Slavery was abolished 150 years ago, in 1865. Yet through the raising of the Confederate flag people and the government continue to condone racism, and white supremacy. As well as, attempt to mask these evident prejudices with sad excuses of heritage and pride. Around 1861 many southern states seceded from the Union/USA, and attempted to create their own nation specifically so they could protect the “right” to kidnap African Americans from their homeland, and force them to horrific labor under terrible living conditions. These southern states are commonly called the Confederacy, thus the Confederate flag was born. Ultimately I believe there isn’t an argument behind keeping the Confederate flag publicly, and the government should have banned …show more content…
Based on the information in the article, The Complicated Political History Of The Confederate Flag, around the 20th century the flag was used by the State’s Rights Democratic Party. This group, popularly called Dixiecrats, is a group that was against desegregation, and incorporated the flag throughout their national convention in 1948. The flags adoption by groups such as the Dixiecrats spreads the negative racial message with it later on. Another article called, Why the Confederate Flag is a RACIST Symbol, even says “..the flag was adopted by the KKK and later by Racist Skinheads, American Nazi Party, Aryan Nation and other hate groups. The confederate flag is an internationally recognized symbol of racism and bigotry.” Clearly after the flag has been adopted by such horrific groups its meaning has been tainted, and the public display of such flag would be foolish. Unless people want to spread this idea of ignorance and disgust, they should have the flag out …show more content…
What is the government saying if they let this flag fly? Is the government saying African Americans are inferior? Are they saying the era of slavery was just? This also leads to other major questions. Is the flying of the confederate flag on public property unconstitutional. According to article, Is the Confederate Flag Unconstitutional?, “If the flag is proclaiming that African Americans are inferior it could be a violation of the 14th amendment.” The 14th amendment of the US constitution says, “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws….” This flag has become associated in the minds of many with white supremacy, slavery, and segregation. So such feelings could be a violation of the amendment 's promise that no state shall, “deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the
...more overpowering and overwhelming than any general feeling of Southern pride. America has obtained a reputation to be an accepting and open minded country, welcoming all of any race, couture and religion. The Preamble states clearly that America will establish justice and insure domestic tranquility for all. Neither of these entities are accomplished in America as long as the Confederate flag remains raised. Our nation is furthermore divided by racism through a flag that is possibly being used as a degradation tool. This battle with racism has become far too large for American citizens and anything that is viewed as racist in such a manner as the Confederate flag is, should be censored from society, in only a helpful practice. A state flag should be capable of uniting its citizens, instead of dividing them. The Confederate flag should be lowered immediately.
Although many corporations have contributed large sums of money to campaign for a new Mississippi flag, that would replace the existing 1894 Confederate flag and improve economic and racial relations throughout the state, chances are slim that a change will occur. Many Mississippians are simply not ready for change and few African-Americans are actually pushing for a change. Many Mississippians view the original flag as part of the state’s heritage and do not want to replace it with a new one. However, I believe it is in the best interest of the state of Mississippi to change the flag, not only to ease racial tensions, but also to boost economic conditions.
Stripes and stars forever, right? Well, what exactly does that mean? The American Flag can be seen almost anywhere. From the high-school, to the ball park, and even in our homes, the American flag stands as a symbol of all that is good and true in America. When one thinks of the flag, they usually think of the blood that was shed for this country. It was shed so that we could have liberties, such as, freedom of speech and expression, which fall under the first amendment rights of the Constitution. However, when you think of a burning flag, what comes to mind? One might say it shows disrespect and hatred to a country that has given so much. In the case of Texas v. Johnson, Gregory Lee Johnson was accused of desecrating a sacred object, but, his actions were protected by the First Amendment. Although his actions may have been offensive, he did not utter fighting words. By burning the flag, Johnson did not infringe upon another's natural human rights. He was simply expressing his outrage towards the government, which is within the jurisdiction of the First Amendment.
“The Confederate Flag: Controversy and Culture.” David Sarratt American Studies University of Virginia. Web. 22 Feb. 2014
Some states are currently threatening to leave the country because of the belief that the government has too much power over the people and the laws our country has to follow. In our society, we live by laws set by the government, and if any of them are broken, there is a punishment. These laws are set to make sure that the people of America are following the way things are ran so the country will not collapse. Although these laws are set for the safety of the people, sometimes when the government has that kind of power to make people follow certain things they should not have to follow, many issues arise. In the late 1800’s, many issues emerged between the South and the Union on whether the Southern states had the right to secede from the United States. The Southern states did have the right to secede because of political, economical, and social reasons. These reasons include numerous examples of the Union treating the South unfairly and violating the terms of the U.S constitution.
