Confederate flag sets off debate in 2016 Republican class

[Lite Beer]

Confederate flag sets off debate in 2016 Republican class
STEVE PEOPLES, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney called for the immediate removal of the Confederate battle flag from outside the South Carolina Statehouse, scrambling the 2016 Republican presidential contenders into staking a position on a contentious issue.

Some still steered clear from the sensitive debate, even after the shooting deaths of nine people in a historic African-American church in Charleston further exposed the raw emotions about the flying the flag of the secessionist, pro-slavery Southern states in the 1861-65 American Civil War.

Many see the Confederate flag as "a symbol of racial hatred," the 2012 Republican presidential nominee tweeted on Saturday. "Remove it now to honor #Charleston victims."

Romney joins President Barack Obama and civil rights leaders in calling for the flag to come down as the nation grapples with Wednesday's murders. The man charged with the crimes, Dylann Storm Roof, held the Confederate flag in a photograph on a website and displayed the flags of defeated white-supremacist governments in South Africa on his Facebook page.

So far, most of the Republican Party's leading 2016 presidential contenders have been silent on flying the Confederate flag.

South Carolina was the last state to fly the Confederate Stars and Bars battle flag from its Capitol dome. A compromise in 2000 moved the flag to a 30-foot (nine-meter) flagpole elsewhere on Statehouse grounds, where it has been flying at full staff.

The debate holds political risks for Republicans eager to win over South Carolina conservatives who support the display of the battle flag on public grounds. The state will host the nation's third presidential nominating contest next February, a critical step in the 2016 race.

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush said Saturday his position is clear: "In Florida we acted, moving the flag from the state grounds to a museum where it belonged," he said in a statement provided to The Associated Press, referring to his 2001 order to remove the Confederate battle flag from atop the historic Old Capitol building.

"Following a period of mourning there will rightly be a discussion among leaders in the state about how South Carolina should move forward, and I'm confident they will do the right thing," Bush said.

South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, one of four Republican senators running for president, said he's open to revisiting the decision to use the flag, but it "is a part of who we are."

"The flag represents to some people a civil war and that was the symbol of one side," he told CNN on Friday. "To others it's a racist symbol."

Former technology executive Carly Fiorina said Saturday she agrees the flag is a "symbol of racial hatred" yet declined to call for its removal, saying her "personal opinion is not what's relevant here."

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz said the last thing the people of South Carolina need is "people from outside of the state coming in and dictating how they should resolve it," Cruz said in a statement provided to The Associated Press.

He said he understands both sides of the debate — including those who see the flag as a symbol of "racial oppression and a history of slavery" and "those who want to remember the sacrifices of their ancestors and the traditions of their states — not the racial oppression, but the historical traditions."

Both Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and Ohio Gov. John Kasich ignored questions about the flag posed by reporters over the last 24 hours. Spokesmen for most of the other Republican presidential contenders also either ignored such questions or formally declined to comment. They include Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, businessman Donald Trump and Sens. Rand Paul and Marco Rubio.

Democrats have been more willing to offer their opinions.

A White House spokesman said Friday that Obama continues to believe the flag belongs in a museum. Democratic presidential contender Hillary Rodham Clinton has yet to address the issue this week, but in 2007 called for the flag's removal, in part because the nation should unite under one banner while at war.

___

Associated Press writers Jill Colvin in Philadelphia and Lisa Lerer in Washington contributed to this report.

-- (c) Associated Press 2015-06-21

[samran]

Mass shooting tragedy. Debate flags.

I love America, I really do.

But on this, their sense of priority is warped due to being fearful of the NRA. It ain't oppressive government you fellas news worrying about it seems.

[CMNightRider]

Mass shooting tragedy. Debate flags.

I love America, I really do.

But on this, their sense of priority is warped due to being fearful of the NRA. It ain't oppressive government you fellas news worrying about it seems.

