The confederate flag has been a continuous, highly emotionally charged issue in US history. The flag is associated with slavery, bigotry, racism; values that some praise and equate with racial pride while others see it as a source of national and racial shame.

It is all a matter of personal values and perspective. The issue was “settled” in Charleston, South Carolina, after a young white guy massacred black folks, Christians who were participating in a bible study meeting.

The flag was taken down in South Carolina, but it continues to fly high though out the country and in the hearts of many.

The removal of the flag in South Carolina was really a symbolic gesture. It was offered to quiet black folks and stroke the egos of white liberals. The latter group rating the flag “take down” in the same category as having a “ best “ black friend. Note: in this context the word “best” is interchangeable with the word “only” as in, “only black friend.”

The confederate flag represents an idyllic way of life that many people continue to ache for and seek. Understand, the love of the confederate flag transcends state lines and national boundaries.

I am thinking of a news story in May, 2015. I refer to it as the confederate Flag Prom Photo incident. A group of 8 white teenagers from Denver, Colorado, decided it would be cool to incorporate a confederate flag in their prom photo. The photo can be found online. For those who need to know NOW, the photo shows three white boys (one in a cowboy hat) standing behind and holding the confederate flag, two white girls standing on either side of the flag holding guns and three white girls kneeling and holding the bottom ends of the flag.

I am sure there are folks who would describe it as a teen/prom prank, but the photo was taken by the parents of one of teens. One embarrassed parent attributed her son’s decision to be included in the photo to the bad influence of his peers.

Recently, a friend visiting in New Hampshire stopped at some store, and noticed that the hottest selling items were confederate flags.

Removing the confederate flag from a building is one kind of victory. The real change happens when folks wake up/ realize there are many people who embrace the confederate flag as family and national value, and may never eat Cheerios again.

 

Janet Cormier is a painter, writes prose and poetry, and performs comedy. JC prefers different and original over pretty. She loves collecting stuff, but cleaning not so much. Janet also talks to strangers…a lot. Her column appears regularly in Oddball Magazine.