Slavery & the Civil War

~~Farfisa~~ · 02-08-2012, 02:26 PM

Does anyone know the official origins of the confederate flag? I don't want to completely throw something out the window till I know exactly how and what came about. Not going to go on a different tangent here, but due to a certain former world power a lot of symbols have had their meanings misconstrued. Again, the people I know (personally) who wave around confederate flags are "white power" types.

Engine · 02-08-2012, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unknown Soldier

We in the UK, see the Confederate flag as a symbol of someone who enjoys country music, has a long beard, likes Lynyrd Skynyrd, is a God fearing redneck, has a fetish for dressing up in white and burning crosses, and likes shagging family members when the farm stock is indisposed.

Now I know some of the above might not be strictly true.....but just saying what we think here in Blighty.

Unlike the Confederate flag, this (the KKK insignia) is most definitely an insult that denotes bigotry. The two symbols aren't necessarily related.

midnight rain · 02-08-2012, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Engine

Unlike the Confederate flag, this (the KKK insignia) is most definitely an insult that denotes bigotry. The two symbols aren't necessarily related.

I don't know there pretty close to one in the same to me, considering what the Confederates stood for and PRIMARILY fought for (slavery).

Also fun fact is that the British were actually in favor of the Confederates winning the Civil War.

Unknown Soldier · 02-08-2012, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Conan

I really hate those kinds of stereotypes that seem to be so okay with people.
Politically the American South may be backwards and the people you describe above may exist somewhere, but the South can be a very welcoming and hospitable place (for all races), with some of the most fascinating culture and delicious ethnic cuisine anywhere in the world. Nobody seems to defend the South except those people who make a bad name for it.

Haha, in fact most of the Americans that I've met over the years have come from all over the USA, but the southerners that I've met tended to be the warmest and friendliest of them all.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Engine

Unlike the Confederate flag, this (the KKK insignia) is most definitely an insult that denotes bigotry. The two symbols aren't necessarily related.

I actually saw a documentary several years ago about the KKK and it stated that membership was actually at its highest in some of the northern states which surprised me, Michigan or a similiar state seems to ring a bell as actually having a high membership in the USA but I could be mistaken on which state it was.

Engine · 02-08-2012, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tuna

I don't know there pretty close to one in the same to me, considering what the Confederates stood for and PRIMARILY fought for (slavery).

Since there's no way for this issue to be fully explored here, I hope people will at least say a little bit about why they feel the way they do. That is, what makes you relate the entire Confederacy to the KKK so much?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tuna

Also fun fact is that the British were actually in favor of the Confederates winning the Civil War.

Guess which flag was considered treason by the British

Unknown Soldier · 02-08-2012, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tuna

I don't know there pretty close to one in the same to me, considering what the Confederates stood for and PRIMARILY fought for (slavery).

Also fun fact is that the British were actually in favor of the Confederates winning the Civil War.

I always thought the war was about self determination of the slave states and slavery just happened to be one of the issues involved. I know a number of slave states actually stayed with the Union and other like Kentucky and Kansas etc were undecided.

midnight rain · 02-08-2012, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Engine

Since there's no way for this issue to be fully explored here, I hope people will at least say a little bit about why they feel the way they do. That is, what makes you relate the entire Confederacy to the KKK so much?

Guess which flag was considered treason by the British

Well, I guess the best I can provide is a comparison. Would you find it okay if an adult today was hanging this flag over his house:

because his grandfather fought bravely in WWII and he wanted to honor his legacy? I think the American Civil War is very unique in that the Confederacy (the losing side) is celebrated almost as much as the Union. Just take a trip down south and you'll see all the monuments dedicated to the bravery of the South. Not something you'd find in Germany I'd imagine.

Out of interest, what do people think of John Brown, a domestic terrorist or a hero?

**Janszoon** · 02-08-2012, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unknown Soldier

I always thought the war was about self determination of the slave states and slavery just happened to be one of the issues involved. I know a number of slave states actually stayed with the Union and other like Kentucky and Kansas etc were undecided.

There's only one slave state that I'm aware of that stayed with Union, and the only reason it did so was because the federal government clamped down on it before it could secede.

Unknown Soldier · 02-08-2012, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

There's only one slave state that I'm aware of that stayed with Union, and the only reason it did so was because the federal government clamped down on it before it could secede.

Maryland or Delaware I'd guess!!!

midnight rain · 02-08-2012, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

There's only one slave state that I'm aware of that stayed with Union, and the only reason it did so was because the federal government clamped down on it before it could secede.

Nah there were a couple, Kentucky, Delaware, and I think two more at least.

02-08-2012, 02:26 PM	#11 (permalink)
~~Farfisa~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 2,773	Does anyone know the official origins of the confederate flag? I don't want to completely throw something out the window till I know exactly how and what came about. Not going to go on a different tangent here, but due to a certain former world power a lot of symbols have had their meanings misconstrued. Again, the people I know (personally) who wave around confederate flags are "white power" types.