The media is as much to blame as are white supremacists in perpetuating the myth that the Confederate Flag has ever represented anything other than the right to hate on and abuse blacks in America.

For generations, reporters and editors have thickly allowed bigoted southerners to say on TV and in newspapers that the Confederate flag represents pride in southern heritage.

TheSouth

No matter how much they say it, it does not. I has never stood for that. And by quoting people who say this without immediately refuting the nonsense sown over all these years has allowed the sick notion to hold some legitimacy in America.

The belief that the Stars and Bars illustrates the ideal of fighting for states rights is as ludicrous as saying that the Nazi Flag represents German pride in ingenuity. The Nazis felt they were wronged by their countrymen and the world. They promised to right those “wrongs,” which included a program of improving the German economy and personal wealth by diminishing growing communism and the rights of some Germans, namely Jews.

Who do you know that sees a Nazi flag as a standard for anything positive the Germans did during World War II? And whether southerners did or didn’t fight valiantly during the Civil War, they fought for the right of states to own slaves, not to keep guns, expand trade or import dangerous wild animals. That flag was never hijacked by nefarious southerners who bastardized the true meaning of Stars and Bars for a better America.

The whole thing goes back to the idea that if you tell a lie often enough, people will believe it. I don’t believe it because I was subjected to credible history and not the whacked-out, revisionist stuff that politely lets some southerners have their own opinion based on their own set of facts.

While journalists have a tremendous responsibility to be fair in reporting, we by no means should be irresponsible in perpetuating lies. There is no scientific evidence supporting the myth that there is grave danger in swimming right after eating. If a local politician says they want to outlaw public vaccination because it’s dangerous to young children, we immediately quote experts that refute the nonsense. Unfortunately, the media learned this lesson too late. There is no “grain of truth” in reporting that vaccines are dangerous any more than there is some truth in saying that the Stars and Bars stands for pride in Southern heritage. Unless, of course, that pride shines on a group of treasonous southern states and leaders who were so determined to perpetuate slavery, they declared war on the United States and created their own country. Fans of the Confederate flag and its various iterations accurately argue that the flag and the Civil War was about states’ rights, but the right they fought for was the right to own slaves, and expand slave ownership into the West.

Any other story is outright fabrication.

There was no pact after the Civil War to demand that confederate states enact speed limits on trains, or conduct standardized tests, or let women vote. There was one demand when the South fell, economically and socially crushed by four years of bloody war: Free the slaves.

Because the United States prevailed against the Confederacy, southerners then and now have the liberty to wave that sad banner of slavery all they want. States may have the right to choose to fly such flags, but proponents must be honest for the sake of the naive and misled: The flag of the Confederacy and various versions of it that still fly today symbolize slavery, abuse and segregation. And after the events of the past few days, it stands for a new generation of cruelty and stupidity.

27 replies on “PERRY: Shame on us — the media has perpetuated the Confederate flag myth just like southern bigots”

  1. The South lost the war … time to take down the flag. It’s no longer ‘these’ United States of America (plural) but rather ‘the’ United States of America (singular). The USA is a union of states (post 1865) rather than a confederation of states (1781-1865) per US Articles of Confederation. Federalism trumps states rights in nearly every issue. The Confederate States of America (CSA) should have dropped slavery for both political and moral reasons right after succession and before the states left in the union, or USA. The CSA was on the wrong side of history.

  2. I’ve really no opinion of the Confederate flag either way but I don’t believe that removing it solves anything. A flag is a symbol as is the American flag and we have all seen what politicians and judges are willing to allow to be done to that. What other flags are available to have negative connotations attached to them? Does the Mexican flag need to be removed from any buildings in America because of the reconquista sentiments forwarded by some activists? The New Mexico state flag is controversial to some as it is considered stolen from Pueblo Indians. The sun symbol on New Mexico’s flag derives from an image sacred to the Zia Pueblo who never explicitly agreed to allow the State to use it. The Zia did not have a chance to agree because no one asked them.

    The problem over this issue is minor relative to the bigger issue of mental illness. The flag did not kill those people, a mentally sick individual did. The Confederate flag has no meaning to me as I have no ties to the South. If does hold a great deal of meaning to a lot of people who are neither racist nor harbor ill intent towards anyone. Too often in this country the race to overreact fails to take the big picture in to consideration. The high profile actions of the few, or the one, are perverted to restrict the liberty and enjoyment of many. This in no way minimizes the crime committed by Roof, it is just a question about how a flag can be blamed for causing a dispicable act.

