Feelings on displaying the Confederate flag on your POV or person while on a military installation?

A great forum. FREEDOM of expression is one of the things we fight for as active, reserve and national guardsmen.
Shaking someone's hand with your left hand is a symbol of disrespect... But it happens and no one loses sleep over it.
To most here....do the research on the flag in question. When one builds a case on "notions" it makes you look silly.
The bottom line is very blurry here..and permit me to explain. IF this flag is a symbol of racism...WHY are there large groups of Blacks hanging around each other on post in public? Same thing can be said about whites, Latinos, Asians and the whole lot of folks. ARE WE NOT all GREEN?
That action in itself is a symbol of racism...I hear the whole flurry of excuses...."white folks don't understand", "black folks are don't like hanging around with us"....blah blah blah....We are ALL American...we speak English....so what's the deal?
If you as an individual are too self inverted to take the time....AS A LEADER...to acknowledge, ask and get to know one another....then that in itself is a ignorant view of expression and what the term actually means.
The flag of the Army of Northern Virginia is similar to someone having a close feeling about a football team...or basketball team. Why do people wear sports jerseys on post? SAME REASON...different rationale. It is a symbol that defines an individual.
I can call Cowboys fans homos....or Lakers fans knuckledraggers....its the same logic....it is a symbol of pride to you...the individual. You never played on the team...you aren't an NFL or NBA player....but you still say " we had a bad season....bad game...we won...etc."
Would you like to be judged as a coward, a traitor, a racist, or just plain ignorant for being a fan of those faggety assed sports?
If that struck a chord in you...(and the above is just being used as an example)...just think about that when you see others having pride in something different than you. It doesn't make it wrong...or gives you the right to pass judgment... It just means that someone has pride in something that has value to them.

I know that I may ruffle some feathers here, however, personally there should be only one flag displayed on a U.S. Military base! Old Glory! That being said, some people feel that the Confederate flag is something honorable to be displayed, I beg to differ. The folks fighting for what they believe in is honorable, but, people attempting to over throw a standing are known as insurgents, definition is as follows: "Insurgent" a person who rises in forcible opposition to lawful authority, especially a person who engages in armed resistance to a government or to the execution of its laws; rebel. Its very offensive and has no place to be displayed on a military other than inside someones' domicile.

After reading many comments on the subject at hand what I find more interesting is that patriotism often blinds people to the truth-often plain truth that is readily available. There's a lot of things that we were all taught in school that's just not true under the light of day. Examples are: The Mississippi is the longest river in the United States (but it's not); The cheetah is the fastest land animal (but it's not); bad weather sank the Spanish Armada (but the ship and port logs all around of all the British ships at sea and in port had reported good weather ten days before and after that alleged event); however, I could continue and burst some of your ignorant patriotic or scientific beliefs but I won't. An exception I will make will be disregarded by 90% of the readers. No northern state legislature declared nor enforced the abolition of slavery but several southern states did in the 1850s. All ignorant people believe whatever they are told and this case if you just disregard my words without further research then you are nothing more than an ignorant hayseed and ten times worse than any self-proclaimed redneck; additionally, you believe that 2 plus 2 equals 7 in this analogy. Did it ever occur to any of you that are currently disregarding my comments that it's rather strange that the slave railroad was operated in northern states? Why? I would answer it for you but that would spoil your soon to be self discovery and your liberation from lies that divide and destabilize educated patriotism. But I digress, most of you won't read my comments down this far because you are truly bigoted and permanently enslaved in your ignorance. Truly, ignorance is bliss. If you live near or visit Fort Hood, then go to the last lobby outside of the NCOA classrooms and look at the miniature paintings of the southern armies. Or don't.

Kinda turning the table a bit here...but could someone please explain to me why a vehicle is dubbed a POV when its not??? when I was stationed in Germany I was a Neo warden and it was our job to ensure that we told all soldiers who had said POV to keep them fully tanked at all times in case we had to evacuate.The vehicles would be used to transport personnel as needed and then be disposed of as needed. Also while stationed in Germany I was told countless times that its not a right to own said POV but a privilege and if the commander didnt want a specific soldier to have one they couldnt. Also I was told that a vehicle that has Government plates or a military sticker in the windshield is government property. We had a soldier who was late for roll out, the company area was down hill a good half mile from the motor pool, so he threw all his gear into his trunk to include his weapon.When he got to the motor pool someone saw him pulling all this "sensitive Item gear " from his POV, the next thing he knew he was receiving a field grade for this, but it was dropped because the argument was brought up that a POV isnt in fact a POV but belongs to the Government. Clarification anyone ??? Ohh and by the way country boys will be country boys will be country boys....just saying....