What on earth does the "NRA" have to do with the "Confederate flag?" There is a small group of haters on Thai Visa, at every opportunity display distain for the NRA; America; American police; Tea Party; Fox News; and guns. I suspect most of these individuals lead boring and miserable lives.

The Confederate flag is merely a symbol of southern pride. Romney must have bumped his head, siding with Obama on anything. Of all things to concern yourself with, the Confederate flag should be at the bottom of the list.

[khwaibah]

Burn it.

[boomerangutang]

If Americans want to become fixated on a symbol of suffering, there's one that symbolizes a million times more human and environmental suffering* than the Confederate flag: The crucifix. Perhaps if the flag could kill vampires, then it would be ok to see it waving everywhere.

*If anyone is wondering how the crucifix can symbolize a lot of 'environmental suffering,' consider that a basic tenent of Christianity is to make as many babies as possible, and each new person contributes to environmental destruction.

[CMNightRider]

If Americans want to become fixated on a symbol of suffering, there's one that symbolizes a million times more human and environmental suffering* than the Confederate flag: The crucifix. Perhaps if the flag could kill vampires, then it would be ok to see it waving everywhere.

*If anyone is wondering how the crucifix can symbolize a lot of 'environmental suffering,' consider that a basic tenent of Christianity is to make as many babies as possible, and each new person contributes to environmental destruction.

I forgot to mention, this small group of haters on Thai Visa hates God as well. Thanks for reminding me. Personally, I would give a little more thought to the idea that the crucifix is a symbol of hatred. However, if you want to live in darkness it is up to you.

The Confederate flag has nothing to do with vampires or environmental destruction.

[sdanielmcev]

The NRA? Here comes the whack-job fringe left. Did the NRA also kill Cock Robin? Maybe sunk the Titanic?.

I agree Romney is wrong on this. The Confederate flag is a symbol against what the South felt was tyranny against states' rights vs. the strong federal government the North wanted. And, no it doesn't stand for slavery. No matter what the poorly educated say.

[Cory1848]

The NRA? Here comes the whack-job fringe left. Did the NRA also kill Cock Robin? Maybe sunk the Titanic?.

I agree Romney is wrong on this. The Confederate flag is a symbol against what the South felt was tyranny against states' rights vs. the strong federal government the North wanted. And, no it doesn't stand for slavery. No matter what the poorly educated say.

You’re quite right -- the Confederate flag represents much that is honorable and worth remembering in a good light. But at the same time, that flag flew over a society that enslaved men and women. You can’t separate the good from the bad. Likewise, today, the flag is used to demonstrate southern white pride, and there’s nothing wrong with that, as well as racially motivated hatred, and there’s plenty wrong with that. It’s an ambiguous symbol, and it’s up to South Carolina what they want to do with it.

As for the NRA, after the Sandy Hook shootings as well as the Charleston shootings (and on many other occasions), their spokespeople suggested that more guns, not fewer guns, was the solution -- if the elementary school teachers at Sandy Hook had themselves been packing, perhaps fewer schoolchildren would have been shot. Imagine a church service: there’s a sudden rustling in one of the windows from the breeze outside and half a dozen overcaffeinated congregants suddenly stand up and pull out their weapons, pointing them in all directions. Maybe one of them fires without thinking. As an American, I don’t want to live in such a society. The NRA may not have killed Cock Robin, but they envision a world that I want no part of.

[samran]

Mass shooting tragedy. Debate flags.

I love America, I really do.

But on this, their sense of priority is warped due to being fearful of the NRA. It ain't oppressive government you fellas news worrying about it seems.

What on earth does the "NRA" have to do with the "Confederate flag?" There is a small group of haters on Thai Visa, at every opportunity display distain for the NRA; America; American police; Tea Party; Fox News; and guns. I suspect most of these individuals lead boring and miserable lives.

The Confederate flag is merely a symbol of southern pride. Romney must have bumped his head, siding with Obama on anything. Of all things to concern yourself with, the Confederate flag should be at the bottom of the list.

