Idiot Question at Republican Debate

[docellis]

I worked at a television station in the south and we went out to cover a "lawn mower race". They had a track, hay bales as walls, and souped up lawn mowers.

It was a very, very rural area outside of the city we lived in and when I got there I saw more confederate flags than I've ever seen in one place. Cars, trees, shirts, towels, coozies, you name it. I also heard the n word more often than one normally hears that word in public.

I think there is racist segment of people who DO use the flag as a symbol of that, by deny it and say it is about "states rights" or "southern pride" to defend themselves to the public.

[Popeye_Card]

I don't know. I grew up always thinking of it as a "rebel" symbol. I don't think all of the people with confederate flag stickers on the back of their pickup trucks are card-carrying members of the KKK and want to enslave the black population again. They probably just want to go muddin', drink some Busch, and listen to some Toby Keith.

That's not a rebel, that's a redneck.

"Redneck" is a rascist term. That's why I strictly outlined the sterotypes without calling them rednecks.

--P--

[Popeye_Card]

I worked at a television station in the south and we went out to cover a "lawn mower race". They had a track, hay bales as walls, and souped up lawn mowers.

It was a very, very rural area outside of the city we lived in and when I got there I saw more confederate flags than I've ever seen in one place. Cars, trees, shirts, towels, coozies, you name it. I also heard the n word more often than one normally hears that word in public.

I think there is racist segment of people who DO use the flag as a symbol of that, by deny it and say it is about "states rights" or "southern pride" to defend themselves to the public.

Honestly, I have less of a problem with overt rascism like that (dropping N words, etc.) than the subtle rascism you find in more northern cities, including St. Louis.

i.e. I think it's less damaging for society for a beer-swilling guy at a tractor race to not want to associate with blacks, and think they're inadequate human beings than for relatively prominent citizens of St. Louis to tip-toe around crime issues, when it's rather clear that they think nearly every black citizen of the city is up to no good if they're walking down the street.

--P--

[Arthur Dent]

I don't know. I grew up always thinking of it as a "rebel" symbol. I don't think all of the people with confederate flag stickers on the back of their pickup trucks are card-carrying members of the KKK and want to enslave the black population again. They probably just want to go muddin', drink some Busch, and listen to some Toby Keith.

Much (most?) of the time, that's probably true. Still, the main purpose of the Confederacy was to maintain slavery. If you want a symbol of rebellion, there are many better choices.

[docellis]

Honestly, I have less of a problem with overt rascism like that (dropping N words, etc.) than the subtle rascism you find in more northern cities, including St. Louis.

i.e. I think it's less damaging for society for a beer-swilling guy at a tractor race to not want to associate with blacks, and think they're inadequate human beings than for relatively prominent citizens of St. Louis to tip-toe around crime issues, when it's rather clear that they think nearly every black citizen of the city is up to no good if they're walking down the street.

--P--

I don't disagree with you. Confederate lawn mower racers probably have much less power (and credibility) than prominent/well-off city dwellers.

I want to name a band Confederate Lawn Mower Racers.

The "Daughter's of the Confederacy" were there too, in full confederate gard - bonnets, long skirts, etc. It was quite a scene. They were there to recruit people to come to a protest that David Duke was attending or hosting or something.

[Arthur Dent]

In terms of geographic distribution, the most racially segregated cities are all in the North. St. Louis is one of the worst.

[docellis]

In terms of geographic distribution, the most racially segregated cities are all in the North. St. Louis is one of the worst.

I can definitely see that. People used to ask me about how race relations compared between St. Louis and the South and I always said that in many ways St. Louis has worse race relations than the south. In the south you actually interact with people of a different race. You can pretty easily go weeks without seeing someone of another race if you live in St. Charles or many areas in West County. You really can't do that in many southern areas.

[Popeye_Card]

I don't know. I grew up always thinking of it as a "rebel" symbol. I don't think all of the people with confederate flag stickers on the back of their pickup trucks are card-carrying members of the KKK and want to enslave the black population again. They probably just want to go muddin', drink some Busch, and listen to some Toby Keith.

Much (most?) of the time, that's probably true. Still, the main purpose of the Confederacy was to maintain slavery. If you want a symbol of rebellion, there are many better choices.

I can definately see your point. I think we all are instantly appalled at the sight of a swastika or Nazi flag, but I personally don't have the same reaction to a confederate flag. Even though they stood for similar things--suppression of other races. Maybe it's because of what I said--I think "rebel", not "white supremacy". But other people probably view it other ways.

--P--

[Arthur Dent]

I can definately see your point. I think we all are instantly appalled at the sight of a swastika or Nazi flag, but I personally don't have the same reaction to a confederate flag.

I don't either. Many of the wanna-be cowboys in high school would put Confederate flag decals on their truck. This makes absolutely no sense in Oregon, and I highly doubt anything racial was meant by it as my home town is essentially all white. Still, I think displaying the symbol is pretty misguided even without bad intent.

[Simbagal23]

I found racism in Boston to be much worse than STL. At least in the area I lived, north of the city. As for the confederate flag, I'm indifferent. However, as another poster mentioned, if it offends a huge portion of the population, then it's not good.