    1. I believe if you were black, and had ancestors that were slaves, you would
      feel differently.

      1. Blacks live off of slavery that occurred over 150 years ago. Neither you or I had anything to do with slavery. We should all move on. The topic of slavery is obviously at the forefront of your worries today. Just look at the racial moniker given to black people by themselves and the government…..African American. Present day black Americans have as much connection to Africa as I do. I really do subscribe to the belief that we should all be AMERICANS. Why honor Africa when it was other Africans that were the original people that enslaved other Africans and sold them to the colonists?

        1. You have no idea what “white privilege” is, do you? Do you know what the Southern Strategy was? Look it up. It’s dying with this flag.

          1. White privilege is a construct of the left to assuage their guilt of failing to redistribute wealth and convert equality of opportunity to equality of outcome. You and your ilk have sipped the kool aid of identity politics and can no longer be considered to have a viable opinion.

          3. The other side of that is SOCIALISM. what the Dem’s have become Socialists, let government do it for you, ‘take from the doer’s and give to the takers’ You can have them and it.

          4. “You and your ilk”? This comment is about as sanctimonious as they come. Verifiable tripe in my “viable opinion”.

          5. Removing symbols of what some perceive as ‘Southern’ culture, won’t do a thing. As far as ‘white privilege’, tell me, where do I go to find my ‘white affirmative action’ ‘white job quotas’ ‘white national caucus’ ‘white Miss America’ ‘white business leaders organizations’ the lists go on and on and on and on…

        2. Referencing Chris, I believe if you were black and had ancestors that were sales, you would feel differently.

          1. Allow me this query, ‘How Long’? Will reparations be needed? Will they end this slavery issue? Fat chance. Blacks have gotten by on this old saw for much too long, they have become a culture of welfare and crime, do they have exceptions, of course, not nearly enough.

          2. No doubt about this asinine comment. “Culture of welfare and crime”? This comment deserves a flush along with the author.

      3. Ask any black on the street, to name, all of his or her ancestors that were slaves, you’ll be surprised, they won’t know any.

        1. Brilliant deduction! “Ask any black man on the street to name his ancestors that were slaves”. Duh!

          I’d be surprised if this commenter could count and chew gum at the same time. Takes all kinds.

    2. We may never completely agree on whether the Confederate flag is a symbol of racism or pride, and whether the Civil War was fought primarily over slavery or state’s rights. But we should turn focus to what we do agree on: that we are citizens of the greatest country in the world.

      Regardless of what happens , I will continue to hang the Confederate flag at my house Because of that decision, I’ve been called “racist” and “a sellout,” Let me be clear: I love the skin that I am in. God gave me my skin color, but he also gave me freedom to think for myself and the right to stand by my beliefs. My skin color should not determine how I think, what I believe and what flags I hang in my home. This process should teach us all to respect the beliefs of others. I hope those who view the Confederate flag as a symbol of hate will keep open minds to those who view it as a symbol of Southern heritage and history, regardless of their race.

      What currently exists is an emotionally charged environment, and, as a rule, that’s the worst possible time to make decisions. A fit of emotion caused the ancient Athenians to condemn philosopher Socrates and force him to drink the hemlock; they regretted the decision almost immediately afterwards and erected a statue in his honor. But that’s the way of the mob — it’s an emotional entity whose feelings change with the wind.

      1. Let’s be clear. You actually have the audacity to call those of us who are outraged by a racist murderer who slaughtered nine good people who extended a welcome to this racist monster “a mob”? Keep an open mind you declare? How dare you!

        Your sacred “flag” is a symbol of the racist Jim Crow South and separatist delusions. The racist South deserted the Union, fired upon a Federal military compound and in doing so became traitors to the Constitution of the United States. The symbol of Southern heritage and history is racist white supremacy.

        The concept the Civil War was about “states rights” is amusing. It was about the right of Southern racists to enslave men and women and treat as personal property. Tear down the symbol of racism and burn it. Good riddance in my opinion.

  9. Oh give me a break, I’m so sick of blacks going on about the confederate flag. Big deal they took the flag down but there’s still statues of Confederate Generals. Are you going to remove everything from this world just to be politically correct? Let’s look at the real problems with the blacks in this world, gun crime, black on black crime shooting each other and neighbours turn their backs, saying they seen nothing. In Africa where they still kill their own people. Warlords kidnapping young children from families and forcing them to shoot and kill their parents and siblings. Come on people lets look at the real problems in the world instead of a STUPID FLAG. It’s a flag not a gun. Blacks need to get over what other blacks went through. AND…………. the middle east used black slaves more than America or any other country right up to the early 1900’s long after Abraham Lincoln free’d them in the States. Now stop crying over a flag and do something useful you useless whiny people. Politically correct has ruined our country. Say it like it is.

Comments are closed.