Has everything to do with it.

When a mass tragedy like this happens, publicised or not, a nations political and moral leaders need to have a debate about how they can stop it happening again (and again as in the case of the US).

In the US they don't because they are shitscared of one of the biggest lobby groups and rent seekers about.

And instead, we have a debate about flags. Which will achieve nothing except distraction. And more people will die needlessly.

Edited June 21, 2015 by samran

[winstonc]

fly the flag no problem in the uk if you fly the english flag you are a racist...thats how sad the country has become..oh plus you need planning permission to do so

[Seastallion]

Mass shooting tragedy. Debate flags.

I love America, I really do.

But on this, their sense of priority is warped due to being fearful of the NRA. It ain't oppressive government you fellas news worrying about it seems.

What on earth does the "NRA" have to do with the "Confederate flag?" There is a small group of haters on Thai Visa, at every opportunity display distain for the NRA; America; American police; Tea Party; Fox News; and guns. I suspect most of these individuals lead boring and miserable lives.

The Confederate flag is merely a symbol of southern pride. Romney must have bumped his head, siding with Obama on anything. Of all things to concern yourself with, the Confederate flag should be at the bottom of the list.

Here's a photo of Dylan Roof, off his facebook page.

I reckon he would agree with you on everything you say.

[winstonc]

If Americans want to become fixated on a symbol of suffering, there's one that symbolizes a million times more human and environmental suffering* than the Confederate flag: The crucifix. Perhaps if the flag could kill vampires, then it would be ok to see it waving everywhere.

*If anyone is wondering how the crucifix can symbolize a lot of 'environmental suffering,' consider that a basic tenent of Christianity is to make as many babies as possible, and each new person contributes to environmental destruction.

I forgot to mention, this small group of haters on Thai Visa hates God as well. Thanks for reminding me. Personally, I would give a little more thought to the idea that the crucifix is a symbol of hatred. However, if you want to live in darkness it is up to you.

The Confederate flag has nothing to do with vampires or environmental destruction.

people on here dont hate god..there is no such thing you know like father christmas..most people with a brain new all these things when they were about 6...so dont go down that road your onto a loser there my son..

[NickJ]

The Battle flag has nothing to do with slavery. The Civil war was not fought over slavery. It was one if the issues. But not the major one.The problem with the flag is that it looks good and is associated with the term rebel and over the years crackpots have adopted it as there banner.

Ask the average person what the formal , actual flag of the Confeferiacy was and they have no idea.....Today its the sign of a rebel, kinda like James Dean.

[elgordo38]

Mass shooting tragedy. Debate flags.

I love America, I really do.

But on this, their sense of priority is warped due to being fearful of the NRA. It ain't oppressive government you fellas news worrying about it seems.

What on earth does the "NRA" have to do with the "Confederate flag?" There is a small group of haters on Thai Visa, at every opportunity display distain for the NRA; America; American police; Tea Party; Fox News; and guns. I suspect most of these individuals lead boring and miserable lives.

The Confederate flag is merely a symbol of southern pride. Romney must have bumped his head, siding with Obama on anything. Of all things to concern yourself with, the Confederate flag should be at the bottom of the list.

Here's a photo of Dylan Roof, off his facebook page.

I reckon he would agree with you on everything you say.

And this Facebook posting with a gun in his hand did not set off any alarm bells calls to the police department. The threat in the picture is obvious well to me anyways.

[Thorgal]

From childhood memories.

Bo and Luke, we gonna miss you !

Edited June 21, 2015 by Thorgal

[Seastallion]

Mass shooting tragedy. Debate flags.

I love America, I really do.

But on this, their sense of priority is warped due to being fearful of the NRA. It ain't oppressive government you fellas news worrying about it seems.

