Confederate Flag for the N-Word?

I live in the south where a drive down ol' country roads will lead you by many houses with confederate flags hanging. Shoot, there is a giant confederate flag waiving in open site by a major interstate road. People around here wear and sale confederate flag merchandise. It's part of society, and it means more than just slavery.

Most black people that say the n word aren't hate mongering racist likewise white people with confederate flags aren't complete biggots.

(We seriously need to stop thinking the worse of people, that is so rampant online.)

One argument I never see is; if only black people are allowed to say the n word then shouldn't it be fair enough for white people to waive the confederate flag?

I'm not white or black so I'm not bias towards a side.

What do you think? Isn't it a good trade off?

There's the hypersensitive people that think black people shouldn't use the n word and white people shouldn't use the confederate flag but that sounds like the forming of a nanny state where the government decides what is socially exceptable down to the words you say or clothes you wear. This is the land of the free, America!

You had too much coffee.

Using either is the same as tattooing ignorant dumbass on your forehead. If you don't have a problem with that then by all means go ahead.

I'm Southern and never really care about the damn confederate flag in my life.

White people can say the n-word, as long as they aren't using it in a derogatory manner.

Black people using the N-word isn't the same as white people waving the confederate flag though so it's not really something you can "trade-off" so to speak. Both were used by white people in a time of slavery. A black person using the N-word doesn't hold the same conotation as a white person using it whereas a white person using the confederate flag today can still hold the same conotation as it did back then.

You sure? Because Jackie Chan in Rush Hour said it which led to a brawl at the bar.

This thread is worse than trying to stream a Gamespot video.

Black people saying the n word is just as ignorant as someone waving the confederate flag around saying it's not a racist symbol.

I'm tired of this flag issue. It was never this big of an issue before Dylan Roof, and now that he used it as a symbol of his hate crime, the flag is being scapegoated. People have got to understand that the flag is NOT inherently racist. It's merely a symbol of the South. Racist people may fly the Confederate Flag, but then again didn't the KKK wave the US flag during their rallies? Many evils far worse than racism were done with the Stars and Stripes being flown, yet those who have that particular flag adorned on their porch will not say that the flag stands for any of those bad things.

There are people who fly the Confederate Flag solely for the purpose of representing their southern heritage, and that's it. If you still think those flag fliers are racist, then the black people who adorn those flags and symbols must really hate themselves, too. Stop judging people based on what they fly. You know, I had to unfriend someone who thought I was an idiot because I still liked the Dukes of Hazard. It's ridiculous.

The confederate flag is a political symbol for many ignorant Republicans, ignorant of the true meaning of the flag; the other is a pejorative term. The two are hardly comparable.

If people wanna say the n-word then say it. If people wanna fly the Confederate flag, do it. There will also (probably) be consequences.

And that's that.

This exactly. If black people start using the confederate flag (please my fellow black people....have some respect) then it would be a similar situation as the N-Word. I'm not a fan of the N-Word, but if one of my friends uses it to call me I dont take offense.

I believe that both black and white people should give up skinny jeans Other than that, the rest is uncertain.

I meant outside of GS. I don't consider the rules of GS to be representative of what most of American citizens consider acceptable. For example, pretty sure only a small minority of Americans would take extreme offense to calling someone transgendered by their original gender (example: referring to Caitlyn Jenner as a "he"), - but here it's a ban-worthy offense. GS leans so far left with their policies, they're practically the PC Nazi's. It would be impossible to have a discussion about gender dysmorphia on this board without a dozen mods shitting a brick at the amount of moderation they'd have to enforce.

I wonder when we'll come to the point where we feel the need to protect the stupid too - so if you say something is a "stupid idea", you'll get in trouble - because after all that would hurt the feelings of the person who wrote that idea and putting down stupidity would be offensive to people who were born without any wit.

But that's probably a tangent better left discussed elsewhere...

@Archangel3371: well if black ppl can embrace that word abd turn into a meaning of friend, why cablbt they embrace the flag.

