Posted on 06/24/2015 4:09:20 PM PDT by nickcarraway
In its most basic and purest form, the Confederate flag is a representation of black enslavement and subjugation.
It’s a symbol of black bones being twisted in metal shackles and black skin being ripped apart by the end of a slave masters whip. It’s an icon for Jim Crow politics and blacks being only 3/5 human. Its mere presence is disgusting and distasteful. It’s proponents may say that I should take account of what the flag means to them, but I’m no more willing to do that than I am to question what level of nuanced pride Germans in the mid-twentieth century may have received from the swastika.
After the gun smoke had cleared throughout the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, on the morning of June 18th, the collective mood of the nation was frantic and intense.
Black folks were collectively shocked, confused and angered that a tragedy like this, which read like a civil rights era massacre, could actually happen in our day and age. Mourning, frustration and sadness poured out of the mouths of politicians like Bernie Sanders and President Barack Obama, and everyone began to scramble to see what they could do to honor the nine innocent black lives that were ended so abruptly and so violently by domestic terrorist Dylann Roof.
In Columbia, the capital of South Carolina, the U.S. flag and South Carolina’s palmetto flag flew at half-staff — while the Confederate flag flew high, dancing beneath continual gusts of wind over the South Carolina State House.
In this seminal moment in the states’ long and sordid battle against prejudice and violent racism, black people especially were not going to let this stand. Almost immediately, calls for the flag to be displayed at half-mast came in. Activists took to social media to expound on the indignity and carelessness that the Confederate flag’s presence was inciting by remaining at full-staff, which actually really confused the hell out of me.
The idea that the official logo of black southern enslavement, terror and lynching should be lowered in respect to the loss of Black lives at the hands of a racist killer is arguably one of the stupidest things I’ve ever heard of in my entire life. To lower that flag, which was paraded around the burnt, lifeless bodies of Black men and women hanging from trees, as a way to respect dead Black bodies is simply bizarre, when that flag is an inherent celebration of all things anti-Black.
That controversy has now touched off a national discussion on whether or not the Confederate flag should even be displayed anywhere throughout South Carolina at any time. Monday, after Gov. Nikki Haley stated the flag should be moved to a museum, the House overwhelmingly voted to DEBATE on whether or not the flag should come down.
Let me repeat that: They approved a measure just to have a DISCUSSION on whether or not this symbol of white supremacy should be able to fly freely. Also, Don Lemon added to this bizarre situation by parading a Confederate flag and a black sign saying NIGGER in white text on CNN.
And as I watch this debate evolve, I am filled with terror from one possible outcome: That we begin focusing so much on this Confederate flag issue that its removal becomes the context with which we gauge the lives lost in Emanuel AME church, while ignoring the far more pressing issues that are destroying the collective African-American community.
Removing the Confederate flag is not only far from a win for black people, but it’s not even racial progress. The idea that Republicans and Democrats in the House in South Carolina gave themselves a round of applause for approving the flag-debate measure 103-10 is a sign of how far we are from engaging in a thoughtful, honest and progressive conversation on race that leads to actual change. Even if the final vote on the flag results in its removal, does that mean that the school-to-prison pipeline will be ended?
Does that mean that the prison industrial complex will stop targeting minorities? Does that mean that the ongoing summary executions of black men, women and children at the hands of police in the street will cease?
I think we all know they won’t, because that would require a full realization of how wounded the black community has been by systemic white supremacy, and we’re nowhere near that point.
“If you stick a knife nine inches into my back and pull it out three inches, that is not progress. Even if you pull it all the way out, that is not progress. Progress is healing the wound, and America hasn’t even begun to pull out the knife.” –El Hajj Malik El Shabazz (Malcolm X)
When I think of the nine innocent black folks who died in that church, and even of the little 5-year-old girl who had to play dead while people were executed around her just so she wouldn’t befall the same fate, I try to dream about what good, if any, could come from this situation. I dream of the disbanding and disarming of white militia groups all over the United States. I dream of the dismantling of the police state that unfairly targets people of color. I dream of black lives beginning to truly matter to a country that has deprived us of safety and equal footing since its inception.