What on earth does the "NRA" have to do with the "Confederate flag?" There is a small group of haters on Thai Visa, at every opportunity display distain for the NRA; America; American police; Tea Party; Fox News; and guns. I suspect most of these individuals lead boring and miserable lives.

The Confederate flag is merely a symbol of southern pride. Romney must have bumped his head, siding with Obama on anything. Of all things to concern yourself with, the Confederate flag should be at the bottom of the list.

Here's a photo of Dylan Roof, off his facebook page.

I reckon he would agree with you on everything you say.

And this Facebook posting with a gun in his hand did not set off any alarm bells calls to the police department. The threat in the picture is obvious well to me anyways.

Your naivete is quaint and refreshing...and I say that in the nicest way, really. It's nice. I wish there were more people like you who find this kid shocking in his disregard for what is good and what is bad.

The fact is, there are hundreds of thousands of gun fetishists posing with their weapons on Facebook. This kid didn't stand out at all. Even the gun/flag combination is not anywhere near being unique.

[samran]

The NRA? Here comes the whack-job fringe left. Did the NRA also kill Cock Robin? Maybe sunk the Titanic?.

I agree Romney is wrong on this. The Confederate flag is a symbol against what the South felt was tyranny against states' rights vs. the strong federal government the North wanted. And, no it doesn't stand for slavery. No matter what the poorly educated say.

Fly your flag for all I care. It advertises S.Carolina for whatever people want it to be.

As for the guns, I thought they were to protect you from the tyrany of overarching government? Why aren't you out there taking potshots at government officals then if that was their intended use?

Instead, they are in the hands of gang bangers, 3 year olds, and whackjob domestic terrorists like this bloke. Tell me how this is protection against tyranical government again?

[DDbkh]

As a non American, I am left bemused by the continual support for uncontrolled guns in the USA - even taking on the fact that it is the most warlike society in the world. The 2nd amendment was written at a time when muskets and slaves were part of the fabric of the new country to ensure that they could raise an army quickly if the 'Red Coats' returned. It has no relevance in a time when an oppressive govt, the NRA excuse, has Abrams Tanks, gunships, drones and jdams. The real reason the NRA is so anti gun control is that it makes so much money from the arms dealers.

The Confederate flag, to a non American, signifies oppression, slavery, lawlessness, corruption and racial hatred.

Until they get over the fact that they were beaten, the Southern states will continue to be the catalyst of racial and religious hatred that holds the whole country back from being the great nation that most people in the free world want it to be.

[MZurf]

If Americans want to become fixated on a symbol of suffering, there's one that symbolizes a million times more human and environmental suffering* than the Confederate flag: The crucifix. Perhaps if the flag could kill vampires, then it would be ok to see it waving everywhere.

*If anyone is wondering how the crucifix can symbolize a lot of 'environmental suffering,' consider that a basic tenent of Christianity is to make as many babies as possible, and each new person contributes to environmental destruction.

I forgot to mention, this small group of haters on Thai Visa hates God as well. Thanks for reminding me. Personally, I would give a little more thought to the idea that the crucifix is a symbol of hatred. However, if you want to live in darkness it is up to you.

The Confederate flag has nothing to do with vampires or environmental destruction.

Not possible to hate something that doesn't exist. Take Santa Clause for instance - I love the guy!!

[boomerangutang]

Ernest Saves Christmas - one of the best movies ever made.

[CMNightRider]

Mass shooting tragedy. Debate flags.

I love America, I really do.

But on this, their sense of priority is warped due to being fearful of the NRA. It ain't oppressive government you fellas news worrying about it seems.

What on earth does the "NRA" have to do with the "Confederate flag?" There is a small group of haters on Thai Visa, at every opportunity display distain for the NRA; America; American police; Tea Party; Fox News; and guns. I suspect most of these individuals lead boring and miserable lives.

The Confederate flag is merely a symbol of southern pride. Romney must have bumped his head, siding with Obama on anything. Of all things to concern yourself with, the Confederate flag should be at the bottom of the list.

