General Discussion

KamaAina

(78,249 posts) Thu Jul 2, 2015, 07:42 PM Jul 2015

It Turns Out White Support For Confederate Flag Really IS About Racism, Not Heritage

Who would have thought?

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/07/01/it-turns-out-white-support-for-confederate-flag-really-is-about-racism-not-heritage/

Confederate flag fetishists repeatedly bellow that support for their beloved hate symbol is entirely about their “heritage” and “history,” but a poll analysis conducted by the Washington Post reveals their claims to be as valid as the concept of “legitimate rape.”...

In their analysis, the Post discovered that whites who are more knowledgeable about Southern history are actually less likely to support the Confederate flag. As ignorance increases, so does support for the flag featuring the Confederate battle emblem:

Of whites who were able to name at least two Civil War battles and correctly name General Sherman, only 34 percent preferred the flag that featured the hate symbol. Of those who answered zero questions correctly, support rose to 73 percent.

“White supporters of the Confederate battle emblem are distinguished not by their knowledge of Southern history but rather their ignorance of it,” the Post says.

21 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

It Turns Out White Support For Confederate Flag Really IS About Racism, Not Heritage (Original Post) KamaAina Jul 2015 OP

This says it all randys1 Jul 2015 #1

What are things we all know for $1,000 Alex onecaliberal Jul 2015 #2

Confederates and tea party Bonhomme Richard Jul 2015 #3

This is from a poll 11 years old. former9thward Jul 2015 #4

Do you think people have learned more about the Civil War in the past 11 years? kwassa Jul 2015 #8

I have no idea. former9thward Jul 2015 #15

However, the older poll may show us what the basic attitude is not just the attitude during an jwirr Jul 2015 #18

Oh they THINK they know a lot about the Civil War ThoughtCriminal Jul 2015 #5

I think that the argument about economic reasons vs slavery is misleading. They were one and jwirr Jul 2015 #19

At times I think the Confederate flag is like a sports team dembotoz Jul 2015 #6

The Series? KamaAina Jul 2015 #10

The Bears (aka da bears) play football. It's out of season. hedda_foil Jul 2015 #12

I was talking about the Broors. KamaAina Jul 2015 #13

Oh, David Broors. Nevermind. hedda_foil Jul 2015 #16

As a white male I support the confederate flag. cstanleytech Jul 2015 #7

I think that putting Sherman in the quiz skewed it dsc Jul 2015 #9

Up until the Civil War he was pro-slavery but he was most presicent as to what would happen should Uncle Joe Jul 2015 #11

? MFrohike Jul 2015 #21

I know that's true. Solly Mack Jul 2015 #14

If they want to openly display their willful ignorance and show the world B Calm Jul 2015 #17

The flag was only started to be used widely when the civil rights era began IronLionZion Jul 2015 #20

randys1

(16,286 posts)

1. This says it all

Reply to KamaAina (Original post)

Thu Jul 2, 2015, 07:44 PM

Jul 2015

“White supporters of the Confederate battle emblem are distinguished not by their knowledge of Southern history but rather their ignorance of it,” the Post says.

onecaliberal

(32,861 posts)

2. What are things we all know for $1,000 Alex

Reply to KamaAina (Original post)

Thu Jul 2, 2015, 08:09 PM

Jul 2015

Bonhomme Richard

(9,000 posts)

3. Confederates and tea party

Reply to KamaAina (Original post)

Thu Jul 2, 2015, 08:13 PM

Jul 2015

One in the same

former9thward

(32,006 posts)

4. This is from a poll 11 years old.

Reply to KamaAina (Original post)

Thu Jul 2, 2015, 08:16 PM

Jul 2015

If they had done a current poll it might have been more interesting.

kwassa

(23,340 posts)

8. Do you think people have learned more about the Civil War in the past 11 years?

Reply to former9thward (Reply #4)

Thu Jul 2, 2015, 10:56 PM

Jul 2015

Or the Confederate flag?

former9thward

(32,006 posts)

15. I have no idea.

Reply to kwassa (Reply #8)

Fri Jul 3, 2015, 01:53 AM

Jul 2015

Last edited Fri Jul 3, 2015, 11:42 AM - Edit history (1)

But given the current controversy I would not rely on a poll over a decade old to make big conclusions.

jwirr

(39,215 posts)

18. However, the older poll may show us what the basic attitude is not just the attitude during an

Reply to former9thward (Reply #15)

Fri Jul 3, 2015, 11:25 AM

Jul 2015

emotional event. Both would be interesting.

ThoughtCriminal

(14,047 posts)

5. Oh they THINK they know a lot about the Civil War

Reply to KamaAina (Original post)

Thu Jul 2, 2015, 08:41 PM

Jul 2015

The confederate flag wavers I know (and I grew up in Alabama so this is not a small sample) think they know more than Shelby Foote and are loaded with all kinds of incredible misinformation. For example they are convinced that there were hundreds of thousands of black soldiers who fought for the Confederacy. And like most things in the ultra-right bubble of tea-party dumbfukistan, no amount of debunking will budge them.

