Sean Farrell at Pros and Cons has a pretty good post on the Civil Wart South and the battle flag in particular. His conclusion pretty much mirrors my own position:
I believe that many people display the rebel flag as a kind of middle finger salute, a stubborn dare to outsiders, to minorities, to the world in general. Now stubbornness can be a good thing, especially directed against the right enemy. But as a general attitude it’s not so hot.So for many reasons, I shudder when I see that flag over I-65. I don’t care that many of the people who raised it probably have good intentions in mind. The flag is such a political sore spot, to raise it intentionally overlooks (at best) or deliberately offends (at worst) a very large number of Alabama’s citizens and visitors.
Nobody needs that.
Indeed.
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June 15th, 2024 at 7:34 am
The Confederate flag has no place on any government house or area except as a historical display. It is the flag of a defeated enemy government and it should be treated as such.
If someone wants to display it at their house, well, that’s their business. It really disturbs me to see it flown next to the American Flag, though, in any venue.
June 15th, 2024 at 9:00 pm
Well, don’t come through South Carolina, because your blood pressure would fly right through the roof!
All kidding aside, I was looking at the revised George Flag the other day, and they really had it big for the battle flag. I’m amazed that stayed up as long as it did (until the 21st century).
‘Round here, I see that symbol on all sorts of stuff. And I agree with your take on the subliminal symbolism of it.