Here's a photo of Dylan Roof, off his facebook page.

I reckon he would agree with you on everything you say.

And this Facebook posting with a gun in his hand did not set off any alarm bells calls to the police department. The threat in the picture is obvious well to me anyways.

This is a photo of an idiot that is going to receive the death penalty, unless the anti-death penalty people manage to stop it. Unless this guys pinhead friends would have alerted police about this posting on FB, the police wouldn't have any reason to know about this guy.

[Publicus]

The Battle flag has nothing to do with slavery. The Civil war was not fought over slavery. It was one if the issues. But not the major one.The problem with the flag is that it looks good and is associated with the term rebel and over the years crackpots have adopted it as there banner.

Ask the average person what the formal , actual flag of the Confeferiacy was and they have no idea.....Today its the sign of a rebel, kinda like James Dean.

This distasteful credendum rises to the level of crude offense. It not only was the Battle Flag of the armies of the Confederate States of America, it was hoisted over state capitol buildings throughout the South during the 1950s as the resurrected direct response to the Black Civil Rights Movement.

The X is said to mean 'no' to the United States of America and later 'no' to desegregation throughout the American South.

The Confederate States fired the first shot of the Civil War from Charleston South Carolina and suffered dearly during the war. And let there be no doubt what the war was about. The eleven states of the CSA seceded yes, out of "resistance to Northern political dominance". At the center of Northern political dominance was the insistence the South compromise on slavery.

Confederate States Vice President Alexander Stephens: The cornerstone of the CSA government would "rest upon the great truth that the negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery — subordination to the superior race — is his natural and normal condition. This, our new government, is the first, in the history of the world, based upon this great physical, philosophical, and moral truth."

Confederate States President Jefferson Davis: “From at least the time of the American Revolution, white southerners defined their liberty, in part, as the right to own slaves and to decide the fate of the institution without any outside interference.”

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Confederate+Flag

The southern colonies were the driving force behind the War of Independence due to Great Britain having abolished slavery. The southern states failed however in their subsequent attempt to dissolve the United States in their pursuit to further sustain the institution of slavery. The cause of secession was slavery in the American South.

Whatever else it may be, the CSA Battle Frag flies today over capitals in the South in a direct connection to the institution of slavery and the racism inherent to it.

[eliotness]

The Battle flag has nothing to do with slavery. The Civil war was not fought over slavery. It was one if the issues. But not the major one.The problem with the flag is that it looks good and is associated with the term rebel and over the years crackpots have adopted it as there banner.

Ask the average person what the formal , actual flag of the Confeferiacy was and they have no idea.....Today its the sign of a rebel, kinda like James Dean.

This distasteful credendum rises to the level of crude offense. It not only was the Battle Flag of the armies of the Confederate States of America, it was hoisted over state capitol buildings throughout the South during the 1950s as the resurrected direct response to the Black Civil Rights Movement.

The X is said to mean 'no' to the United States of America and later 'no' to desegregation throughout the American South.

The Confederate States fired the first shot of the Civil War from Charleston South Carolina and suffered dearly during the war. And let there be no doubt what the war was about. The eleven states of the CSA seceded yes, out of "resistance to Northern political dominance". At the center of Northern political dominance was the insistence the South compromise on slavery.

Confederate States Vice President Alexander Stephens: The cornerstone of the CSA government would "rest upon the great truth that the negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery subordination to the superior race is his natural and normal condition. This, our new government, is the first, in the history of the world, based upon this great physical, philosophical, and moral truth."

Confederate States President Jefferson Davis: From at least the time of the American Revolution, white southerners defined their liberty, in part, as the right to own slaves and to decide the fate of the institution without any outside interference.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Confederate+Flag

The southern colonies were the driving force behind the War of Independence due to Great Britain having abolished slavery. The southern states failed however in their subsequent attempt to dissolve the United States in their pursuit to further sustain the institution of slavery. The cause of secession was slavery in the American South.