Great-Grand-Pappy didn't fight for slavery, he fought for sweetened ice-tea!

jwirr

(39,215 posts)

19. I think that the argument about economic reasons vs slavery is misleading. They were one and

Reply to ThoughtCriminal (Reply #5)

Fri Jul 3, 2015, 11:27 AM

Jul 2015

the same argument. Slavery was their economic system.

dembotoz

(16,804 posts)

6. At times I think the Confederate flag is like a sports team

Reply to KamaAina (Original post)

Thu Jul 2, 2015, 09:01 PM

Jul 2015

Rational thought is not important...I cheer for my brewers I am convinced they will win the series

Bears fans r even more delusional...
But I digress

As a sports fan, its more of a way of life...Confederate flag wavers will not see the error in their ways
It is a blind spot...much like thinking Jay cutler is a quarterback

KamaAina

(78,249 posts)

10. The Series?

Reply to dembotoz (Reply #6)

Thu Jul 2, 2015, 11:48 PM

Jul 2015

Aren't they, like, seven and a half games out?

hedda_foil

(16,374 posts)

12. The Bears (aka da bears) play football. It's out of season.

Reply to KamaAina (Reply #10)

Thu Jul 2, 2015, 11:58 PM

Jul 2015

KamaAina

(78,249 posts)

13. I was talking about the Broors.

Reply to hedda_foil (Reply #12)

Thu Jul 2, 2015, 11:59 PM

Jul 2015

hedda_foil

(16,374 posts)

16. Oh, David Broors. Nevermind.

Reply to KamaAina (Reply #13)

Fri Jul 3, 2015, 10:22 AM

Jul 2015

cstanleytech

(26,291 posts)

7. As a white male I support the confederate flag.

Reply to KamaAina (Original post)

Thu Jul 2, 2015, 10:25 PM

Jul 2015

After all can anyone else think of a better sign to spot the assholes than by looking for people who are flying, wearing or displaying it?

dsc

(52,162 posts)

9. I think that putting Sherman in the quiz skewed it

Reply to KamaAina (Original post)

Thu Jul 2, 2015, 11:45 PM

Jul 2015

People up north have many things named after Sherman, a state of affairs that certainly isn't likely down South.

Uncle Joe

(58,362 posts)

11. Up until the Civil War he was pro-slavery but he was most presicent as to what would happen should

Reply to dsc (Reply #9)

Thu Jul 2, 2015, 11:56 PM

Jul 2015

war come.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Tecumseh_Sherman

Although his brother John was well known as an antislavery congressman, Sherman did not oppose slavery and was sympathetic to Southerners' defense of the institution. He opposed, however, any attempt at dissolving the Union.[29] On hearing of South Carolina's secession from the United States, Sherman observed to a close friend, Professor David F. Boyd of Virginia, an enthusiastic secessionist:

You people of the South don't know what you are doing. This country will be drenched in blood, and God only knows how it will end. It is all folly, madness, a crime against civilization! You people speak so lightly of war; you don't know what you're talking about. War is a terrible thing! You mistake, too, the people of the North. They are a peaceable people but an earnest people, and they will fight, too. They are not going to let this country be destroyed without a mighty effort to save it... Besides, where are your men and appliances of war to contend against them? The North can make a steam engine, locomotive, or railway car; hardly a yard of cloth or pair of shoes can you make. You are rushing into war with one of the most powerful, ingeniously mechanical, and determined people on Earth—right at your doors. You are bound to fail. Only in your spirit and determination are you prepared for war. In all else you are totally unprepared, with a bad cause to start with. At first you will make headway, but as your limited resources begin to fail, shut out from the markets of Europe as you will be, your cause will begin to wane. If your people will but stop and think, they must see in the end that you will surely fail.[30]

(snip)

Sherman was not an abolitionist before the war and, like others of his time and background, he did not believe in "Negro equality."[85][86] Before the war, Sherman at times even expressed some sympathy with the view of Southern whites that the black race was benefiting from slavery, although he opposed breaking up slave families and advocated teaching slaves to read and write.[29] During the Civil War, Sherman declined to employ black troops in his armies.[87]

MFrohike

(1,980 posts)

21. ?

Reply to dsc (Reply #9)

Fri Jul 3, 2015, 02:36 PM

Jul 2015

Sherman burned half the south. There's markers all over the place showing where he went. He's most definitely remembered here, much as any general who rampages through a territory.*

*Rampage is an accurate description of what he did. The level of destruction was so intense that the areas where he actually fought took decades to recover even somewhat. It's not a moral judgment on what he did.