Tensions between the North and South had grown steadily since the anti slavery movement in 1830. Several compromises between the North and South regarding slavery had been passed such as the Nebraska-Kansas and the Missouri act; but this did little to relieve the strain. The election of President Lincoln in 1861 proved to be the boiling point for the South, and secession followed. This eventually sparked the civil war; which was viewed differently by the North and the South. The Northern goal was to keep the Union intact while the Southern goal was to separate from the Union. Southern leaders gave convincing arguments to justify secession. Exploring documents from South Carolina’s secession ordinance and a speech from the Georgia assembly speech will explain how the Southern leaders justify the secession from the United States.
One reason Confederate status should not be taken down is because the Civil War is apart of our country’s history. It is stated in “Monumental Battle” by Laura Anastaisa, “‘We never addressed the legacy of the Civil War or slavery, and what it means to the country now and what it meant then,”’ This presents the idea that the Civil War was not given enough credit. It ended slavery! Yes, there were still people back then that wanted to keep their slaves, however, they didn’t win, and ended up
The Confederate flag was used symbolically during the Civil War. To southerner’s, the flag represented a source of southern pride as well as a way of remembering the fallen Confederates. As the Civil War proceeded, the meaning of the flag began to change. Currently, the flag is being used as a symbol for racism. Due to this change in meaning, controversy over the flag has been exponentially growing. Although many would argue the original meaning behind the flag and that it is a symbol of historical culture that should not be forgotten, the flag should be banned due to its representation of racism and the seceding of the states.
Abstract Several times in our nation's history, Congress has introduced a bill that would provide for banning flag desecration. Each time, however, the Supreme Court ruled that this act was protected by the First Amendment freedom of speech rights. The debate over this topic continues, with both sides arguing for "the good of the country."
In an attempt to make outrageous political statements, people often go to extremes: monks burn themselves to express freedom from religious intolerance, civilians stand in front of military tanks to stop them from destroying their city, and others burn or tear up flags to demonstrate their beliefs on issues from racism to war. Although flag desecration is the least violent of these three examples, it should be banned with an amendment because the flag is a symbol of freedom.
Though the issue of slavery was solved, racism continues and Southerners that stayed after the war passed Black Codes which subverted the ideas of freedom including the actions of state legislatures (Hakim 19). Black Codes were a set of laws that discriminated blacks and limited their freedom (Jordan 388). Such restrictions included: “No negro shall be permitted to rent or keep a house within said parish...No public meetings or congregations of negroes shall be allowed within said parish after sunset…” (Louisiana Black Codes 1865). A solution to this was the 14th Amendment. It meant now all people born in America were citizens and it “Prohibited states from revoking one’s life, liberty, or property without due process of law.” This meant all states had to...
In conclusion, people should not take down confederate memorials as they are part of the history. They remind us of the cost of freedom and equality; they force us to remember the ignominious truth of the past; they serve as a mighty tool to educate the racists. We need them to avoid recommitting the same
Slavery today is a large concern to many people, just as it always has been. Any type of slavery is considered immoral and unjust in today’s society and standards. However, before the Civil War, slavery was as common as owning a dog today. Many in the United States, particularly in the South, viewed slavery as a “positive good” and owned slaves that were crucial to their business and income. However, the Civil War then changed the lifestyle of many southerners in a negative way. After the Civil War, slavery was abolished and any man owning a slave was required to let them free and view them as an equal. This was a difficult thing to do and eventually led to a downfall and destroyed economy in the southern United States. Abolishing slavery hurt the country economically and socially at the time and slavery was socially acceptable.
Why be suppressed by a symbol deemed against African Americans when identity is purely subjective? Barkley was tired of having to constantly be reminded of a horrible time, so he took the symbol as his own and changed the meaning. He referred to the flag as representing black-power, which was the complete opposite of what society thought. This created a huge statement and made people stop and think about what an African American man was doing flaunting a confederate flag.
Congress has repeatedly tried to make it illegal for such actions to happen. It is disgraceful, in my opinion, for a citizen of the United States to think that they can treat the flag of their own country with such tasteless acts of betrayal. They have taken the First Amendment for granted. That flag doesn’t just represent our country, it represents us a people. It represents the lives that have been lost protecting us and protecting our rights. When one desecrates the flag, they need to realize they’re not just destroying a piece a fabric, they’re mocking the people who were selfless enough to give their lives for them. To stand up for the citizens of this country and the rights that we believe in. The American flag will continue to be used as a sign of hope, freedom, equality, and