Whatever else it may be, the CSA Battle Frag flies today over capitals in the South in a direct connection to the institution of slavery and the racism inhereent to it.

And I always thought the American War of Independence was about "no taxation without representation" and a certain tea party. Ah is that the connection ?

[bobmac10]

Mass shooting tragedy. Debate flags.

I love America, I really do.

But on this, their sense of priority is warped due to being fearful of the NRA. It ain't oppressive government you fellas news worrying about it seems.

What on earth does the "NRA" have to do with the "Confederate flag?" There is a small group of haters on Thai Visa, at every opportunity display distain for the NRA; America; American police; Tea Party; Fox News; and guns. I suspect most of these individuals lead boring and miserable lives.

The Confederate flag is merely a symbol of southern pride. Romney must have bumped his head, siding with Obama on anything. Of all things to concern yourself with, the Confederate flag should be at the bottom of the list.

Night Rider, you are just like your name, an outdated relic from the past.

A dinosaur.

Living your dream on the big hog, flying the confederate flag.

Waving the NRA flag too.

A symptom of the trash white culture that pervades a section of America that will forever be downtrodden, not because you lost the civil war, but because you have failed to get with the new program and taken advantage of what America can offer.

Still in love with guns, but for what good is hard to fathom, since a staggering one million Americans have been killed by firearms in the US since the assassination of Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King in 1968. That is more than three times the 300,000 American combat deaths in WWII, it’s five times the 200,000 civil war combat deaths and it’s one-third more than the entire 600,000 civil war deaths. In fact since just 1968, the American gun infatuation has taken more American lives than all combat deaths America suffered since 1776.

Soldier on old fella.

[Jingthing]

Dumping the rebel flag is the right thing to do.

TIme for Old Dixie to finally move on.

One can be for dumping that flag and ALSO for gun control and ALSO for better programs for people with psycho problems.

But no republicans will be like that. That's their problem.

[bobmac10]

The NRA? Here comes the whack-job fringe left. Did the NRA also kill Cock Robin? Maybe sunk the Titanic?.

I agree Romney is wrong on this. The Confederate flag is a symbol against what the South felt was tyranny against states' rights vs. the strong federal government the North wanted. And, no it doesn't stand for slavery. No matter what the poorly educated say.

You’re quite right -- the Confederate flag represents much that is honorable and worth remembering in a good light. But at the same time, that flag flew over a society that enslaved men and women. You can’t separate the good from the bad. Likewise, today, the flag is used to demonstrate southern white pride, and there’s nothing wrong with that, as well as racially motivated hatred, and there’s plenty wrong with that. It’s an ambiguous symbol, and it’s up to South Carolina what they want to do with it.

As for the NRA, after the Sandy Hook shootings as well as the Charleston shootings (and on many other occasions), their spokespeople suggested that more guns, not fewer guns, was the solution -- if the elementary school teachers at Sandy Hook had themselves been packing, perhaps fewer schoolchildren would have been shot. Imagine a church service: there’s a sudden rustling in one of the windows from the breeze outside and half a dozen overcaffeinated congregants suddenly stand up and pull out their weapons, pointing them in all directions. Maybe one of them fires without thinking. As an American, I don’t want to live in such a society. The NRA may not have killed Cock Robin, but they envision a world that I want no part of.

Effective lobbying by the National Rifle Association and other like minded groups has been remarkably effective in stopping any attempt at meaningful gun reform. Intellectually vacuous, their answer to the constant firearm massacres is to have more firearms – in schools, in bars and in churches. In fact wherever two people meet, bring a gun. Otherwise sensible civic leaders demand weapons even in kindergartens.

One of the reasons why both the NRA and Tea Party have proved so politically adept is because they view themselves as the intellectual heirs to the early Patriots.

