Controversy over the Confederate Flag

 Hey!

CW; Confederacy, Slavery, KKK, minor mentions of Sexual Assualt

Image: Beauregard Battle Flag

The southern states of South Carolina, Mississippi, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, and Florida were the first to establish the Confederate States of America (CSA). They were joined by Texas, Tennessee, North Carolina, Arkansas, and Virginia. These states needed a flag to officialize their succession - they wanted it to resemble the original flag (even though the chairman of the CSA is known to personally have considered the American flag a symbol of oppression and tyranny), so they created a flag with three bars and seven stars. This flag was basically an identical version of the American Flag. However, it was more simple. This version of the flag, the Stars and Bars, was raised on March 4, 1861. 

Many people disliked this flag as they thought it was unimaginative. It looked too much like the American flag for some Confederates and not enough like it for others. However, when there was a call to battle, people realized, whether they liked it or not, the flags looked too similar. General P.G.T. Beauregard directed his quartermaster to issue each of his troops a red flannel badge to be worn on the left shoulder. Those red badges would distinguish Confederate soldiers from Federal soldiers whose uniforms were similar in style, color, and markings. At the beginning of the war, these Confederate troops would often fire on their friend, rather than foe, due to the similarities in the apparel of both sides.

It was quickly realized that this flag and symbolism would not work. Beauregard knew a new flag was required. This is when the more commonly recognized flag, the one with the large St. Andrews Cross in the middle, was formed. This flag was kept a secret so as to not allow the federal forces to counterfeit their flag and start confusion on the battlefield. It was first debuted by the Army of the Potomac, later renamed the Army of Northern Virginia. 

What is the Lost Cause? In the collective memory of White Southerners, the failure to win the independence of the CSA is known as the Lost Cause, and the Beauregard battle flag is the most enduring symbol of that cause. Some veterans of the Confederacy adopted the flag as their official insignia, known as the soldier's banner, not the colors of the Confederacy. Born within battle and bravery, the banner rallied comrades during the fearsome combat, and death ran wild. The veterans, and their sons and grandsons, hoped that the battle flag could escape the bitterness and controversy attached to secession and Civil War.

The flag was the emblem of slavery carried by soldiers in a war to maintain it and the icon of hooded night riders who terrorized and firebombed African Americans in the name of White supremacy. 

The Confederacy started to maintain and expand the Southern way of life, especially the practice of slavery. This escalated from the Civil War, which began primarily due to the long-standing disagreement over the institution of slavery. In the South, the practice of slavery was the primary source of income as they were considered the "bread basket" of the United States. On the contrary, the North received most of its revenue from exports and non-farming practices. 

The considerable controversy with this flag is a more modern deal. Often flown in tandem with various Trump Presidency flags, there is controversy on whether or not this flag is flown for heritage or hate. The Civil War ended over 150 years ago, and people still fly this flag. For many Americans, the Confederate Battle Flag represents racism (41%). But the flag symbolizes heritage for about one-third of Americans (34%) — particularly adults over 65, those living in rural communities, or non-college-educated white Americans. 

So what is it? Heritage or Racism?

The statistics state that those under 65 will likely say the flag represents racism. So, as we move forward in time and realize the true meaning behind this flag, we need to understand it. 

The Birth of a Nation, originally called The Clansman, was a  silent epic drama directed by D. W. Griffith. Its plot chronicles the assassination of Abraham Lincoln by John Wilkes Booth and the relationship between two families in the Civil War and Reconstruction eras over several years—the pro-Union Stonemans and the pro-Confederacy Camerons. It has been called "the most controversial film ever made in the United States" and "the most reprehensibly racist film in Hollywood history." The film portrays its black characters (many of whom are played by white actors in blackface) as unintelligent and sexually aggressive toward white women. The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) is portrayed as a heroic force necessary to preserve American values, protect white women, and maintain white supremacy. Due to this movie, the KKK was formed after a break of 44 years. Throughout this movie, the Confederate Battle Flag is displayed many times.; the KKK adopted the flag as a symbol of white supremacy. The flag would then be present at lynchings, burnings, and other methods of white supremacist torture. It hung as a symbol to create fear within black people. 

Later, the Dixiecrat party was created using the Confederate Battle Flag to gain sentiment. After losing the Presidential election of 1948, the party ceased operations. They specifically stood against the elimination of segregation. They won four states in the 1948 election: Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and South Carolina. However, the flag had a resurgence towards segregation and white supremacy as people began to associate it with the Dixieland Party.

When Martin Luther King Jr was assassinated, most places lowered the traditional American Flag to half-mast to honor the tragedy. However, the Confederate Battle Flag was raised in places like the Com Hon Navel Base, and several cross-burnings were held. 

The Confederate Battle Flag we know of now would likely be stored only in Civil War museums if not for the resurgence of the KKK in the 1910s. This flag was never flown by state capitols or used by veteran groups. Instead, they all used the official flag of the Confederacy (left). 

If you feel the need to fly the Confederate Flag based on your heritage, I implore you to think again and rethink your decision. If you do so happen to decide that you really want to fly this flag, fly the right flag, and really think about why you're doing this. The Confederate Battle Flag is inherently racist, and there is likely no way you can convince me otherwise, but I dare you to try.

Lain (they/them)