# confederate memorial day **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 30, 2013, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederate-memorial-day/669998 "2013-09-30T13:40:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederate-memorial-day/669998/141 "2013-10-17T19:40:17Z")
> [@Human\_Action](#): > > That’s stating it rather strongly, displaying the Confederate flag isn’t _wrong_, it’s just in poor taste, and counter-productive to the New South. It’s rude and obnoxious, and I’d say being rude and obnoxious at that level is morally wrong. Displaying a swastika where Jews might see it is wrong, as is displaying the Confederate flag where black people might see it. Not that I think it should be outlawed, of course, but I do think it’s more than just in poor taste. > [@](#): > > When it comes to standing up the crazies, the GOP rank-and-file has its hands full. Keeping demonstrations free of Confederate flags is pretty low on the list; as a disaffected Republican, I’m far more concerned with efforts to teach Creationism, mindless opposition to everything the White House endorses, and voter suppression. Every little bit counts. It would be a pretty significant thing, symbolically, if the Republican party leaders actively tried to separate themselves from flag-wavers. ---
**Author:** ![Human\_Action](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@Human\_Action](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Human_Action)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederate-memorial-day/669998/142 "2013-10-17T19:58:42Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > It’s rude and obnoxious, and I’d say being rude and obnoxious at that level is morally wrong. Displaying a swastika where Jews might see it is wrong, as is displaying the Confederate flag where black people might see it. Not that I think it should be outlawed, of course, but I do think it’s more than just in poor taste. The swastika and the Confederate flag aren’t exactly equivalent, though. I’ll give you “thoughtless” and “in poor taste”, but to be morally wrong, surely there must be the intent to offend or harm? And that certainly isn’t the case with everyone who flies the Confederate flag. > [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Every little bit counts. It would be a pretty significant thing, symbolically, if the Republican party leaders actively tried to separate themselves from flag-wavers. It would be significant, absolutely…and in this particular political climate, potentially fatal to the leaders’ careers. Once the GOP stabilizes a bit, it’d be a better time for such a stand. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederate-memorial-day/669998/143 "2013-10-17T20:03:28Z")
> [@Human\_Action](#): > > The swastika and the Confederate flag aren’t exactly equivalent, though. Why not? American Slavery and the Holocaust were two of the most brutal, violent, and oppressive events/institutions in human history. I’d say the symbols for each are pretty close to equivalent… even if those who fly them may not realize (or care) what that symbol means to others. > [@](#): > > It would be significant, absolutely…and in this particular political climate, potentially fatal to the leaders’ careers. You say this like it’s a bad thing 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederate-memorial-day/669998/144 "2013-10-17T20:46:46Z")
> [@Peremensoe](#): > > Thanks for the correction, **Spoke** , but clearly your “in these parts” was for _your_ parts, not the South generally, right? Because I see the flag all the time. Maybe it’s relative. The flag was ubiquitous in the 70s. Now, relatively speaking, you hardly see it. I’m in Georgia and I can go for days without seeing one. It’s certainly not hanging from every porch and plastered to every bumper as some of our Northern cousins seem to imagine. ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederate-memorial-day/669998/145 "2013-10-17T22:54:41Z")
> [@Spoke](#): > > Maybe it’s relative. The flag was ubiquitous in the 70s. Now, relatively speaking, you hardly see it. I’m in Georgia and I can go for days without seeing one. It’s certainly not hanging from every porch and plastered to every bumper as some of our Northern cousins seem to imagine. I don’t see it as much as I used to, but I know of two houses within a couple of miles of mine that have Confederate flags flying on poles in the front yard. (Town of approx. 100,000 in Alabama.) ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederate-memorial-day/669998/146 "2013-10-17T23:53:36Z")
Put it this way: it’s uncommon enough that it’s a bit jarring to see one these days. Back in the 70s they were _everywhere_. ---
**Author:** ![Human\_Action](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@Human\_Action](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Human_Action)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2013, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederate-memorial-day/669998/147 "2013-10-18T00:30:30Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Why not? American Slavery and the Holocaust were two of the most brutal, violent, and oppressive events/institutions in human history. I’d say the symbols for each are pretty close to equivalent… even if those who fly them may not realize (or care) what that symbol means to others. C’mon, you know why. The Confederate flag has also symbolized the South and rebellion, for decades. As far as I know, no one flies the swastika for any reason other than being a neo-Nazi. > [@](#): > > You say this like it’s a bad thing 🙂 It is, you’d be replacing the sort of politician who has an issue with the Confederate flag and is willing to take a stand, with one that has no problem with it or isn’t willing to take a stand. That’s a net loss. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2013, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederate-memorial-day/669998/148 "2013-10-18T00:37:52Z")
> [@Spoke](#): > > Back in the 70s they were _everywhere_. And in the '80s, who batted an eye at them Duke boys? ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2013, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederate-memorial-day/669998/149 "2013-10-18T00:38:38Z")
A travel narrative for my area said, > [@](#): > > K.G. is the photographer and the new guy from Oregon. I don’t want to suggest he experienced culture shock during the early days of the journey, but he did have a tough time deciphering the mellifluous accents of southwest Virginia’s residents. And he was stunned into stony silence by the rebel flags dotting the roadsides and the campsite at Ralph Stanley’s festival. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2013, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederate-memorial-day/669998/150 "2013-10-18T00:54:13Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > And in the '80s, who batted an eye at them Duke boys? Here’s another example from the 70s of how commonplace and non-controversial the flag was: [G.I. Combat #176 (1975)](http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110901205661/marvel_dc/images/9/97/GI_Combat_Vol_1_176.jpg), featuring the Haunted Tank (haunted by Confederate cavalry officer and spirit guide J.E.B. Stuart). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederate-memorial-day/669998.md?page=7)