Posted on Aug 22, 2014
Feelings on displaying the Confederate flag on your POV or person while on a military installation?
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Recently, I had a long and heated discussion with a fellow veteran about this issue. I don't know for sure whether a branch-specific reg or a DoD-wide reg exists that prohibits/allows personnel on a military installation to display the Confederate flag on their personal vehicle or on their person (e.g. a belt buckle). Maybe this is a base-specific policy and left to the judgment of the installation commander. Display of the Confederate flag is a divisive issue and people often feel really strongly one way or the other. But today, it is still a relevant topic and touches on other military leadership/discipline areas, including the actions of one member deeply offending another member -- regardless of whether said action is legal/authorized. That can create huge problems in a military unit, and this happened in a unit I personally served in. So, below are my questions for the RallyPoint community about this issue.
Please try to keep comments professional (don't attack one another) and explain your thoughts as best you can.
Questions:
(1) How do you feel about the Confederate flag being displayed on the vehicle/person of a service member if he/she is ON post? How does your opinion change if the member is OFF post?
(2) What does the Confederate flag symbolize to you personally? What do you think it can symbolize to other people around you who may perceive it differently?
(3) If you have personally experienced a military-related situation where a symbol/flag caused someone to be offended, what happened and what did you/would you have done as the leader?
I look fwd to everyone's thoughts on this. Personally, I have some strong feelings about this issue, though I don't want to bias people's answers upfront. Please be as honest as possible.
Tag: SSG Emily Williams Col (Join to see) 1SG Steven Stankovich SSG Scott Williams 1LT Sandy Annala CPT (Join to see) SSG V. Michelle Woods MSG Carl Cunningham
Please try to keep comments professional (don't attack one another) and explain your thoughts as best you can.
Questions:
(1) How do you feel about the Confederate flag being displayed on the vehicle/person of a service member if he/she is ON post? How does your opinion change if the member is OFF post?
(2) What does the Confederate flag symbolize to you personally? What do you think it can symbolize to other people around you who may perceive it differently?
(3) If you have personally experienced a military-related situation where a symbol/flag caused someone to be offended, what happened and what did you/would you have done as the leader?
I look fwd to everyone's thoughts on this. Personally, I have some strong feelings about this issue, though I don't want to bias people's answers upfront. Please be as honest as possible.
Tag: SSG Emily Williams Col (Join to see) 1SG Steven Stankovich SSG Scott Williams 1LT Sandy Annala CPT (Join to see) SSG V. Michelle Woods MSG Carl Cunningham
Regulation
Policy
Respect
Confederate Flag
Edited 10 y ago
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 326
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Having spent a lot of time in virginia, having seen a lot of "the south will rise again" kind of people, I shake my head when i see the confederate flag. I can't see how people have so much pride in it, it wasn't used much in the antibellum period, then what it stood for lost the war and in reconstruction it was used by those who wanted to keep oppressing black people. I just don't see it as a "heritage" item. Have seen it used for purposes of repression and racism.
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To judge before investigating and to say, "oh he's white so he is racist" would actually make one racist. If someone wants to fly the confederate flag, I don't care. They would be able to as free people.
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When my youngest brother was an active-duty Marine, he came home on leave one time with a big-ass, dinner plate sized, Confederate flag buckle. I told him to take the POS off and he said he was expressing his "Southern Pride." I explained to him that I didn't have a problem with him being proud of being from Texas, but that he shouldn't be a "proud Southerner" because if the Confederates had been completely successful, neither of us would be here. Then I told him the story of the Massacre on the Nueces (my great-great-great grandfather was a survivor who ended up as a Union Captain). He never wore that buckle again...
NUECES, BATTLE OF THE | The Handbook of Texas Online| Texas State Historical Association (TSHA)
NUECES, BATTLE OF THE. The Civil War skirmish known as the battle of the Nueces took place on the morning of August 10, 1862, when a force of Hill Country Unionists, encamped en route to Mexico on the west bank of the Nueces River about twenty miles from Fort Clark in present-day Kinney County, were attacked by mounted Confederate soldiers. The Unionists, mostly German intellectuals led by Maj. Fritz Tegener, had camped without choosing a...
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I was born and raised in the South - I feel the Confederate Flag is a part of our Country's History - like it or not. Depends on how the flag is used or displayed. Last year at a Mardi Gras parade and band from a all black school came through and they were awesome, everyone was cheering etc, then this group of people across the street who had their confederate flags out waving them at the students and booing was only out for hatred. Me being the strong silent type went over after the parade and told them they should be ashamed of themselves for the way they acted and it was very disrespectful etc and naturally they called me names and I just laughed moved on.
