soldiers' pure intention was to remind them of their heritage and that only. I think the world has become very focused and sensitive to racism which is a good thing but it has also lead to misunderstanding of some people's gestures be they purely racist or not.

This flag should not be put on a license plate for the state. While I acknowledge its history and personal meaning to some, its history is exactly why it should not be put on a state license plate. It represents not only the losing side, but more importantly the oppressive and ethically wrong side. I will not belittle anyone the right to use that flag in their own home decorating or for personal use, but if Georgia uses it it shows that racism and bigotry is still alive and well.

I believe in the power of symbols. While some might say that a state flag does not affect the general opinion, I tend to take the side that, although it may not consciously change the minds of people, symbols help to define place. Placeness is a clumsy academic term to refer to the way in which people in a society form the relationship to the area that surrounds them. State flags are symbols that play directly into that idea of placeness. Do I think that people in Georgia are all going to spontaneously convert into racist pigs if the flag is not changed? Absolutely not, but there are nuances in the social world. We do not live in an "if/then" society, and therefore symbols play to a certain level of our subconscious that causes general social beliefs and norms over time. I think the only reason that this should be a significant issue is when there is a large amount of push-back on changing the flag. This would mean that there is pride taken in the flag as it is, and the symbol, in that case truly has begun to affect the opinions of the social constructs in Georgia.

They should let them fly this flag because the Confederate flag, that's not really what it is a symbol of. It is a regional flag for the Southern States. But not emphasized too much. Why cant the south fly their flag just like the other countries do?

Come on...are we serious here? I enjoyed what the spokesperson for the Georgia division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans had to say on the topic. "We believe that everyone has the right to preserve their heritage." Most definitions of the word "heritage" include language such as achievements, beliefs, custom, or tradition. I don't believe the environment of slavery fell under any of those definitions. Under the spokesperson's frame of reference, every individual or group should have the right to represent themselves, and this I agree with. The problem I have is that The Georgia Department of Revenue sponsored the license plate, and that is where I think the fundamental problem lies. We would not allow a "swastika" license plate, simply in the name of heritage preservation.

Thank You

I find this completely ridiculous. People are going to have something to say no matter what it is. The fact that a specific organization asked for a license plate that may or may not offend some people was in their right. They said they didn't mean to offend anyone, just expressing their heritage, which again is their right. However, if the people offended were to request the same thing, would they get the approval as well? I believe if they were denied, then it would take on a racist nature.

That's true. When i argue for someone or something, i always forget to think about the other side and what they think. But i still think they should be able to express their heritage and what not. It's almost like Westboro Baptist Church, nobody likes what they're doing, but technically they have the right to do that, so people should leave it alone.

I do not believe that it is a good idea because it might hurt some people that are also citizen in those cities. I am sure that the flag represent more symbols that only racism, just like the nazi swastika. I know that people want to show their pride to be a southern, but I ask Why do people want to make their pride so public? I can be pride of something without putting on my license plate. Anything is going to happen if I do not do that, but people want to create controversy. Anybody is free to put flags in his house and teach it to your family, friends and close people. I do not have anything against the flag. It is just that there are things that may hurt people and that is not needed. Even worse when there is something like racism among the delicate topics on discussion. although that is not the main goal of southern there could be a harmful misunderstanding.

As someone who grew up in the deep South and went to high school in the 80s, I remember the Confederate Flag being flown at my public high school. Everything seemed quite normal, for our mascot was the Colonels, and the flag was a symbol and representation of my school. After many law suits, a visit of my town by the KKK in protest, and a massive media campaign, the Confederate flag was removed from my school. Back to my "quite normal" comment, I believe that color-blind racism in contemporary society allowed me to believe that my mostly white school had a right to express its heritage. I could not have been more wrong. I saw the hurt and pain of my community going through the law suit and removal of the flag. I also saw racial tension mount as the situation took place. I think the Confederate Flag should be removed from any public building, institution, or flag.

To allow the American flag to be displayed on license plates, state memorials, or on public buildings is perfectly acceptable, and yet the display of the Confederate flag is considered racist?
People who believe that the the flag of the Confederacy is being used, in the case of the license plate, as a rallying cry to white-supremacist groups and anti-black movements are forgetting the dark history behind the U.S.'s "Stars & Stripes"; a flag which also represents, in some previous day, a nation built on inequality and slavery.
The Confederate flag is a symbol of a culture, deeply flawed, that men died to preserve. Allowing it's display on a license plate is a perfectly acceptable way to represent that history.
Our society has to stop allowing the Confederate flag to be used as a weapon; we must redefine it and use it as a tool for education and empowerment for all people of our nation, as a reminder of our dark past and also as a symbol of hope for future change.

I don't see the harm in having it as a specialty license plate. It's just allowing the ones who want it to be able to get it. I don't see it as a symbol of racism, but of Southern Pride.

Exactly, i agree with you. The people that want it can have it. And the people that don't want it, don't have to have it.

The new license plate is offensive, and although I don't know the history of it; I have learned that it offends people. Of course the people who approved the license would say it's not offensive because the dominant group goes un examined. If something was offensive to white males then it would never be approved or it would get taken down ASAP. I believe a big thing in progressing away from racism is that we must look at the surrounding factors that are affecting other people, whether or not it deals with you, personally.

Matter of fact is, this flag is going to be/ has been approved already. Although it may have a racial offensive nature in its history, I suggest the people should all move past it and keep on living. If we let things like flags affect the nature of our living, then we are all going to have a hard time living considering the fact that a lot of racial slurs are being uttered by people daily, in a "jokingly manner"

Despite what the flag actually means or what the history of the flag is, I think it is inappropriate. Anything that has a negative, racist connotation should not be accepted. I'm not saying it shouldn't be allowed, however. We still have freedoms in this country and if choosing to express yourself via the confederate flag is something you believe in, I have no right to stop you. However, I just think there are no circumstances that it would be okay to promote this flag, no matter the intention.

While the confederate flag may represent the southern states, it also has come to represent something different in more recent years. Coming from a person who is not from the U.S. I even knew the racist meaning of the confederate flag while living in my own country. Recently, people flying this flag have flown it to make a statement of hatred towards African Americans. I understand the Sons of the Confederate Soldiers reasoning, but the flag has multiple meanings behind it. With most Americans believing it to be a symbol of hate, it seems like this state may not want to continue.

Most Americans can look at the license plate and the picture of the confederate flag and know where it comes from. Whether it's just "deep roots " or "heritage of the south", or the flag is a symbol used by individuals in a hateful and disrespectful way. A lot of people try and say this flag isn't supposed to be offensive and its the only way to show their true identity and heritage from the south. I can't completely agree of disagree of the use of this license plate. If something you do or and image you carry around is hurtful and disrespectful to others why do it? Is it because we have the right to ? The right to freedom of speech, and or the right to represent anything we want? I don't know why most people do what they do. But as for the license plate and being an adult, if I lived in any of these states I wouldn't get this license plate put on my car. I wouldn't want to represent myself in this way and not be viewed by others that have no clue who I am. I don't think it should or shouldn't be a license plate. its not for e to decide.

I understand why the issue is so controversial, however that is not what the flag is meant to symbolize. Granted many may perceive it as a racial symbol but their perceptions are inaccurate.

Of course on the other hand, the swastika's was not originally associated with the Nazi's and the extermination of a people either. Pretty sure it is not commonly used around Europe due to this. So, I don't know. People will always be unhappy.