Further thoughts about modern racism

[resqgeek]

Back at the beginning of May, I reflected upon the Travon Martin case, and the how actions can appear racist, even when they aren't necessarily intended to be such. About a week ago, a member of my wife's family shared an image on Facebook that has me thinking about this again. I wanted to comment on his post on Facebook, but decided that it wasn't worth creating a family feud.




I know enough people who would agree with the message in this picture to understand what they mean. If you ask them to explain, they will point out that this flag was a battle flag for the Confederate Army, a symbol for the troops to rally around. In that sense, they are right, the flag was not diretly racist (though this overlooks the fact that the fundamental causes of the American Civil War are deeply rooted in slavery, which is a point of history they generally gloss over). To these people, this flag is a tribute to the sacrifices made by the soldiers who fought and died in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. If this was the only history associated with this flag, then there probably wouldn't be any problem.

However, to claim that displays of this flag are not racist misses a couple of points. First of all, it completely ignores the intervening history of the flag. This flag has been adopted by groups that are radically racist in their views and purpose (most prominently, the KKK). Because these groups have embraced this symbol and used it as their own, they have associated this flag with their racist views. By ignoring this history, those who argue that this flag is not racist are presenting a blatently revisionist history.

The second point that those who want to use this flag miss is that racism is largely in the eye of the beholder. For many of these people, this flag is a symbol of regional pride, and I believe that most of them do not have racial motives in displaying it. However, that doesn't mean that their display won't be perceived as being racist. Because the flag has a long history of use by violently racist groups, it is hardly surprising that many people would see this flag as racist, regardless of the motivations of those who display it.

Personally, I don't find the flag offensive, in-and-of-itself. However, I understand that it has a long and sullied history, which loads the flag with many layers of meaning, much of it overtly racist. I understand the desire to reclaim it as a symbol of regional pride, but I believe that doing so demonstrates a tremendous lack of sensitivity to the those people who identify with the victims of the racists who wrapped themselves in this flag. That insesitivity may not be racially motivated, but that doesn't make it any less painful. If they insist on using this flag, then I think they need to be honest about its full history and the racist baggage that has become attached to it.

Comments

[katekintail.livejournal.com]

You make some excellent points. The flag is indeed a symbol used by other groups and used in many ways. I don't think it will ever be able to fully escape those ties to be simply a symbol of regional pride. And what it comes down to is that what doesn't offend one person may offend another; symbols aren't always objective. But just saying that a symbol no longer represents Y and only represents X now isn't going to do it. Just like a lot of politicians have yet to realize that saying false things over and over again doesn't make them true.

And, because I'm ME, I must quote a passage from one of my current favorite author's books. It's a scene where several teens just after graduation (they're wearing their gowns with nothing on beneath, as you do) raid a gas station for clothes so it doesn't look like they're driving along in black dresses:

But when Ben unfurls the T-shirts, there are two small problems. First, it turns out that a large T-shirt in a Georgia gas station is not the same size as a large T-shirt at, say, Old Navy. The gas station shirt is gigantic--more garbage bag than shirt. It is smaller than the graduation robes, but not by much. But this problem rater pales in comparison to the other problem, which is that both T-shirts are embossed with huge Confederate flags. Printed over the flag are the words HERITAGE NOT HATE.

"Oh no you didn't," Radar says when I show him why we're laughing. "Ben Starling, you better not have bought your token black friend a racist shirt."

"I just grabbed the first shirts I saw, bro."

"Don't bro me right now," Radar says, but he's shaking his head and laughing. I hand him the shirt and he wiggles into it while driving with his knees. "I hope I get pulled over," he says. "I'd like to see how the cop responds to a black man wearing a Confederate T-shirt over a black dress."

Just one of those questions to keep you up at night ;-)

[thebiblioholic.livejournal.com]

Paper Towns by John Green?

[katekintail.livejournal.com]

Yesssssssssss. I absolutely meant to put that. And I didn't, did I? Bah. Thanks!

[miketroll.livejournal.com]

" I wish I was in the land of cotton,
Old times they are not forgotten..."

I don't see the Confederate flag merely as a symbol of regional pride and the sacrifice of Confederate soldiers. Rather it expresses regret for the outcome of the American Civil War and for the abolition of slavery. I agree with your conclusion.

[reggiesgirl2.livejournal.com]

I don't think of it as expressing regret for the abolition of slavery. If that were the case, then it would definitely be racist, wouldn't you say?

Actually, I've never thought of it as expressing regret for the outcome of the American Civil War either but maybe that's me. I'm Canadian so I don't look at things the same way as Americans ... hmmm.

[kf-in-georgia.livejournal.com]

I'm a Southerner with a long line of Confederate ancestors up both sides of my family tree. One ancestor was military governor of Rome, Georgia, prior to Sherman's arrival. Another ancestor was captured in Chattanooga and spent the rest of the war in one of the Union prisons; his brother-in-law died at Gettysburg.

Where were all the flag-as-heritage people when various state legislatures co-opted the flag to serve as an up-yours message to the Supreme Court over the issue of integration? Because that's when the battle flag was added to Georgia's state flag. Those flag-as-heritage folks didn't rise up to defend their flag then, to insist that it stood for heritage rather than racism. They missed the boat. That's too bad for the people who do want to honor the flag for what it used to stand for, but it's the way it is now. Arguing that the flag doesn't mean what everyone knows it means is just pointless.

[skyring.livejournal.com]

I don't see this flag as a racist thing personally, because for me the Civil War is about the history and the battles. However, I can see how it is being used that way and seen that way nowadays.

An interesting comparison here with another starry cross. The Southern Cross, as it appears on the Australian flag, is used as a code symbol by some people to send an anti-immigrant message. "Love it or leave it". Not everyone, and often it's just a patriotic thing: "I love Australia". But often enough it's sending a negative message that when it's used as a windscreen sticker on a certain type of car, or as a tattoo on a certain type of person, you know exactly what is being said.

[melydia.livejournal.com]

I see these arguments about the Confederate flag and I wonder how many of the pro-flag folks would be equally ready to stand up in defense of the swastika. That has a long, non-Nazi history, but displaying it - like the Confederate flag - is more often about hate than peace.