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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You know, this rather fragile subject has been argued for as long as I can remember and now it's on RP. I'm not reading all of the responses to this question, but I will tell you this...I'm not from the south, but to me, that flag as it is today represents ones heritage and freedom where so many have fought and died; not racism or hate. Yes, at one time it represented a set of ideals that made sense to those at that time which included slavery. Mistakes were certainly made. What government hasn't made mistakes? Were you there? (Every ethinicity and race on this planet have been slaves, slave owners, or killed others for their ideals at one time or another) The confederacy also meant a split from the traditional government wrong doings at that time as well. Its unfortunate we still associate the civil war and the "stars and bars" with slavery and hate...As a whole, it was not about either. Now get back to work.
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Honestly sir, I think this rule is a bit ridiculous. Originally being from Iowa, I was not accustomed to seeing the Confederate flag. However, I married someone from Georgia and her family takes great pride in being from the South.
I think too many people view the flag as a sign of racism, while those proudly showing their heritage are doing it for just that reason.
We are currently undergoing a race issue... again. But the media blows it way out of proportion. To me, the Confederate flag is no different than the flags people hang from their mirromirror representing their heritage (Brazil, Mexico, Australia, etc.).
I think too many people view the flag as a sign of racism, while those proudly showing their heritage are doing it for just that reason.
We are currently undergoing a race issue... again. But the media blows it way out of proportion. To me, the Confederate flag is no different than the flags people hang from their mirromirror representing their heritage (Brazil, Mexico, Australia, etc.).
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I, like you, have some strong feelings about this, but would it be infringement on his personal liberties to deny this?
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As much as I try not to judge people, and I will alway continue to get to know people before I open up to them about things like that with them. Every person I've met so far who has had that flag around and proudly displayed has been really rude about me being born in a northern state(which bothers me souly because I don't control where I'm born) and they also have been pretty racist. I will happily change that opinion as soon as people prove me wrong, but what that flag represents to me is a rude racist person who refuses to accept things about people that they literally have no control over.
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Displays racism because it was used as the flag of the south where there was more racism to me if you fly it you're flying it with the knowledge that it represents racism among other things and I think the racism triumphs the other things.
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SSG (ret) William Martin
If you assume the guy is racist because he is white with a c-flag I believe that make you racist as well.
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SSG(P) (Join to see)
Yet we condone (and think it's funny) when Infantry Soldiers call everyone not 11 or 18 Series, "Pogs" and when Airborne-qualified Soldiers call non-Airborne qualified Soldiers "Legs."
What's the difference? Putting someone else down for your amusement, thinking you are somehow better than someone else because of the job that you do, and/or the fact that you spent 3 weeks at the US Army Airborne School, and jumped out of an aircraft for one of those weeks?
Why is this stuff accepted and laughed at, yet, if you are white and have pride in your Southern heritage, you are somehow racist and/or a threat?
What's the difference? Putting someone else down for your amusement, thinking you are somehow better than someone else because of the job that you do, and/or the fact that you spent 3 weeks at the US Army Airborne School, and jumped out of an aircraft for one of those weeks?
Why is this stuff accepted and laughed at, yet, if you are white and have pride in your Southern heritage, you are somehow racist and/or a threat?
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PFC (Join to see)
I'm just saying that the flag represents racism I wouldn't want that stigma around me personally. I don't think I'm better than anyone even though I'll prolly become air assault qualified hell the only reason I'll even wear my wings is because they make you. I just don't understand how people can think they're better than other people when we all bleed the same color.
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I could see an NCOER bullet point for poor judgement.
Flying the flag of a defeated traitorous enemy with strong connotations of racism and intolerance. Yeah that could reflect poorly on the soldier.
Flying the flag of a defeated traitorous enemy with strong connotations of racism and intolerance. Yeah that could reflect poorly on the soldier.
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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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Is that flag not the battle standard of a defeated enemy military? If you are in the US military you are an active member of what used to be the Union Army/North. Symbols of racism/culture argument aside, it would be like displaying a WWII era German flag or a NK flag, and before anyone calls me a damn Yankee, my grandmother still calls it the war of northern aggression. The point is, you voluntarily joined the military of the United States of America, not the Confederate States of America so their battle standard has no business on base.
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What ever makes you feel good about where you are from fly their flag all you want. Since american politics has been corrupted by football TBI mentality for the last 100 years it is only natural for a kid to tag himself with the fucking logo of the local team. In this case the South. By the way, they lost 0=1.
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