Growing up in the north and the south and having family from both and african American family aswell this has been a discussion many times and we have all come to the conclusion that the only reason the flag is an issue are people that use race as a way to build there own agendas !! Like the way the whole ferguson issue was carried on and now we have more hate and discontent and dead police officers ! The the problem is racism is a double edged sword and without proper education it will always make hearts bleed

I personally don't understand why people are so proud of the Confederate flag or why it is still flying any place in this country 150 years after the Civil War. From the flag's very conception it was Anti-American. It was flown by people who wanted nothing to do with America any more, and decided to start their own country. It is a complete contradiction to fight for the American flag and defend the Confederate one at the same time. Regardless of how it reminds southerners of fond memories of home, that doesn't change what the flag represents. To think that you can just change what something like that represents after 4 years of Civil War is as misguided as African Americans saying they are putting a positive spin on the N word by using it to address each, or dropping the "er" and replacing it with an "a". That word still means what it was originally intended to, and so does the flag. Then you throw on all the racial connotations associated with it as well. To me it's a no brainer. What's even more ironic is a lot of times people that support the Confederate Flag are the same people who get mad at Mexicans and Puerto Ricans for displaying their home country's flag in America. At least those flags aren't Anti-American.

(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?

My first impression is the person displaying this flag probably would attack me if he had the chance, because of what economic system fueled its origins. I think of Willie Lynch a businessman in the slave industry around the world. This is my opinion only, here is a statement he made while speaking to slave owners somewhere in the colony of Virginia in 1712,

“I have outlined a number of differences among the slaves, and I take these differences and make them bigger. I use fear, distrust, and envy for control purposes. These methods have worked on my modest plantation in the West Indies, and it will work throughout the South. Take this simple little test of differences and think about them. On the top of my list is "Age", but it is there because it only starts with an "A"; the second is "Color" or shade; there is intelligence, size, sex, size of plantations, attitude of owners, whether the slaves live in the valley, on a hill, East, West, North, South, have fine or coarse hair, or is tall or short. Now that you have a list of differences, I shall give you an outline of action--but before that, I shall assure you that distrust is stronger than trust, and envy is stronger than adulation, respect, or admiration” (African American images, 2015 p. 1). http://www.africanamericanimages.com/aai/willie%20lynch.htm

Fact or fiction this individual or someone made up served as a catalyst to perpetuate the success of an economic system based off human labor for hundreds of years. This cannot be disputed.

As a black man this strikes me with fear. To think our Constitution once authorized this type of doctrine is even more terrifying. In addition, the reality is, some Americans still view this man (or the idea) in high regard today not only in the south.

I think of President Woodrow Wilson, who brought segregation to the North in the federal government. This flag represents the reality that with enough votes our Constitution can return to the acceptance of the doctrine translated into something else.

I don’t see it as a racial superiority issue as much as an economic belief system that used slaves all around the world as production capital. Some may say that the Bible condones slavery. Well, I was fortunate enough to hold a real slave bible from the 1800’s in my hand from a Professor from Colorado State foreign policy class in 2002. The bible is saw had verses in there reflected the 18th century ideas of what being a slave should be twisting the Bible texts out of context. Easy because speaking African language slaves probably did not know any better.

My second impression is the individual displaying the flag may have family legacy that may not have ties or beliefs to slavery, but was part of the Confederate Nation.

I think of a conversation I had with a German National who taught school at our American High School in Vilseck Germany. We started talking about Hitler. He said that Hitler was a good leader that got Germany out of their economic depression, but he did not agree with his racial superiority and world dominance agendas. His father was an officer in the SS before and during WWII. I think if we get past the high octane emotions of the fluff we can begin to find a path to snuffing out racial hate.

1LT L S , your impassioned defense of SSG Porter is commendable, but do you know the back story to the issue? Firstly, no one threatened him with any UCMJ actions. He was merely warned that as a still active Soldier publicly denigrating the President of the United States was a stupid and potentially career-ending undertaking. His service, however commendable, does not make him immune to the repercussions of his own actions. You mentioned his various deployments in an Infantry capacity, again that is commendable and as an Infantry officer that would normally endear him to me but there is a reason I have called him out. How many of your Soldiers would call you a punk, how many will also be disrespectful to your 1SG? SSG Porter has done both to Officers and senior NCOs at rallypoint. Perhaps this tidbit will help temper your defense of his actions.

With regards to the Stars and Bars, perception is everything. It will vary from person to person, whether they view its purposes for history, racism, or just a memory of home. That being said, I really have no problem, as long as it's displayed with respect and decency.

I am from Alabama and the Confederate Daughters of the Revolution still fly a garrison sized one off of I-65 south. What it symbolizes to me strictly is history and one that is past, not present. I am not offended nor proud of what it has become. Some folks have used it as a symbol of a negative feeling or representation of hatred. It is a shame that has been the case. The state flags that have had to change due to political correctness is a shame also. Would any of us like to be say 40 or 50 years old (young compared to the age and history of a state) and be told our name is offensive and have to change it? I think not. I do not have offense to the flag itself, but if someone is clearly displaying it to offend someone, I think we all can identify that situation rather clearly. That to me is not tolerable and should be addressed.