You cannot tell anyone that they cannot put items on their privately owned vehicles or what you can display on your private property. However on base you should not have confederate flags on your base house. If you have items on your vehicle that are indecent and offensive nature then the base commander should be able to do something about it.
You cannot tell anyone that they cannot put items on their privately owned vehicles or what you can display on your private property. However on base you should not have confederate flags on your base house. If you have items on your vehicle that are indecent and offensive nature then the base commander should be able to do something about it.
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Though very misguided and presenting an extreme example of bad judgement I am sure it is a freedom of expression issue though many places it would be out of character and could be deemed against good order and discipline. This type of expression would be akin to displaying the swastika if your heritage and ancestors fought on the German side of WW II. Though not an official flag of the CSA, it was a flag of The Flagship army of the Confederate Cause. Which fought for a nation rebelling against the nation, the institution of slavery and the perpetuation of higher classes. if that is the message you want to send as a soldier and leader in our armed forces; then you are a success. Would question your thought process and judgement though; but would respect your ability to make yourself look like a fool. I would ask anyone I came into contact with who thought that type of expression worthy to try and think a little deeper about their decision and be more selfless and a better representative of our Armed forces; not of the Confederate cause...
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I know it is a Symbol of Southern Heritage and Roots and I understand the need to carry some pride in ones roots. Also no matter how much I would love to slam it. I am a Proud Razorback that served on the USS Arkansas CGN-41 and our Ships Flag was a variation of this Flag so it would be a bit Hypocritical for me to Bitch about it now.
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While on active duty, I was fortunate not to have dealt with this issue. I am not aware of any regulation that governs this, but I am sure there is an interpretation or legal opinion somewhere. I personally don't care because I don't think it is a sign of racism but a historic and lineage symbol. However, any individual displaying the confederate symbol should just be prepared to receive pushback. Then decide whether the displaying of this symbol is worth falling on your sword.
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1SG Ronald Philips
As an antique tankers, I have several comments that I would like to make on this subject.
1). There was never an authorized Confederate States flag designed or accepted by the body of said states
2). All of the units fought with their state, unit flag, and the Confederate Battle Flag
3). The Battle Flag has become the defactor "Confederate Flag" because it was the one flag all southern units carried.
1). There was never an authorized Confederate States flag designed or accepted by the body of said states
2). All of the units fought with their state, unit flag, and the Confederate Battle Flag
3). The Battle Flag has become the defactor "Confederate Flag" because it was the one flag all southern units carried.
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I have never seen an issue with it on may base i worked on.
I am going to say simply this. Should we ban country flags from being on a POV? There's tons of them out their? Or what about sports teams? How about gay pride flags on cars? Or the co-exist stickers? The cross or the fish symbols? Those are just some that can cause feelings of hurt and offense can't they? Where do we start? Where do we stop? Cultural Diversity is one thing they constantly bang into our heads, so if a southern male or female is proud of their southern roots than what would be the argument? You're racist? It's offensive to others? We have to stop being so sensitive about peoples pride in their cultures, to stop associating things constantly with the "bad" it could be. We need to worry more about what we are doing to offend others rather than what others are doing to offend us. We have become a world full of "overly sensitive, you hurt my feelings by wearing that you don't treat me equally as her/him or speaking with that accent or looking at me oddly" people. and I have to admit it's only gotten worse because of all the political influence and attention. We have let it get way out of hand.
I am going to say simply this. Should we ban country flags from being on a POV? There's tons of them out their? Or what about sports teams? How about gay pride flags on cars? Or the co-exist stickers? The cross or the fish symbols? Those are just some that can cause feelings of hurt and offense can't they? Where do we start? Where do we stop? Cultural Diversity is one thing they constantly bang into our heads, so if a southern male or female is proud of their southern roots than what would be the argument? You're racist? It's offensive to others? We have to stop being so sensitive about peoples pride in their cultures, to stop associating things constantly with the "bad" it could be. We need to worry more about what we are doing to offend others rather than what others are doing to offend us. We have become a world full of "overly sensitive, you hurt my feelings by wearing that you don't treat me equally as her/him or speaking with that accent or looking at me oddly" people. and I have to admit it's only gotten worse because of all the political influence and attention. We have let it get way out of hand.
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From Texas. Wouldn't do it. My family fought for the CSA. They lost. I have no tie to that time. I was born in the United States. I'll fly a Texas flag and an American flag, because those are the only two I identify with.
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