In my dream, the Charleston 9 weren’t brutally massacred so we could decide on the fate of an emblem of hate, while the actual hate goes unchecked. Until we decide it’s important enough to confront the very real, systemic social ramifications of white supremacy, this debate will remain nothing more than a distraction with a false prize, meant to placate black rage while giving us the impression that we enacted change, when all we did was FINALLY agree to remove the white domestic terrorists’ loser-logo.
Want change? Stop supporting the party of slavery and Jim Crow.
Black America could experience a real change by slowing the rate of bastardy.
If you can defend burning the American flag as a first amendment right, you pretty much have to put up with not burning the Confederate flag as a first amendment right. deal with it.
Most blacks down here have no problem with the battle flag because most of them grew up with good ole boys who flew it or do fly it.
It’s the northern elitist types and the race hustlers which pretend to have a problem with it so they can raise money or get on their corrupt media outlets for attention.
These LIBs need to read the history of the DIMocRAT party...the party of Jim Crow, segregation, KKK and so forth. There are many “famous” racvists in that party’s history: Prez Wilson, Sheets Byrd, Sen Faubus among many, many, many others.
June 27th the left are having a burn the battle flag day.
So on the 28th many groups down here are having fly your battle flag day on the 28th of June.
So, who best among the current Republican field has any credibility to tackle this issue?
I saw that.
My idea of change is when people of any color are held to the same level of expectations as everyone else.
When people of any color are not given a pass because of their color.
When persecution of OR special privileges FOR people is not predicated on what their supposed ancestors may or may not have done or had done to them.
I’m not paying for what my great great grandparents *might* have done to ANYONE. And I don’t give a damn about the ancestors of folks that may have done my ancestors wrong.
Maybe they could try staying in school and stop having bastard children?? Maybe stop committing crimes? Maybe stop doing drugs?
I thought it was a symbol of Southern pride, defiance against a federalist tyranny and State rights. But hey whatever the liberal says it represents must be universally true. I, however, am offended by the elephant and mule symbols of the two major parties that enslave millions by bureaucratic chains, destroy families, punish achievement and steal to empower their leaders to do more of the same.
With most blacks race relations is a one way street. They expect that everyone should look at things from only their perspective. The perspective of whites is of no importance.
And nobody will be asked how the removal of the flag from public places actually improves their lives...
The truth is, Progressive Leftists are opposed to individual liberty as defined in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. The only real complaint they have about chattel slavery in America two hundred years ago is that the slaves were privately owned.
But they get orgasmic over the idea of slavery to the state.
Democrats never pass up on opportunity to tell us why enslavement by the state is for our own protection and our own safety, because life under the anarchy that conservatives want to impose is just too risky and dangerous. We can't have any of that inhumane "on-your-own economics" that conservatives advocate.
Thereby proving that you no longer have to be black to be an Uncle Tom.
And when the ban this flag....peace, rainbows, love, success, and rest will be accomplished for every black.....
For the rest of their lives and forever!
I wish these coward libs would quite playing with code words like “white supremacy” and grow a pair and just finally admit that what they really want is white genocide.
I am truly weary of the constant,unending talk about racism.
It has done nothing but make things worse.
Tossing around a racist accusation over any perceived slight has made people yawn when they hear the word used.
.
.
They want “real change”? Hell, they’re the nations most favored group already. In ads they’re portrayed in a positive light while caucasions are the dolts. I’m sick of it.
My prescription provider is Walgreens, but I’m changing that next week. New ad: Little white girl runs out of the house to carpool. Her hair isn’t in a pony tail like the other girls have. (Subliminal implication: White parents are neglectful.) Carpool driver — black woman — SAVES THE DAY by dropping by Walgreens and buying what she needs to “fix” the white urchin’s hair. (Subliminal implication: Black parents are better, smarter, more responsible, etc., than white parents.) Kids perform their dance on stage. Black mom is taking photos... because she cares and she’s there for her kid. White mom nowhere to be seen.
ADT ad: “Mr. ADT” (black) is protecting your home. He’s tough. He’s strong. The two burglars he confronts are white guys. Reality?
This theme seems to be in at least 50% of the TV ads.
Thank you for that thoughtful commentary on race relations, Mr. StormFront Troll. Most helpful were your powerful insights into how blacks view the issues.
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