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

We have gotten to a point where displaying the American flag is offensive. Should we also hide the Stars and Stripes because people choose to be offended? I don't think so. Lets keep speech and expression free as long as it is not an overt threat.

I personally think the Confederate Flag should not be flown anywhere in the United States. To me it represents a group of traitors, who decided to leave the Union and become their own country. The seceeded, fought and lost a war. In losing they lost the right to fly the flag. If the South had won the Civil War would we be able to fly the US Flag?

Most Southeners say the flag represents a culture, but what culture does it represent? What in that culture brings pride, rolling cotton fields, forced labor, lynchings, segregation? What is it? Help me understand?

I personally am NOT offended by the Confederate flag as an African American, but I am offended by the Confederate flag and an American soldier who's country lost several brave men fighting to preserve the greatest nation in the world against domestic terrorists.....

CPT Aaron Kletzing. Historical note . . . there are three distinct flags displayed below . . .

(1) The Battle Flag of the Army of Northern Virginia ( SQUARE )

(2) The Battle Flag of the Army of Tennessee ( RECTANGLE )

(3) The Stars and Bars

The Battle Flag of the Army of Tennessee is also known as the CONFEDERATE FLAG / Rebel Flag / Dixie Flag / Southern Cross . . . this may be disquieting to some and is the one flown most often.

Warmest Regards, Sandy

Source: http://www.moc.org/collections-archives/flags-confederacy

I feel that the display of the Confederate States of America Flag is racist at worst, and to be perfectly frank, ignorant at best.

1. It is the symbol of the Confederate States of America - a briefly lived country that stood for the institution of slavery and the degradation of their fellow man - period. There is not talking around that point.

2. The Confederate States of America lost the civil war - why are we still flying the flag? It makes no more sense than someone flying a Nazi flag post WWII, which brings me to my next point -

3. It is a symbol of hate in most circles, and wildly offensive. The argument of southern pride is a bogus one - as is the notion that the war itself was over states rights. We are Americans, and as such only have one flag that represents our great nation.

4. It is your First Amendment right to display it - however that right does not extend to military installations - it is contrary to good order and discipline in every sense.

Historical trivia and footnotes aside - you have to accept it for what is has become over the last 150 years - a symbol of division, hate, and ignorance.

The movie "Gone With the Wind" creatred this romantic picture of the Confederacy. Hate groups adopted the Confederate battle flag (more specifically the Confederate Naval Jack as a symbol of their movement. I can fulliy appreciate how African American as well as anyone who has been targeted by these hate groups will find the Stars and Bars offensive.

Supporters say it is "pride and not hate". Opponents find it offenive and hateful.

I consider myself a student of history. I love it and soak it up where ever I can find it. My family fought for the Confederacy, they were not slave owners. They were poor dirt farmers - one step above a slave on the social ladder who were conscripted into the army. I say this becuase it is history and we should all know our histories.

That being said all the Confederate flags need to be furled and returned to the museums. We need to educate on all the causes of the War Between the States and the post war era. We need to educate the causes of Jim Crow, Seperate but Equal and the Civil Rights Era. We need to educate why certain symbols are offensive. (I find the clenched fist of the Black Panther Party offensive).

Kind of a rant on my part but I believe that if a symbol is disruptive to good order and discipline it should be removed.

"(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?"

I don't think it's something a commander should consider banning on a vehicle, as long as it's privately owned. I think it's unprofessional to have it on a vehicle, but it is protected as freedom of expression in a public place.

On your person in public, same thing, as long as you are not on duty (said mostly for the sake of civilians and contractors, since military will usually be in uniform). On duty, however, I think it's not just permissible but appropriate to say that it doesn't belong.

To me, these both apply on and off post. Again, freedom of expression means also the freedom to express horrible, reprehensible ideas. Others can choose to respond/act differently toward you based on that expression, as is also their right.

"(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?"

This may be unpopular here, but I'll just come out and say it:
It's a symbol of treason, secession, and slavery. Period.

I really don't see a way around that. It was the chosen banner of the movement that decided that the forced servitude of an entire race was more important than upholding your duty. The South's greatest "heroes," such as Lee, were traitors to their country, and since they took an oath as military members which they violated with their desertion, it is not a negotiable factor.

