Confederate flag disposal is quick, easy, and fun! Filming encouraged.

Some people say: as a Southerner, it’s your birthright to fly the Confederate battle flag.

I say: as a Southerner who loves America and hates slavery and racism, it is my birthright to burn this disgusting garbage and symbol of hate and treason every chance I get.

And I saw a meme just yesterday which tried to compare Democrats to the KKK and “modern-day plantation owners” with respect to blacks. This kind of rhetoric is disturbingly common on the right.

This inspired me to go on another rebel-flag burning spree.

When I was a young boy in the South and on one of my first Fourth of Julys here in America, I remember being given a large box of fireworks. Bigger than I was, at the time. I so enjoyed it. One of the cans in this box depicted a soldier on it, dressed in grey, with the words "REBEL" proudly displayed on him. Not "Patriot", not "Revolutionist"... And the purpose of this firework was not to burn the image on the can nor in some way sully this soldier's rebellion. I asked someone what it meant because I was still an idiot, but more so as a little boy.

"The rebels are the good guys" I was told. Completely ignorant of the Civil War. But, I knew that that uniform wasn't what Americans wore when they fought for Independence. Though, I'm sure the people who wore that uniform thought it was one.

And rebel does indeed have some kind of good connotation in American culture. In a way, I suppose the Founding Fathers were perceived as Rebels by the British Empire. Though, I don't think even they carried that title across their lips. "Traitors" more likely.

Still, this strange can of explosives with the Confederate soldier on it eluded me until I was much older. And understood why there were two flags for our country. Why one flag seemed to evolve with time, while the other remained stagnate but proudly waved by white men and scornfully glared by black men. It feels like this country never got over that war. And it seems like no one wants to give it up.

"The South shall rise again."

Words spoken with conspiratorial conviction
Once thought a harmless threat
Remains

—People are attracted to underdog stories.
—Many people are struck by awe when they consider their history and would wish to honor it in a flag.
—Many Southerners myself included have relatives who died fighting for the Confederacy.
—People are attracted to unique markers of identity. All Americans can claim the American flag. But the rebel flag is only for “Southerners.”

All of these non-racist reasons folks would be attracted to the rebel flag.

But they should not blind us to what the flag is and what it represents. A representation of a movement for continued enslavement of black Americans that killed hundreds of thousands of Americans of all races in our deadliest war ever.

I swear: it seems some conservatives here get more triggered when I burn this flag than if I were to actually burn an American flag. Which I’m not going to do. Because... you know, I’m American and I love our country.

But they should not blind us to what the flag is and what it represents.

You do understand that your opinion of what flags are and what they represent is not a fact, and others are free to have a feeling and opinion that differs from yours, right?

Yes, indeed in my response above I imagined what this flag might mean to different people. There are non-racist reasons why people cherish it.

However: I still get to hold the opinion (not positing this as fact), that: (1) those reasons I listed aren't all that important; (2) that folks should be more considerate knowing the issues at play here, and the terrible connotations of this flag to others, and (3) therefore choose celebrate this flag, if that is what they wish to do, in the privacy of their own homes.

Yes, lord forbid if we do something that offends others in public. We must always consider every others soul and feelings above our own before we do anything in public.

No, just the very most inconsiderate things like waving a symbol of slavery in the face of black people

are you sure you want to go down that slippery slope?

Note that I have not once advocated literally banning the display of the Confederate flag in public. I am only saying that, for the reasons I've presented, it's not the right thing to do.

We have to change attitudes and foster compassion, not just start banning things left and right.

who gets to decide what is allowable and what is not? Who decides what is the right thing to do and what isn't? There isn't a single issue on this planet that you will get 100% agreement on, so what is objectionable to you may not be to me and vice versa, and nothing gives you the right to tell me what, where and when I can display anything, same as I can not tell you to hide crap that I find offensive. Again, if you want to go down that slope, fine, just don't be shocked when something you find dear, is banned.

I'm literally saying: No, don't go down that slope of banning.

Instead, we talk about these issues out in the open, express our reasons for finding things distasteful and hope that shapes minds and attitudes.

so in the post above where you talked about going on a burning spree, it's acceptable to you, because this is something you believe in. That's fine if that's what you want to do, and I will sit quietly by, and not do a thing to stop or deter you.

If I were to go on a gay flag burning spree, would you sit by quietly as well?

I would not, and I've never advocated sitting by and being silent when something offends.

I would find burning gay flags offensive and say something about it. That's an attack on a group of people who only recently won political rights and social recognition including the right to marry.

I would submit the similarities between these two symbols begin and end with the fact that they are flags. It is historical fact that the rebel flag was used to rally soldiers in defense of a traitorous group of states dedicated to preserving slavery. As I offered, some people fly the Confederate flag out of (in my opinion) misplaced senses of heritage. But if you really and truly believe in the substantive principles behind the Confederate flag -- something's wrong with you.

Yes: you're allowed to burn a flag, I'm allowed to have an opinion about that act, you're allowed to have an opinion about my opinion about that act, and so on and so forth.

“Something is wrong with you”

Gee, that the same feeling I have with gays. What you do in your house is fine, but like you want to keep the confederate flag hidden behind the curtains, I your sex life to stay there as well.

The problem is you're equating the gay pride flag with the confederate.

It's a false equivalency.

Perhaps I missed some era where Homosexuals attacked, killed, or in some way targeted Heterosexuals. Is it this era? Is it this one? I don't think what they're asking for takes anything away from you.

Is it their shared use of pride? Not that slavery is something to feel pride for. You also suggest both groups of these people should actually feel shame for their respective flags by putting them up behind a curtain. Very interesting.

There is nothing to be shameful about your sexual orientation. Whatever it is.

Be sure to burn it safely.

Its a piece of American history PERIOD regardless of what it represents

There was not a single republican that fought under that flag!

Why the hell would you buy something just so you could burn it? Sounds like a retarded thing to do

I didn't actually do this, I found it online

But other than that, it's an extremely cheap form of protest

Buying charcoal to burn is a good thing. Buying flags to burn is retarded.

Your opinion. To me, flags are potent symbols and burning them is an instantly recognizable act of protest against what they represent.

Amen

To burn the rebel flag is a slap in the face. I grew up in the south and I find it 1) offensive 2) a part of American history. 3) disrespectful to those who fought for that flag

I explained above that I see that viewpoint.

But, flying it is also a slap in the face to blacks who had ancestors who were enslaved.