Living in Florida for about 7 years now, I've seen many people with Confederate flag stickers and such on their vehicles. After working with someone who displayed this insignia of ignorance on their truck, I decided to ask his motivation for putting something that many people consider so offensive on his vehicle... his response? Proud of his Southern heritage. But doesn't the heritage contained within this flag represent years of slavery, Jim Crow laws, and modern-day racism? Imagine a young neo-Nazi driving in Germany with a swastika sticker on the back of his Volkswagen, claiming it was about 'heritage'. I think that most intelligent-minded people realize that claiming southern pride are simply covering up their true feelings.
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Name : Sam Foster, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Spiritual, Not Religious, Age : 23, City : Orlando, State : FL Country : United States, Occupation : Broadcast Editor, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class, I was studying at SC for a year and what I learned is that confederate flag presents southern states and kind of had 2 meanings. For me it is just a flag and I have a small one with me to remind me of those people. So many houses had it on their yard. With US flag. I found degrading to find out that christianity was so higly commercialised! Jesus here and there! Like he is Elvis!! Some respect..
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Name : Kim26359, City : Paris, State : SC Country : France, The confederate flag was the flag of the enemy in our country's bloodiest war. The fact that our enemy shared the same history should not matter in my opinion. I am all for healing and remembering one's history and culture but not at the expense of those who were victimized, namely the African-Americans. The confederate flag should take its place in history just as the Swastika has. At best both are symbols of ignorance and hate. At worst they are symbols of evil.
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Name : George21657, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Catholic, Age : 31, City : Manchester, State : NH Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, I think of it as just a southern thing,blacks and other people wear things of their heritage.I think people need to get over it.
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Name : Amber31536, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 30, City : Woodhaven, State : MI Country : United States, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Upper class, Michelle, Some people display the Confederate flag as a form of showing their racism, but that's not what the flag is really about, and not why MOST people have them displayed. It's a symbol of a different type of government. Most people think this country was divided at one time (North and South) because of slavery which is not the case. The North was turning communist (which is supposed to be an enemy of America) so the South didn't want any part of that. They wanted to seperate and make their own country. This country is still becoming more and more communist and I display the Confederate flag myself because I do not support a lot of what our government does. I am sick of people calling me a racist because I display the Confederate flag. If anybody knows their history, the North had all kinds of plantations with black slaves on them. Abraham Lincoln himself had slaves but nobody talks about that. The South didn't treat slaves as poorly as people think either. In fact, after the war, only a small percentage of blacks left the South to go to the North. Today's media just tries to brainwash the public (unfourtunately succeeding) that the South is totally racist, even though it was ABOUT the same on both sides. It's just a social excuse to win certain people or votes on the side of the North. I am really tired of being discriminated because I display the flag, I am automatically thought of as a racist and I am not. I hope more people read this and get a better perspective.
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Name : Brett, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 18, City : San Jose, State : CA Country : United States, Social class : Middle class, Dude, the confederate flag is a part of history and a part of this nation. While others are allowed to be proud and show off their beliefs, their heritage, the South should be allowed to do the same. Look at the rainbow flag. Look at the atheists. I didn't fight the war, I didn't own slaves. But, as a very important reminder of what the South used to be before we were burned out of existence, almost, I fly my confederate flag with pride. It is not a symbol of hate. It is a symbol of history and honor for those that lost their lives while trying to protect their homes. My ancestors were poor. They didn't own slaves. They also slaved on those plantations. Poor people have always been treated differently from the rich. Always will. But that doesn't stop me from loving the old South or the new south. You can burn us with your Sherman and your laws, but you'll never take away what's in our heart and soul. Changing the flag will never change the way we feel. You can't take that away. The south's goin a do it again...and again.
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Name : PaleRider19858, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Not answered, Disability : Not answered, Race : Not answered, Religion : Methodist, City : Newyork, State : NY Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, I myself being from the south, i take pride in my heritage. what happened in the past is over. get over it. i fly the flag with pride, and i could careless what you or anyone else thinks
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Name : Alisha, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 16, City : West Palm Bch, State : FL Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : Less than High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class, This is a great question. I've often wondered this. When I was a little girl I visited a friend's friend's house and felt extremely uncomfortable in it. The family was proud of their Confederate background and had dozens of paintings, books and diningware with that terrible flag on it. I wanted to ask them if they had any idea what the flag meant to me, but I remained silent. When I ask most people why they display the flag, they reply it is because they are proud of the south and the confederacy was more than slavery ( I severly doubt that).