Yes, I know some people go on about "southern heritage," but outside of southern cuisine, there isn't a single piece of that "heritage" that doesn't ultimately trace back to treason, secession, slavery, and a sense of pride in those qualities.

And I know there are others who will ultimately say the real issue was "state's rights," to which I would ask, which ones? What did the traitors who formed the confederacy *say* was their rationale? Luckily, we don't have to guess, as they wrote it in their letters, and their statements of secession, and in their new state constitutions: slavery.

For what it's worth, I *don't* think that everyone brandishing the symbol is a bigot or a racist or a traitor. I think a lot of people have convinced themselves that the symbol means something different. Unfortunately for them, they are wrong.

"(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 see confederate flags and Gadsden flags on cars almost every day at work. I've never seen anyone post up such stuff in the office, or wear clothing depicting it within the office (even off duty).

The only controversial symbols I've seen have been religious ones, and they've always in the cases I've been around been resolved amicably. I honestly don't know how I'd respond if it wasn't peacefully resolved right away, as I think each case may have too many unique circumstances to make a broad statement about how to act.

Once again so long as you are extending this ban to ALL flags which might offend someone.
We live in an interesting time: everyone speaks of being politically correct but the rules ONLY apply to a few. All rules must be equally enforceable with respect to all groups. Consider; an Irish Decedent might be offended by the Union Jack, a Armenian by a Turkish Flag, a Ukrainian, Polish, Georgian by a Russian Flag, a Palestinian by the Israeli Flag and vice versa, etc. I might be offended every time I see a New York Yankees Sticker (as rightfully anyone should be). Where will you draw the line? There will be or should not be exceptions or sacred cows that escape in order to be "PC". Ban them all to protect everyone as equal under the law or leave it alone, allow personal choice and freedom and make everyone act tolerantly.

My 2 cents:

From my observations, many people north and south of the Mason Dixon line use the flag as a symbol of rebellion not necessarily related to the Civil War. Yes the flag is deep rooted in southern history and those that are the staunchest supporters of its symbology seem to be predominantly from the south. Elements of the flag design are currently incorporated into state flags and that is allowed to legally stand. That being said, I don't think a post commander has the authority to ban the public display of the Confederate flag. It is technically no longer the flag of a foreign country more of a symbol of rebellious and/or southern pride.

Now if PFC Johnny Reb and PFC Billy Yank are sharing quarters and the display of the flag becomes disruptive to good order and discipline, then I believe the local commander should have the right to resolve the issue to include asking the soldier to remove the flag, just as if it were something morally or racially sensitive and/or offensive.

I have dealt with this issue since my days as a HS in NJ, in the NY Metro Area. As a company commander, as TAC at West Point, as BN and BDE Commander, and now a HS teacher in Missouri.

Symbols (which this is) mean different things to different people. In NJ, it means/meant a redneck and racist hatred. Here redneck is considered to be in vogue.

In my view, this flag, symbol, etc, should never be displayed anywhere... let alone on a military members clothing, skin, or vehicle. Regardless of what non-racist things they may state it means... for far too many Americans this symbol means nothing but evil and hatred.

To me, displaying it is simply insensitive at best.

Like most of us, I love my military history. I always saw the stars and bars as a chapter in our history. The display of this flag does not mean that you are a racist or advocate separating from this great nation. I'm also aware that there is a strong correlation between certain hate groups and the use of that image. I promise you that haters are going to hate, regardless. Complex problems are fought by like a major campaign whittling them down to size battle after battle and skirmish after skirmish and sometimes over a span of decades/centuries. Racism is a perfect example. One of the skirmishes was displaying images. Somehow, the skirmish turned into it's own battle. In my opinion, the enemy (racism) created a distraction to get us to attack in the wrong direction. Making the stars and bars the symbol of racism means that about half of this nation are racists. All families who had relatives that proudly served the south are descendants of racists. Therefore, in the noble battle to fight racism, we succeeded to swell the ranks with fighters on both sides that previously had no interest to fight. My girlfriend is a Japanese national and lost relatives during WWII fighting relatives that we all lost. What does that make us?