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Why The Confederate Flag Remains Popular

By: Robert Cooksey

Most of us recognize the Confederate battle flag as a symbol of the south. Also referred to as the Southern Cross, this flag has some very strong associations. For some, these are positive, but for others, they're quite negative. Some people see the Confederate flag as a proud symbol of the south, and an emblem of their heritage. Other people are likely to see it as a reminder of blue laws and segregation, as well as other racist institutions. A large number of extreme hate groups - more than five hundred by one count - also use this flag as a symbol. That makes the issue even more complicated.

While many people believe that the battle flag was the national flag of the Confederacy, that's not true. This flag was just one of more than a hundred and eighty different battle flags used in different areas over the course of the war. Some of them looked like the familiar red, white and blue cross. Others looked very different. Even the national flag went through changes - there were three different official Confederate flags during the course of the war.

Display of the Confederate flag is a highly controversial issue for many people - it's hard to get anyone to agree on exactly what it stands for. When flown, some will see it as an overt form of support for the organizations and racist practices that dominated the south for much of its history. However, other people will see the same flag as a sign of regional pride and acknowledgment of their past. Some, mostly outside the US, even use it as a general symbol of rebellion, divorced from the Civil War entirely.

Because of this mixed symbolism, displaying the Confederate flag at a sporting event, on a public building, or as part of a state flag is a big deal. This flag is very politically charged, and some people even see it as an attack. That's why legislatures in the south have been struggling with the problem of the Confederate flag for almost twenty years now.

Many of these states still display the Confederate flag in particular locations or on certain occasions. It's important to remember that just putting up the Confederate flag doesn't mean a person is making a racist statement. The issue is a lot more complicated than that.

Display of the Confederate flag is, for many, a personal point of pride. That means that many displays of the flag aren't done out of a racist motivation. There are some that do mean this, however, and if you're thinking about displaying this flag, you should keep that in mind.

The flag is a big symbol of pride in the south. However, the fact that the Ku Klux Klan and similar groups have used it as their own symbol means that there can't help but be other associations. Display your Confederate flag carefully, and be willing to explain calmly what it means to you.

The Confederate battle flag has a long history, and is still looked on with pride by many. That means that it shouldn't be dismissed as a banner of racism. It's a popular symbol that means a lot to many people. Just remember that there are negative associations, too, and that almost everyone reacts strongly to it when it's on display.

Article Source: http://directoryjam.com

Robert Cooksey is the developer of a number of websites covering topics relating to home improvement, in particular. For information and sales of confederate flags and other flags, visit Flags for Sale as well as his blog about flags. Grab a totally unique version of this article from the Uber Article Directory

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