<p>I’ve lived in NY all my life and never considered the Confederate flag a symbol of racism. More one of rebellion. But I don’t think it’s relevant to the OP, we seem to have gotten a bit derailed.</p>
<p>Even MAINE has problems with racism - you can look at how the town of Lewiston reacted to the immigration of Somalis into their area. It’s not just a southern issue.</p>
<p>It’s racist. It represents a nation that wanted slavery. It’s also represents stupidity, the clan, Antimamerican ideals and separatism. Bet those people flying that flags are also vehemently against flag burning. Go figure.</p>
<p>I just came back from a weekend visiting a son at a southern University. We attended a tailgate and were amazed at the number of confederate flags flying from the backs of pickups and adorning tents. The AA couple that we went with was deeply offended.</p>
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<p>For those interested, ESPN is currently running a great documentary called “Ghosts of Ole Miss” in their 30-for-30 series.</p>
<p>[30</a> for 30: ‘Ghosts of Ole Miss’ a deeply personal story of integration, family and home - ESPN](<a href=“http://espn.go.com/espn/espnfilms/story/_/id/8572413/ghosts-ole-miss-deeply-personal-story-integration-family-home]30”>30 for 30: 'Ghosts of Ole Miss' a deeply personal story of integration, family and home - ESPN)</p>
<p>I feel sorry for the people at Ole Miss who have spent a lot of time trying to deal with the racist history of the institution. However, I have to say that if you really want to change attitudes, you have to change symbols, too. You probably have to give up being the “Rebels,” for example.</p>
<p>“Anyone flying a confederate flag should be asked to show proof they are American citizens.”</p>
<p>And you consider that American?</p>
<p>Hunt-- agree about the “rebels”… for me, it was/is a sticking point about the campus when we visited. Even schools whose mascots were once “Indians” have moved on. I’m just sayin’…</p>
<p>Knitkneelionmom - just curious. Which University were you visiting? I grew up in Alabama, attended many tailgates at UA and have visited every Southeastern Conference school for sports at least once every other year for the past 15 years (husband works in athletics, so it’s a big part of our lives). The only flags/symbols I’ve noticed at tailgates are the ones representing the school (I do recall some outside various Kappa Alpha houses years ago because of their historical attachment to Robert E Lee, but I think they’ve gone away from that in recent years). I’m not saying they’re not out there, but I haven’t seen them (except at Ole Miss). </p>
<p>By the way, I went to college outside Philadelphia (on the Main Line) back in the late 80’s. When I arrived there most everyone I met assumed I was a racist – they kept tossing the 1950’s and 60’s at me. Asked me why everyone in the South hated black people. Mentioned Selma and Birmingham. Seriously. I was so unprepared for that. I grew up with whites and blacks in school together. Most of my friends from the West and Northeast went to white-only schools and had no black friends before coming to college. And there they were calling me a racist! I thought that was very odd considering there was an elite country club down the street from my college that didn’t admit anyone who wasn’t white and protestant. Philadelphia was incredibly segregated then and there were definitely problems with racism there. It was just more quietly done and perhaps a bit more “civilized”.</p>
<p>I don’t like to see Confederate flags. But it is a complicated issue down here. Others on this forum have already described it better than I. The “annoying Northerners” theory is spot on. I don’t personally know anyone in Mississippi who displays a Confederate flag in their home, truck, tailgate, or anywhere. Interestingly, it’s general knowledge in this area that most of the Ole Miss “fans” who are openly racist are not actually graduates of Ole Miss. Their school’s flag does attract support from a bad element, for sure.</p>
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<p>I think that’s an excellent observation.</p>
<p>Kati a, I was being sarcastic, as I can b et you confederate flag wavers are anti immigrant. They are for sure anti african American. They would be the first to say no to immigrant, but they freely wave an uanamerican flag…</p>
<p>And it’s not aboutnannoying northerners, it’s against the UNITED states of america they claim to love.</p>
<p>I am no a mercian flag waver, i dont think flag burning should be against the law, I justmhate the hypocrisy. Oh look we love a flag that represents slavery, hate for the USA, and look, we all be white folks.</p>
<p>I know how you all feel. I get annoyed seeing the Mexican flag waved around here in California.</p>
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<p>Which countries?</p>
<p>In countries where mere display of a foreign flag is a crime, it must be inconvenient for the organizers of the Olympic games whenever a visitor wins a medal.</p>
<p>I live in the Pacific Northwest and have seen numerous confederate flags proudly displayed in front of homes, on garages and in the back of trucks with the gun rack. I live in a rural area but have seen the flag waving in the suburbs of Portland. These people are white supremacists. Having lived in the south and a child of one southern parent, I’m appalled. I have a difficultly believing that the rebel flag represents nothing other than old fashioned racism.
Fun Fact: The KKK began in the Portland area, later migrating to the south.</p>
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<p>I don’t think these are comparable. How is flying a Mexican flag appreciably different from wearing green and shamrocks on St. Patrick’s Day, or otherwise displaying pride in one’s heritage? Being Mexican, in and of itself, is not a bad thing. The Confederacy, however, was a bad thing, as it was explicitly created to further slavery. (And spare me the revisionist history. I’m not interested in digging up the Jefferson Davis speeches which make it very clear why the Confederacy was founded.)</p>
<p>nbc1993-I don’t want to give away too much to identify myself. A major University in one of the Carolinas.</p>
<p>“I don’t think these are comparable. How is flying a Mexican flag appreciably different from wearing green and shamrocks on St. Patrick’s Day, or otherwise displaying pride in one’s heritage?”</p>
<p>If I may speculate, but I believe that poster was referring to the situation that California (and other states in the area) are currently in due to decades of the government failing to control our border with Mexico.</p>
<p>Personally I think the flag is racist even if the people flying it don’t think so, but I have to admit the brilliant story “The Appropriation of Cultures,” by African-American author Percival Everett may get you thinking about symbols and what you should do about them. It was featured in “Selected Shorts” a few years ago. It’s the story of a musician who buys a pickup truck with the Confederate flag on it and then starts singing Dixie at concerts. More about it here, don’t know if the podcast is still available. [Selected</a> Shorts: Passions Run Deep - WNYC](<a href=“http://www.wnyc.org/shows/shorts/2010/aug/15/]Selected”>http://www.wnyc.org/shows/shorts/2010/aug/15/)</p>
<p>Just a reminder: The Mississippi state flag features the Confederate flag. It’s the only state flag left which still features the Confederate flag. </p>
<p>You can see it here: [Flag</a> of Mississippi - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Mississippi]Flag”>Flag of Mississippi - Wikipedia)</p>
<p>(Oh, and in case you’re curious – the Mississippi state flag with the Confederate flag within it is NOT some old antebellum relic. It was actually adopted in 1894. The original MS state flag from 1861 had a magnolia tree on it.)</p>