They were slaves under the American flag a lot longer than a battle flag.

The American flag also decide they weren't worthy of rights.

Black ppl need to quick searching for special treatment.

It's more or less a matter of respect and decency to refrain from using words or symbols that will offend others.

Nothing is stopping you from ignoring it and use such words and symbols, you can walk into a gospel church with a confederate flag, or Auschwitz with the nazi symbol on your shirt.

But that doesn't mean cause and consequences won't take affect.

Well I guess they could if they wanted to, and perhaps some do, but they certainly don't have to.

I think there's a much greater distinction of slavery between the Confederate flag and the American flag.

Black people as a whole aren't looking for special treatment, they're looking for equal treatment. That's not to say that there aren't those who do look for special treatment but that can be said of all people regardless of skin colour, religious beliefs, sex, etc.

I Leave symbols to the symbol minded, whatever that symbol is. That said, The confederacy is no more and that flag was flown to fight for slavery. So... we should look at it as a piece of history and that's about it. Saying N is just as ignorant.

I agree. You can't make trades like that because despite what some people would have you believe blacks and whites are not equal and won't be for a very long time. There's a history there that causes the inequality until that history is forgotten. Words and symbols are empowered by their historical context; black usage of the n-word among themselves doesn't have the racist historical context of white usage of that word. That why I also don't believe it's possible for black (or any minorities really) to be racist. Sure, they can be prejudiced but I don't consider that racism per se; a black man treating a white person poorly is just a moron to the white guy, but a white man treating a black person poorly brings with it reminder of hundreds of years of oppression to the black guy.

@Archangel3371: the thing is tho, they have equal treatment.

There is absolutely Nothing keeping these ppl on welfare. Nothing is keeping them on minimal wage jobs. They are given more scholarship opportunities than anyone else. They are keeping themselves down. No one else. Unless of course you ask the race baiter Sharpton.

Black ppl should get with the times and quit being so obsessed with color. Black entertainment. Black caucus. Black history. Black ppl meet dot com. Naacp.

@bmanva: Yes, exactly.

Not understanding what the confederate battle flag represents and w

Except there have been protests against the confederate flag on government property but weren't as publicized as much ever since the shooting. Also, the confederate battle flag is associated with the confederacy whose goal was to preserve the institution of slavery in the South due to the North's opposition to it and the flag itself has been used many times in anti-Civil Rights protests during the 1960s. As for the American flag, yes it has been used in KKK rallies, but that flag has been used to represent the entire country and the KKK's goal was to unite the country under their ideology. The American flag represents a lot of things and has been used for good and bad, same with many other flags of the world.

Seriously, it's like the Germans erecting a statue of Adolf Hitler and waving the Nazi flag citing "German heritage!!" The problem is whitewashing the history of the flag and defending statues of Jefferson Davis or Nathan Bedford Forrest ignoring the crimes and atrocities they have committed. In fact, how a self-proclaimed "patriot" can wave the confederate flag (a flag associated with secession and treason) is beyond me. I do agree that banning the flag is unreasonable and unconstitutional and that the graves and perhaps even statues of confederate troops should be protected but my problem with this whole "southern heritage" argument is that it just whitewashing.

As for black people waving the confederate flag, yeah, I don't care. The flag still represents what it really represents.

Well those would be the consequences if they do it.

From a physical point nothing is stopping them from putting on such a shirt or carry such a flag, but if they do then they are breaking the laws and will face the consequences for it.

No, its not a good trade because property shouldn't be banned in America. Have these people that say they are on the right side of history deface confederate graves too.

I don't think any one has seriously suggested the banning of free speech.. The only thing that has been stopped is the flying of the confederate flag on federal and state properties as it should be.... The only real problem I have with the confederate flag is the revisionist history to defend their support of waving it..

@sSubZerOo: That is fine of you having a problem with it. But what isn't, is you acting upon it to solve your problem.

What revisionist history? State's rights?

