# "Confederate Flag" **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 20, 2008, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederate-flag/453577 "2008-06-20T13:28:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2008, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederate-flag/453577/61 "2008-06-22T17:48:51Z")
[QUOTE=LouisB] I don’t think anyone denies that the flag is seen almost everywhere in the USA. I mistakenly thought I might be able to actually get a sense of where it is most often displayed, but I chose a very imprecise method of doing so. Just out of curiosity, what method have you used in determining that the flag is seen “far more often in the south than elsewhere.” [/QUOTE] Personal experience. I lived in the South and saw the flag all the time. Now I live in the West and see the flag very rarely. I also travel a lot, and things have not changed. It’s the Confederate flag, for God’s sake - of course you see it more in the South. What possible reason would someone not from the South choose to fly it? News flash - when you order iced tea in the U.S., you are far more likely to find it sweetened in the South than in the rest of the country. ---
**Author:** ![dynamitedave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ed655f/32.png) [@dynamitedave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dynamitedave)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2008, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederate-flag/453577/62 "2008-06-22T20:27:54Z")
[QUOTE=Really Not All That Bright] In _NZ_? Really? Is there some sort of national _Dukes of Hazzard_ fetish a la the German fascination with David Hasselhoff, or am I missing something? [/QUOTE] :eek: Thankfully we have no national _Dukes of Hazzard_ fetish. 😛 It’s most likely they think it looks cool. Until I joined the SDMB, I had no idea that it was nothing more than a cool looking flag. One other thing though, is that some of our drivers do a stint in the US, so it could be a souvenir, again with them not knowing anything more. Other trucks I’ve seen have our flag, or the US one, and once a Maple leaf one. As an aside, a client I visited Saturday was flying the US flag, as was the house 2 down. These were on proper flag poles that weren’t there a few weeks ago. My client, his wife, and daughter are Kiwi. In the 9 years I’ve done this job, I’ve only had one client who flew our flag. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2008, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederate-flag/453577/63 "2008-06-22T20:30:23Z")
[QUOTE=LouisB] 1.0 When was the last time you saw one displayed? [/quote] About 3 weeks ago. > [@](#): > > 2.0 Where was it displayed? (Car, flag pole, window, etc., etc.) A pole planted in what appeared to be some kind of commercial dealership, cars or RV’s or something. > [@](#): > > 3.0 Geographical location where subject flag was displayed. Northern Florida. And, may I add, I do believe it was the most fucking ginormous flag of any kind that I’ve ever seen in my entire life. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2008, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederate-flag/453577/64 "2008-06-22T20:53:17Z")
[QUOTE=LouisB] Several people on these boards have repeatedly pointed out that the flag which arouses so much ire is NOT the flag of the Confederate States but people continue to call it that. [/QUOTE] The Confederate battle flag, aka St. Andrew’s Cross, is a flag flown by Confederates, is associated only with the Confederacy, and is the most well-known symbol of the Confederacy. That there were other official Confederate government flags is a piece of trivia of interest only to historians. In other words, the battle flag is the Confederate flag and vice versa, dude, get over it. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2008, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederate-flag/453577/65 "2008-06-22T21:12:33Z")
[QUOTE=Cosmic Relief] That there were other official Confederate government flags is a piece of trivia of interest only to historians. In other words, the battle flag is the Confederate flag and vice versa, dude, get over it. [/QUOTE] A coincidence that both the “Confederate flag” and the Japanese Rising Sun banner with the 16 rays, both their most recognized flags yet not the actual national flags, were each their naval ensigns. "No, you dare not make war on trivia. No power on earth dares to make war upon it. Trivia is king. " ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2008, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederate-flag/453577/66 "2008-06-22T21:40:51Z")
I tried to buy one in VA but couldn’t find any store that sold them or would sell one to me. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederate-flag/453577/67 "2008-06-23T00:37:40Z")
[QUOTE=Slithy Tove] A coincidence that both the “Confederate flag” and the Japanese Rising Sun banner with the 16 rays, both their most recognized flags yet not the actual national flags, were each their naval ensigns. [/QUOTE] Actually, it’s the naval \*jack \*[(cite)](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confederate_Navy) , not the ensign, if we’re going to split that hair down to the final follicle. But still, for all practical purposes, it’s just the damned Confederate flag. ---
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederate-flag/453577/68 "2008-06-23T17:21:17Z")
1. Yesterday 2. On a flagpole in some guy’s yard on a rural highway 3. North Georgia, on my way from Atlanta to Charlotte, NC I also thought I heard _Duelling Banjos_ in that neck of the woods, not that you asked. ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederate-flag/453577/69 "2008-06-23T17:45:59Z")
1.0 Saturday. 2.0 Hanging on the front exterior wall of a double-wide. 3.0 Near a bike trail between Chillicothe and Frankfort, Ohio. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederate-flag/453577/70 "2008-06-23T17:56:41Z")