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Name : Kate26822, Gender : F, Race : Black/African American, City : Jenks, State : OK Country : United States, Social class : Middle class, The Confederate flag represents so much more than slavery in the 1800s. It also represents the Civil War and the liberation of the slaves. Without that flag, it is possible that the Emancipation Proclamation would not have been signed and blacks might still be slaves. The Confederate flag serves as a symbol of freedom, justice, and lessons learned. Some people display it out of hate, but, when they do that, they cite their defeat in the Civil War and in the struggle for racial equality and recognition.
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Name : Danielle27229, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 20, City : Los Angeles, State : CA Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Upper middle class, I've lived in the southern US, and for the most part, when an individual displays a Confederate flag on clothing or hang the flag, I'd say they are making a comment that has racist implications. On the other hand, Pensacola, Florida is known as 'The City of Five Flags' based on the Spanish, French, British, Confederate, and United States periods. Several governmental buildings display all five flags. They were taken to task about displaying the Confederate flag because it was considered 'racist.' I can't imagine, though, removing *just* the Confederate flag. For crying out loud, they display the Union Jack - like British Colonialism was such a great thing! In this case, I view the Confederate flag as part of history, not a political statement.
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Name : Christine, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Unitarian, Age : 27, City : Walker, State : MN Country : United States, Occupation : Administrative, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, Unfortunately there are people out there that abuse this symbol and use it as a symbol of hatred and I refuse to fly it as a symbol of heritage although I had an ancestor who fought on the southern side. I will not fly a symbol that is abused. The only symbol I fly as a symbol of my heritage is the 1st Conferate States Flag because it doesn't cause as much of a fuss. I hate when people abuse the battle flag.
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Name : Stevo27716, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Lutheran, Age : 24, City : Charleston, State : SC Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, To me it is racist. It was used during the cival war for the south. And what did the south stand for???? slavery!!!! so therefore its racist. it was used more than a 100 yrs. ago, so why is it still around today?? all it stands for is hate!
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Name : Ive21250, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Religion : Pentecostal, City : Orlando, State : FL Country : United States, Ok....I am from the south and i have learned heard every thing about slavery and everything alot of people i dont think take the confederate flag as a racist thing but hey.. i dont no everything everybody does. so anyway i no how all this affecets black people but its heratage not hate..but for some poeple it is and i dont think that is right but jus cuz someone is wearing the confederate flag doesnt mean that they are a racist or anything well to somepeople i think that they take the confederate flag too serious.DIXIE OUTFITERS MISSION STATEMENT IN THEIR MAGIZINE is 'The truth about the confederate flag is that it has nothing to do with Racism or hate.
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Name : Mikayla, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 14, City : Gilgo, State : NC Country : United States, Occupation : School, Education level : Less than High School Diploma, Social class : Lower middle class, I can understand why you find it racist, being that the KKK seems so proud to raise it. My feelings when I look at a confederate flag is one of different political ideals. I agree that slavery was a dark time in this country's past, but it is my contention that if we were the 'Confederate States of America' today there would not be slavery. The civil rights movement would most likely be set back a decade or two, but we would still be on the road to racial and gender equality. It is also my belief that we would have moved to a nation-wide monetary system and that more federal programs would have followed; in essence we would be only slightly different than we are today as a country. When I look upon a confederate flag I think of people that wanted a different form of government and took action to make one - by succeeding. I am glad that the war was won by the Union, but I still see the confederate flag as a symbol of confederate ideals, not of racism.
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Name : joe30629, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Lutheran, Age : 18, City : Everett, State : WA Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : High School Diploma, I AM AN AFRICAN-AMERCIAN TEEN WHO IS LIVING IN THE SOUTH RIGHT NOW, AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I SEE OFTEN, BUT I DON'T TAKE OFFENSE TO IT AT ALL, JUST LIKE WE DISPLAY THE AMERCIAN FLAG AS A SIGN OF FREEDOM AND EQUALITY, THE CONFEDERATE FLAG IS THE SIGN OF THE SOUTH, BUT DON'T GET ME WRONG, SOME PEOPLE DO DISPLAY IT AS A SIGN OF HATRED TOWARDS ANYTHING THAT ISN'T WHITE, OTHERES DISPLAY IT AS A SIGN OF THERE ROOTS AND THEIR WAY OF LIFE, AS LONG AS I CAN DISPLAY THE AFRICAN FLAG, THEY CAN PUT UP WHAT EVER FLAG THEY WANT.
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Name : BRIANA JONES, Gender : F, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Baptist, Age : 16, City : REDSTONE ARSENAL, State : AL Country : United States, Education level : Less than High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class, 
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