If one criticises the NRA or Tea Party one might as well as criticise the early Patriots. Well, perhaps it’s time someone did.

It turns out the Patriots were no saints. Take John Hancock, a signatory to the Declaration of Independence. He was a wealthy smuggler. Men like Hancock viewed British taxes as an economic impost to be evaded at every turn. As the British made life more difficult for Hancock and his fellow travellers, these smugglers morphed into the fellas’ we refer to today as the “founding fathers”. The Tea Party are indeed the intellectual heirs to such scallywags. Demanding lower tax rates for the rich has its intellectual foundations amongst 18th century smugglers.

[Thorgal]

Mass shooting tragedy. Debate flags.

I love America, I really do.

But on this, their sense of priority is warped due to being fearful of the NRA. It ain't oppressive government you fellas news worrying about it seems.

What on earth does the "NRA" have to do with the "Confederate flag?" There is a small group of haters on Thai Visa, at every opportunity display distain for the NRA; America; American police; Tea Party; Fox News; and guns. I suspect most of these individuals lead boring and miserable lives.

The Confederate flag is merely a symbol of southern pride. Romney must have bumped his head, siding with Obama on anything. Of all things to concern yourself with, the Confederate flag should be at the bottom of the list.

I thought that members of the Confederate States pushed the Second Amendment to keep their armed militias to function as slave patrols after several slave uprisings. A conditio sine qua non from The State of Virginia to vote for the adoption of the Constitution.

That's one of the reasons in OP that the flag could/should be banned.

[Seastallion]

The Battle flag has nothing to do with slavery. The Civil war was not fought over slavery. It was one if the issues. But not the major one.The problem with the flag is that it looks good and is associated with the term rebel and over the years crackpots have adopted it as there banner.

Ask the average person what the formal , actual flag of the Confeferiacy was and they have no idea.....Today its the sign of a rebel, kinda like James Dean.

This distasteful credendum rises to the level of crude offense. It not only was the Battle Flag of the armies of the Confederate States of America, it was hoisted over state capitol buildings throughout the South during the 1950s as the resurrected direct response to the Black Civil Rights Movement.

The X is said to mean 'no' to the United States of America and later 'no' to desegregation throughout the American South.

The Confederate States fired the first shot of the Civil War from Charleston South Carolina and suffered dearly during the war. And let there be no doubt what the war was about. The eleven states of the CSA seceded yes, out of "resistance to Northern political dominance". At the center of Northern political dominance was the insistence the South compromise on slavery.

The southern colonies were the driving force behind the War of Independence due to Great Britain having abolished slavery. The southern states failed however in their subsequent attempt to dissolve the United States in their pursuit to further sustain the institution of slavery. The cause of secession was slavery in the American South.

Whatever else it may be, the CSA Battle Frag flies today over capitals in the South in a direct connection to the institution of slavery and the racism inhereent to it.

And I always thought the American War of Independence was about "no taxation without representation" and a certain tea party. Ah is that the connection ?

"American War of Independance" and "American Civil War" were nearly 100 years apart.

[Jingthing]

I've lived in the South. Black people don't display it. Neither do other non-white minorities.

Some white people do.

Black people CORRECTLY view that flag as a RACIST symbol and so did the terrorist Roof.

Face the reality.

No, gun control isn't going to happen because American culture is basically INSANE on that issue, but Roof wanted to spark a race war, he won't succeed, but it would be at least something if he sparked the end of at least any official use of the RACIST flag he so loved. That is made more powerful by images of Roof burning the AMERICAN flag.
Southern whites ... make a choice of national flags. You don't get two, and I'm confident the vast majority will choose the stars and stripes.

Edited June 21, 2015 by Jingthing

[Seastallion]

I wouldn't be too sure about Roof's action not starting something big. In the atmosphere of recent unrest about cop racism, this event could prompt a black on white incident....and so on.

Exponential dominoes:

https://youtu.be/y97rBdSYbkg