Reply #143: yes

[m berst]

Of course. You are free to do so if you like, but you shouldn't. Of course. The revival of that flag in the 60's was as a symbol to rally those who wanted to suppress voting rights and preserve segregation. Pride in the history of the Confederacy has nothing to do with it.

Why intentionally "offend" (right wing talking point alert) a large number of your fellow citizens? Why take an attitude of "too bad if they are offended?"

I guess the more important question is not why shouldn't you fly it, but why would you?

It is so silly to argue back and forth whether or not it is a racist symbol. Of course it is, and I don't think there are very many people in the country who sincerely believe otherwise. I might be wrong about that, but every person I have ever talked to at length about it either confides that they fly it because they do indeed want to send a racist message, or they see the problem with it and decide to stop displaying it. There are those emotionally immature people, I suppose, who are just plain old anti-social and stupid and enjoy doing things that upset people.

So, pick one, I guess: racist, ignorant, immature, or stupid and insensitive. But don't talk "pride" and history.

"Offend" is too mild of a word, and is a right wing talking point - "oooooh they're offended!" Let's try some other descriptive words for the flying of that flag - provoke, antagonize, persecute, harass, threaten and intimidate.