Does the Confederate Flag Breed Racism? Room for Debate

[N'Zinga Shani]

This is an opportunity for Civic and Community Engagement - The Issue of the Confederate Flag, still being flown in some American cities, has been a source of great angst for many Americans, and in particularly for African Americans.  OneWorld Progressive Institute, Inc invites a community discussion / forum on this issue. Please feel free to post your perspective in the form of a comment in the section provided below.  We invite you to read the article in the New York Times along with some of the other posted links, perspectives and other historic information provided here through a range of links.

The Confederate battle flag outside of the state house in Columbia, South Carolina, in 2012. Chris Keane/Reuters   "As Charleston, S.C., mourns the racist murders of nine black people in a historic church, many people find it particularly galling that the state’s capitol displays the Confederate battle flag, a symbol of a regime that the suspected killer is said to have celebrated. Even officials in as conservative state as Texas ruled that it could be considered too offensive to be allowed on license plates, a position upheld by the Supreme Court.

But many say it is a symbol of the South’s heritage, culture and military pride and can be displayed without any sense of racism.

Does displaying the flag show historic appreciation, or is it a symbol of a reviled era, that breeds racism and should not be officially approved?"

In South Carolina today two flags (state and national) have been lowered to half-staff in honor of the 9 Americans killed in yesterday's racial massacre.  The Confederate flag has not been lowered.  The state is governed by Republicans.  At the State House in Columbia no one has lowered the Confederate Flag. As an American, what message does the Confederate flag conveys to you? Does it convey different messages to Black and White Americans? Should it still be flown on government buildings? The New York Times article linked here sheds light.  Meet the Debaters

OneWorld invites you to discuss this issue with family members, colleagues, friends, neighbors

Hatred or Heritage?

Some say the Confederate battle flag breeds racism and should not be displayed. Others say it's merely a historical symbol.

A Trademark for Racism, Despite Its Historic Appeal

Kareem U. Crayton is associate professor of law at the University of North Carolina School of Law.

A Matter of Pride and Heritage, Not Hatred

Ben Jones, Sons of Confederate Veterans

Ben Jones is the chief of heritage operations for the Sons of Confederate Veterans.

A Symbol of Intimidation

Barbara Combs, author, "From Selma to Montgomery"

The Message Is Clear for African-Americans

Brentin Mock, Citylab  Brentin Mock is a reporter for The Atlantic's Citylab.com. He previously tracked hate groups for the Southern Poverty Law Center's Intelligence Report magazine. He is on Twitter.

 http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2015/06/19/does-the-confederat...?  

Why South Carolina’s Confederate flag isn’t at half-staff after church shooting

By Justin Wm. Moyer June 19 at 4:43 AM

 "A Confederate flag is still flying on the grounds of South Carolina's state capitol, even after a white gunman killed nine black churchgoers at an AME church in Charleston, S.C. Here's a closer look at why the flag isn't at half-staff or even off the grounds completely." (Jorge Ribas/The Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/06/19/why-so...

How The Charleston Shooting Is Linked To The Confederate Flag, According To A South Carolinian - by Jack Jenkins Posted on June 19, 9:32am

http://thinkprogress.org/culture/2015/06/19/3671684/charleston-shoo...

SC Governor Defends Flying Confederate Flag over State Capitol by Tina Nguyen | 3:39 pm, October 15th, 2014 - Below is what candidate Nikki Haley said last Oct. 2014 about the Confederate Flag being flown in South Carolina: 

"But one of the people who’s okay with the flag is South Carolina’s Republican Governor Nikki Haley, who defended the flag’s presence during last night’s gubernatorial debate, on the grounds that it hasn’t affected the economy. (The flag is dedicated to the men who served and died for South Carolina during the Civil War.)

“What I can tell you is over the last three-and-a-half years, I spent a lot of my days on the phones with CEOs and recruiting jobs to this state,” Haley said. “I can honestly say I have not had one conversation with a single CEO about the Confederate flag.”

And why is it okay? Because South Carolina solved racism!  See YouTube video linked below

https://youtu.be/x5yic_c1FME - 

http://www.mediaite.com/online/sc-governor-defends-flying-confedera... Confederate flag, your time is up - By Danny Cevallos, CNN Legal Analyst

http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/19/opinions/cevallos-confederate-flag/

Dylann Roof Had Confederate Plates. Here's Why the Rebel Flag Still Flies in South Carolina. - By Tim Murphy - Thu Jun. 18, 2015 12:31 PM EDT

http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2015/06/why-south-carolina-flies-co...

Why South Carolina's Confederate Flag Is Still Flying at Full ...

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