Fever_Discordia: But, in that context, it doesn't actually matter if the rebel flag was, historically a 'pro-slavery' flag if it has become a symbol of white supremacy today - I mean a lot of those 'dumbfucks' are going to be on the white supremacy side and the states don't want to give the impression that they somehow endorse them...
I'm defiantly in favor of removing the confederate rebel flag from current state flags because the current flags states who you are and what you are about today, I'm heavily against whitewashing history though, I would be against any attempts to hide the fact that the confederate flag was a part of those state flags that change it until 2015, for example
But yeah, in answer to the others, gun control is clearly a bigger issue than sybology and heraldry too...
RWarehall: The problem is this...those who want the flag removed are the one's claiming it supports white supremacy. This is very similar to how Gamergate is claimed to be a symbol for harassment by those opposed to it. Of course those who want it removed are going to make such over-arching claims.
And sadly, it seems you've let yourself be sucked in by all the anti-confederate flag propaganda...
And seriously, why the heck is someone from the UK so "defiantly in favor of removing the confederate rebel flag"?
What do you really even know about it besides what you've read in the media? Have you traveled to the Southern United States? Interacted with people there?
No, no I haven't and I'm sure that there's plenty of people there for who it is part of their national / state identity who are nice, friendly, open minded unbigoted types
But still, it seems a bit anachronistic to have the confederate flag be part of the state flags, I mean the civil war ended over 100 years ago and the south lost, Isn't it time to get over it already and move forward as one, united America?
Again I'm only saying that I was initially supportive of those (2, I think) states that have the confederate flag as part of the state flag re-brand in the name of progress, reconciliation and equality - help the south put it's slave owning past behind it!
I am NOT in favour of any angry mobs out there tearing down and outlawing the confederate flag in a state of zealous rage, it's NOT the swastika emblazoned flag of the 3rd reich, calm down, I don't even want to see it gone from the General Lee to be honest
And, yeah, before you say it, sure you might as well take the damn Union Jack off the Hawaiian flag while you're at it because the British Empire did far more slave owning and exploitation of people from non-white ethnicities than the south ever did!
Also I was thinking, even more than the symbology of white supremacy, even more than controlling the guns they use as weapons, the REAL issue here is the social-economic factors that are leading so many young white people to scapegoat black people and feel the need to 'strike a blow for the white race' or whatever because content, happy people don't go around playing the blame game - they have no reason to!