I find it interesting that one of the outcomes of the shooting in Charleston appears to be the dismantling of the imagery that appealed to the shooter. Overnight, the Confederate flag is something for politicians to distance themselves from, and calls for its removal from license plates, statehouses, and other official uses are being acted upon. Long a symbol of southern pride, its days seem numbered.
Dylann Roof probably didn’t anticipate this reaction, but he accomplished it.
I think Dylan Roof obviously
I think Dylan Roof obviously embraced the hateful history of the Confederate flag- a symbol of racism and inequality for black Americans. And while I agree with the long overdue decision to get rid of the symbol I’m not really convinced that the decision was made from a place of truly understanding why the flag was an oppressive symbol of hatred but more from a knee jerk political response to the very loud cry across the US to stop admiring and revering a symbol of one of the most horrific times in our history. My fear is that once this symbol has been removed from flagpoles and websites and license plates that we will somehow feel that that is an adequate response to the overwhelming racist mindset that is alive and well in this country. It is an almost immeasurably small step to addressing our long history of racism and will be a well publicized but empty gesture unless we – as a society- are ready to admit that the United States is an inherently racist nation. I don’t feel optimistic that we’re ready to do that. Rather, we’ll shake our heads and post poignant comments on social media about how much this terrible shooting saddened us and maybe we’ll attend a candlelight vigil or take part in a march of solidarity or we’ll write a check to the NAACP. And then we’ll go back to our lives until the next black child or young man or church full of people is murdered and it will start again.
Your excellent comment
I couldn’t have said it better. You express my frustration with those of us who purport to want change. I have an idea and a challenge for us as we approach Independence Day. Let’s make a personal commitment to each do at least one thing differently next time. I call it “Beyond Protests and Petitions” and it is about doing something in our own lives that helps to advance/deepen the responses to societal ills. For example, if you know there are some people who exhibit racist behaviors, try to find it in yourself to engage one or two of them in an honest, respectful, civil conversation about it. Doesn’t have to be a big town-wide or statewide project. We can each take responsibility for ourselves. Don’t expect a miracle. Do hope for at least a minimal impact — perhaps all the other person can do right now is listen. Is that likely to be more productive in the long run that yelling at the person? Or scorning them? Or you get the idea… WE can change the tone over time. Have you ever thought to yourself, gee, when so and so talked to me about (fill in whatever), I thought they were (stupid, snobby, weird, whatever) but now, a year or two or three, later, I see what they mean. If every single one of us were to sign on to this sort of thing and only did one thing differently a year, it would add up to a lot of difference over time.
We can ask our elected leaders to do things differently, too. In addition to, or better yet, instead of, big manipulative, meaningless campaign tactics like email, tv, and hard copy mailing blitzes, challenge your elected officials to start the day AFTER they are elected with honest, indepth, respectful informal small, neighborhood discussions and education sessions on various issues. If they doit well, and a lot, my guess is their re-election would be almost guaranteed, with very little need for campaigning.
I have a ton more ideas, but let’s get started with these. In honor of true self governance. It begins with each of us.
meaningful responses
I agree with all the above comments. And I would add the following: Symbols are meaningful. That is why we have them, revere them, argue over them and even change them. Some say the confederate flag represents heritage, other say it represents hate and racism. It is hard not to see that it represents heritage, hate AND the heritage of hate and racism in this country. Yes, there is something very attractive about celebrating rebellion. Our own town and high school had confederate flags and a southern plantation style colonel for a mascot until very recently – “the pride of the south”. And yes, we changed those symbols for good reason.
This is not a southern issue. It is an American issue. I laud those who are using this moment in time to remove the confederate flag from public buildings across our country. These displays are deeply offensive to many and an encouragement to others who cannot let go of past hatreds and bigotry.
I still hear people claiming that the confederate flag and the Civil War itself were not about slavery but about state’s rights. Yes, state’s rights to maintain slavery. It was about slavery and the economic system that supported it. People in the north were conflicted about slavery because they were invested in the southern economy. The Civil War, the Civil Rights Movement and the events of our own time are all part of our nation’s coming to grip with the difficulty of creating a society where liberty and justice are actually protected for “all”. That is “all” with no exceptions.
Let’s put the confederate flag in museums. Maybe someday that will be the only place we can go to see racists, bigots and insane murderers motivated by hatred.
I would visit that museum,
I would visit that museum, Andy. It would be a beautiful sight to see racism and hatred safely behind glass.
Rose Colored Glass Houses
A gentle reminder that all flags are divisive. What swells the breast of one (group), spells the death for another. And while we’re reckoning, let’s remember that our species’ legacy is one of genocide, insane murder, and hate. Sure there are good people -north and south- but our conquering ways, from pre-history forward, stems from the decimation of life forms, cultures, and unique individuals.
While it's true that every
While it’s true that every flag was the result of some form of hard fought battle ending up with someone being defeated and some form of oppression I think some symbols carry with them a long legacy of brutal hatred, intolerance and bigotry. The swastika and the Confederate flag come to mind immediately. When these evoke such horrific devastation and cruelty for so many people I think they should not be flaunted as a sign of a glorious history and culture.
I don’t think any of us participating in this convo so far are living in glass houses. I think this is a thread about the need to address our racism without wearing any rose colored glasses.
Great, simple and thoughtful
Great, simple and thoughtful suggestions. I feel that I am someone who will always speak up if I hear another person making a racist, homophobic or bigoted remark. I admit that it’s sometimes difficult to not just “call them out” on their remarks and respond with anger or incredulity. I know I can do better with my interactions with people who just don’t get how thoughts and remarks like those brings us all down to a level we don’t want to be at.