Reply #58: Glad to answer [View All]

My friends are the exception in that very few people display the confederate flag at all. Its display is actually quite rare around here.

I can't make generalizations about the display of the confederate flag because I know there are guys like the ones I mentioned who display it more as a symbol of rebellion, while thare are still a few scarry people who are living in the past with a desire for a return to the "good ol' days." They are indeed out there and they too display the confederate flag.

The brouhahas were about removing the flag from state courthouses, not about prohibiting its display anywhere. It was a matter of state-sanctioned display, not an individual's right to display it.

Look, bottom line, for too many people, the flag is a symbol of racism and intimidation. Some good ol' boys just don't see it that way though. For some, it's a symbol of rebellion, or a representation of what uniform they wear in civil war re-enactments.

One good thing about all this though on a personal level, I'm going to talk to those guys I know who have the confederate flag decals on their trucks. I'm going to tell them that I know from being around them that they are not racists; that they wouldn't intentionally want to intimidate Eric who sold them new rims for their truck, Tonya who lovingly kicks their asses on the pool table, or Earl who re-built that Blazer engine just last month.

And that's a good thing, damnit. Because of Dean's comments, at least one discussion about the confederate flag is going to happen with a couple of guys who are ready for it. When we're done with that, we're going to move on to why they should consider voting for a democrat.