How I am acting upon it? By calling a person who flies it a asshole? It's your right to fly it on your private property or on your self, the only thing that was acted upon was when a treasonous flag was being flown on state and federal property. Revisionist history in that the flag some how represents "state's rights", and that was the main reason for the civil war.. Which as stated earlier, was absolute horse shit.

The confederate flag did not mean slavery.

lmao

From the designer of the flag itself: "As a people, we are fighting to maintain the Heaven-ordained supremacy of the white man over the inferior or colored race; a white flag would thus be emblematical of our cause… Such a flag…would soon take rank among the proudest ensigns of the nations, and be hailed by the civilized world as the white man's flag.… As a national emblem, it is significant of our higher cause, the cause of a superior race, and a higher civilization contending against ignorance, infidelity, and barbarism. Another merit in the new flag is, that it bears no resemblance to the now infamous banner of the Yankee vandals." - William Tappan Thompson

@sSubZerOo: Acting upon it as in banning it. Treason? I didn't read...

The north was afraid of the south removing "its" economy. The north cared more about trade than slaves.

Calling the north, the north is even wrong. States can form allies with other states, but they can't coerce other states into doing something.

All states have every right to secede since they have the right to become a state in the first place. The federal government didn't create states then include them in the United States. So then they have the right to remove themselves from the union and become a different state because they created themselves first.

"Fact: The southern states only gave a shit about "states rights" when it affected them, they had no problem in supporting a federal law like the Fugitive Slave act which would force northern free states to enforce it even when it was against their wishes.."

Did the northern states fight for their new citizens or just hand them over the boarder? If they did the latter it would seem that they cared more about something else.

This is wrong too lol. Seceding from the Union has been illegal forever but codified in Texas v. White in 1869. It was only "legal" before because there was no legal precedent and the problem never arose. If you read the actual court case you'll see the judges ruled that Texas never really seceded in the first place because it was always property of the United States. The Constitution has never permitted states to secede.

@Aljosa23: That is one guys opinion of the war and the flag. He's a racist. Therefore anyone who flies this flag is a racist? Phaha!

Um the flag isn't white and he designed the second of three flags. The third is the current one I believe.

Not sure this is sarcasm but considering he designed one of the versions used... yes.

edit: well maybe not racist but more ignorant or misguided. Might arise from the South being poorer and dumber on average.

You don't know rights. You point to permissions. If you have the right to be free, how the hell can you then support government giving you permission to be free? You are adding and unnecessary middle man that is the one that's being unlawful.

Contain yourself. I know you are going to laugh, but where in our law does it say government rules people? The federal government follows the rules of the people, which are free seeing as they can create a law that is the government and is for the government. How do they have this power, yet fail to remove themselves from an insubordinate creation?

Sorry m8 but that's how the laws and real world works. No such thing as natural rights and I'd rather not get into that boring philosophical topic lest I fall asleep. I did have a feeling you'd go there and it's my fault for not telling you to stop before you got started.

Good luck to you in the future.

@playmynutz: how would "hypersensitive people" trying to change other people's behavior be considered the government telling you what is acceptable? Wouldn't it just be a few regular people hoping to change society? Or are the people you're referring to actual elected officials?

Having either one is a sign of poor upbringing. Why not get rid of both?

The flag is a symbol of treason and racism.

Every American should be offended by it in the context that the confederates were an enemy that U.S. that killed people in our military.

Irrespective of the racist and treasonous legacy of the flag, I find it disgraceful and treasonous for someone to wave anything other than his country's flag.

it's all a joke.

how can you be upset about some redneck flag and be fine with the slaveholders on the money and the monuments everywhere to the founding fathers.

people are just flat out not smart enough to look at the big picture.

jefferson was a slave raping child seller and that fucker is held up as the epitome of moral forthrightnesshood.

you don't destroy the monuments and symbols of the past, you build a new generation of monuments to celebrate the black pioneers in art, sciences, politics and civil rights that arose after the destruction of the antebellum south.

I totally agree.