You Just Might Be a Racist If…

The video below was uploaded just this morning. I have no idea where it was filmed. In fact, it doesn’t really matter whether it was filmed in Mississippi or Maine.

I have little patience for the discussion of whether every display of the Confederate flag on private property reflects a racist intent or message. Given the history of the Confederate battle flag, from the Civil War to today, apart from a few exceptions there is little reason to give anyone the benefit of the doubt.

At this point in time you own that past if you feel strongly enough to display this flag in a place where it can be viewed by the public as opposed to inside your home.

I am at a loss as to what might be said to convince this individual that her neighbors are not imparting a racist message with the display of the flag. She knows exactly what it means.

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18 comments… add one
  • Patrick Jennings Mar 1, 2016 @ 10:11

    London John,

    The Army has publicly stated that it will not change the name of any post named for a Confederate. It has also stated that it will continue to allow southern units that have an official lineage to the Confederacy to place appropriate Civil War battle streamers on their colors (think the 116th Infantry of the Virginia Army National Guard). The Army states that these names “occurred in the spirit of reconciliation, not division.” The service goes on to note that; “Every Army installation is named for a soldier who holds a place in our military history. Accordingly, these historic names represent individuals, not causes or ideologies.”

    For the record there are ten bases named for Confederates generals.

  • London John Mar 1, 2016 @ 4:53

    I assume Fort Hood is named after the Confederate general – isn’t that insulting to African-American soldiers? Who has the power to rename these posts? If it’s the President, I’m surprised he hasn’t renamed all Fort [Confederate General] posts, if only for the fun of seeing the lost causers go bananas. Fort Hood -> Fort Granger, perhaps?

  • Matt McKeon Feb 29, 2016 @ 19:26

    Christ, what an asshole.

  • bob carey Feb 29, 2016 @ 16:26

    I suppose I could have used stronger language in describing the neighbor’s actions but since I don’t know the ignorant racist SOB I didn’t think it was appropriate.

  • Patrick Jennings Feb 29, 2016 @ 11:59

    I absolutely agree. History is a sum of our past, not the whole.

  • Patrick Jennings Feb 29, 2016 @ 11:22

    Oh Andy, Andy, Andy. I expect much more form you. I recognize that you have an almost genetic hatred of the south, my wife is pretty much the same, but I do expect better history from you. There are many flags that carry the idea of racism quite heavily in their past to include the US flag. As I recall, at the height of Jim Crow, the flag flying over this country – north and south – was a US flag. If memory serves me correctly, the famed Boston desegregation image of 1976 was, again, a US flag. And as a personal note this southern born lad can tell you that the first time he ever saw a “White’s Only” sign was in Connecticut in 1972 during a Junior High trip. Even that delightful progressive, Woodrow Wilson, did his worse deeds under the flag of the US giving us this wonderful quote: “Segregation is not a humiliation but a benefit, and ought to be so regarded by you gentlemen.”

    While I agree that the neighbor should at least be willing to talk to her openly about this (and why he feels the need to fly the flag) I am not ready to call up the pitch-fork brigade based on the faulty, near-sighted history I see in some of these comments. As a nation we are a whole and no region, or state, has the better of the rest when it comes to disgraceful history – and this is why we try to learn from it.

    • Kevin Levin Feb 29, 2016 @ 11:56

      As I recall, at the height of Jim Crow, the flag flying over this country – north and south – was a US flag.

      It was also the flag of a nation that toppled Jim Crow and continues to work toward racial justice.

  • bob carey Feb 29, 2016 @ 5:47

    Al,
    I suspected as much. It is refreshing to see such a well spoken young women in the service of our country. The neighbor is just a jerk for displaying the CBF .

  • Al Mackey Feb 28, 2016 @ 20:31

    She’s a captain in the US Army. She appears to be commanding a transportation company. I suspect she’s at Fort Hood in Texas.

  • Joshism Feb 28, 2016 @ 16:56

    I see Kevin has clarified the original post to “this flag” rather than “your flag”, which clears up the question.

    I don’t think much of the CSA or CBF, but the wording of the original statement had some potential broad implications. For example, World War II vets who would be offended by the flying of the Japanese flag.

  • Andy Hall Feb 28, 2016 @ 8:57

    Joshism asked:

    “Would this apply to any flag or just CSA flags?”

    There aren’t many flags that carry the same racial message, built up over the last 150-plus years, as the Confederate Battle Flag. That may not seem fair, but that’s reality.

  • Rob Orrison Feb 28, 2016 @ 7:33

    @Joshism – great question

  • Joshism Feb 27, 2016 @ 16:34

    “If your neighbor has expressed any concern or question about your flag, human decency would compel you to keep your ‘heritage’ inside your home rather than offend your neighbor.”

    Would this apply to any flag or just CSA flags?

    • Kevin Levin Feb 28, 2016 @ 7:39

      It might apply to another flag. My wife is from Germany and would most certainly be troubled by a neighbor flying a Nazi flag on their porch. That said, I think Sandi is speaking specifically of this specific example.

  • bob carey Feb 27, 2016 @ 13:51

    This women is thoughtful and well spoken and based on the vocabulary in her statement she is probably college educated. Although I can’t say for sure I would say that she is US military,based on her hairstyle and her sweatshirt, probably Air Force, if my assumption is correct than her neighbors actions are that much more abhorrent.

  • neukomment Feb 27, 2016 @ 13:13

    I give this young lady credit for what IMHO was a self controlled, restrained, yet forthright and honest response, as well as some perceptive observations.

  • Sandi Saunders Feb 27, 2016 @ 9:11

    If your neighbor has expressed any concern or question about your flag, human decency would compel you to keep your “heritage” inside your home rather than offend your neighbor. Clearly it is a message they want to convey and it has more to do with “in your face” than pride in the heritage of the Confederate treason and slaveholder rebellion. I won’t try to understand her neighbors either.

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