1. Sunday, I had to go see if it was still there. 2. On a flagpole next to the Stars and Stripes in a yard. 3. Rural area in Central Arkansas. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederate-flag/453577/71 "2008-06-23T18:45:51Z")
I’m not sure self-reporting tells us anything. People who haven’t seen one lately probably just aren’t posting to the thread. And for people who _have_ seen one, it was probably an exceptional event that stuck in their memory. You might see one Confederate flag on a thousand pickup trucks, but then you _remember_ seeing that one flag and forget about the other 999 flag-free bumpers. ---
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederate-flag/453577/72 "2008-06-23T22:20:02Z")
[QUOTE=spoke-] And for people who _have_ seen one, it was probably an exceptional event that stuck in their memory. You might see one Confederate flag on a thousand pickup trucks, but then you _remember_ seeing that one flag and forget about the other 999 flag-free bumpers. [/QUOTE] The OP wasn’t asking about the flag-free bumpers; he was asking about the bumper with the flag on it. I can also tell you I ate breakfast at Cracker Barrell yesterday, but that doesn’t make it exceptional. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2008, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederate-flag/453577/73 "2008-06-24T00:18:33Z")
And if the OP started a thread asking about posters’ last Cracker Barrel dining experience, the resulting thread would make it look like Cracker Barrel must be the most popular restaurant in the world, because the _people who hadn’t eaten at Cracker Barrel wouldn’t post_. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2008, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederate-flag/453577/74 "2008-06-24T00:42:17Z")
[QUOTE=LouisB] I would really like to know three things: 1.0 When was the last time you saw one displayed? 2.0 Where was it displayed? (Car, flag pole, window, etc., etc.) 3.0 Geographical location where subject flag was displayed. [/QUOTE] There were three questions in the OP. The first one wasn’t going to produce any useful data in a self reporting forum like this one. The second one, I’m not sure what that data means. The last one could and did provide useful data, although I don’t think it was what the OP expected. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2008, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederate-flag/453577/75 "2008-06-24T01:12:26Z")
[QUOTE=spoke-] And if the OP started a thread asking about posters’ last Cracker Barrel dining experience, the resulting thread would make it look like Cracker Barrel must be the most popular restaurant in the world, because the _people who hadn’t eaten at Cracker Barrel wouldn’t post_. [/QUOTE] Actually, in my experience, if you post a thread in Cafe Society for people who like something (a restaurant, a tv show, whatever), you’ll get lots of people coming in to talk about why they _don’t_ like it. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2008, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederate-flag/453577/76 "2008-06-24T01:52:52Z")
[QUOTE=Raguleader] Actually, in my experience, if you post a thread in Cafe Society for people who like something (a restaurant, a tv show, whatever), you’ll get lots of people coming in to talk about why they _don’t_ like it. [/QUOTE] The point is, whether they liked it or didn’t, _the people who had eaten there would be the ones who posted, making it look like everyone eats there_. People who didn’t eat there or had never heard of it just wouldn’t post. ---
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2008, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederate-flag/453577/77 "2008-06-24T01:59:02Z")
[QUOTE=spoke-] The point is, whether they liked it or didn’t, _the people who had eaten there would be the ones who posted, making it look like everyone eats there_. People who didn’t eat there or had never heard of it just wouldn’t post. [/QUOTE] This strikes me as obvious, but it’s certainly your point to make if you want. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2008, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederate-flag/453577/78 "2008-06-24T02:05:57Z")
[QUOTE=Jodi] This strikes me as obvious, but it’s certainly your point to make if you want. [/QUOTE] This strikes me as a content-free criticism, but you’re certainly welcome to post it. ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2008, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederate-flag/453577/79 "2008-06-24T14:13:42Z")
[QUOTE=divemaster] Why is it a flop? Because you were trying to prove some point? I don’t see the thread as a flop. I find it interesting. As you’ve already discovered, you aren’t going to be able to determine ubiquitousness or make \*anything \*out of the view/reply ratio. I mean, I see the flag somewhat regularly (I’m in Virginia) but I wasn’t really compelled to answer b/c for most threads I’m content to lurk unless I’ve got something particularly interesting or insightful to add. [/QUOTE] Sorry I haven’t responded; I had a discogram done yesterday and it sort of put me out of commission for a while. Anyway, I consider it a flop because the questions I asked cannot really be answered in such a way as to provide meaningful results. It didn’t occur to me that people would view the thread more than once without responding; when it did occur to me, I realized that any conclusions drawn would be bogus. So, from the stand point of meaningful data, the thread is a flop. From the standpoint of being interesting, I suppose it is. I had hoped, selfishly, to find that the image of the flag would be more widespread geographically than the reports of sightings would indicate. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederate-flag/453577.md?page=3)