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

I used to get upset when I seen that flag displayed. That was because I did not fully understand what it means to some people. Two things changed how I thought of that flag.

The first was when I listened to " The Night They Drove Ole Dixie Down" by The Band. I understood that the flag was representation of a way of life, a certain since of community taken away by a war with fellow country men. Certainly one of the most despicable moments in U.S. history.

The second was when I joined a section as mixed race PFC with a Caucasian female NCO as my first line. She had the flag as rear license plate on her F150 she picked me up in from the 82nd reception. I was terrified that I would not get a fare shake, and she was ignorant. When in fact, she supported me and the other two African-American male Soldiers with unwavering persistence. She was one of the best NCOs I have ever worked with personally.


In my mind, their are two reasons folks would display the confederate flag. The above, and the people that unfortunately believe that one group of people are in fact better than other groups of people because of the shade of their skin, their faith, or what geographic location they are from. To me, if an individual is so intellectually challenged that they believe that, I'm not upset anymore, I fill sorry for them. They miss out on so much because of bias that I get to enjoy by engaging people with my open mind.

If America, my way of life, my since of community, was taken from me in an act of war from opposing idealist, I would fly the stars and strips until the day I died. Don't get offended until you have a reason to be is all I'm saying. If the person flying the confederate flag posses a threat to good order and discipline, address that threat and that individual. Categorizing everybody that displays that flag is no better than than any other simple minded label people have given their life to erase.

I don't see a problem here. After all while I was in the Army on active duty from 79-82 and again from 99-02 I saw flags and stickers from Mexico, Puerto Rico, the Philippine Islands, and several other nations in and on vehicles being driven by service members. The Confederate States of America does NOT exist anymore, the flag as was stated by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca, as "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." This is another case of Higher authority overstepping their boundaries. As a veteran who is from the south I don't see the "Confederate"/rebel flag as any type or threat to good military order and discipline unless as also stated my Maj. Petrarca it becomes a problem between soldiers living in the barracks. So much for my .02.

True story: I responded to a fight in progress call while working as a cop in SC several years ago. When I arrived, two guys and a girl in their early 20's were standing around and I asked them what was going on. They said that they had been arguing, but it was all cool now. I asked them what they were arguing about and one babbled about the other guy being from up North, but they had agreed to let bygones be bygones and not argue about what had happened 50 years ago . I asked him what could have happened 50 years ago that got them so upset. He looked at me as if I was an idiot and said, "Duh…the Civil War?" His girlfriend quickly jumped in and corrected him saying that the Civil War didn't happen 50 years ago….it was 75 years ago.
I have found that it is very common to run into people who believe that their grandfather fought in the Civil War, or they remembered an uncle talking about how he fought in the Civil War and they believe it. They proudly display the rebel flag and would fight anyone who wanted them to take it down.
I'm not sure of the correct way to counter long, and deeply held beliefs that are inaccurate, but I do know that trying to put an outright ban on a symbol only makes people more determined to display it and to believe that they are right. One thing that might help is education. The military, unfortunately, has its hands full with their sort of thing.

OUCH! Talk about a devisive subject!

I'm all about someone having and enjoying freedom of speech. We don't have criminal actions against those who burn the U.S. Flag. What I have a problem with is those that rally behind the Confederate flag as if it stands for something other than what it actually stood for. Politics being the animal it is .... the politicians of the day used all the right buzz words to create the emotional tug that still exists today. And it's all bull$hit...just like any issue that's emotionally charged.

The war between the states was economics. Plain and simple. That war got wrapped up in emotion because someone told someone else they didn't like the way they were doing things. If you take the emotions out of the equation, that's what it boiled down to. In the end, one side won. The winning side got to set the rules of "how things are gonna be done".

Here's my take: there's no honor in trying to honor a state or states that made the ownership of another human being a "good thing". You can play with words all you like - that's my take.

In the end, the politicians did what they always do - they used words to rouse up the populace to do their bidding.

I think it's time to find another way to describe your pride in your state besides trying to stir up a $hitstorm .... cuz in the end ownership of another human being is the only thing anyone with a braincell working properly is gonna see when they see the stars and bars of the confederacy.

I personally have no feelings about it either way. I know that the flag represents heritage and other meanings outside of race. All that matters to me is how I'm treated and that I'm returned the same respect that I give when I'm engaged in a conversation with someone who feels they need to display the rebel flag.

This is not an uncommon occurrence because I live in Kentucky and I've talked with all kinds of people on and off base that either wear or display their heritage. From these conversations I've learned that the flag holds different meanings for different people.

I know I may get some backlash from those that are focused on the past, but nothing can change what has already happened. All we can do as citizens is focus on the future and respect one another.

I think we are too easily offended. I see flags of various places where human rights are trampled upon (i.e. Haiti , Africa) and no one bats an eye! The Confederate Flag IS a part of American History, those who display it are not necessarily paying homage to slavery, but to their Southern roots. Is everyone who buys white sheets a part of the Klan? Will the. PX stop selling white sheets because they offend someone?

To preface this I would like to state that I was a History major for a period of time, and that I have read my fair share of history books. I disagree whole heartedly with the flying of the CSA flag on US military instillations, whether the instillation is in the North or the South. To me you are asking to fly the banner of those people who instead of striving to work out their differences with their countrymen through the mechanisms of the Republic, decided instead to take up arms. At every opportunity after the end of the War great mercy was shown to men that were not prisoners of war, but men who had committed treason. Jefferson Davis the President of the CSA spent 2 years in prison; while the leader of the Union was assassinated in the Ford Theater. The Union sent troops, and resources to the south to secure the peace, and quickly reintegrated them into the American fold, and what do they wish to do? They wish to fly the banner under which they fired into the lines of men who were Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines of the United States Military, an organization they wish to belong to. We as a nation should forgive the transgressions of both sides, but do not say it Unites us to fly the flag under which they tried to divide us. My $0.02

Well CPT Aaron Kletzing, since you tagged me, I feel obligated to chime in. To be quite honest, I have never had any issue with the confederate flag. It really does not symbolize anything specific to me; other than the Dukes of Hazard. There are those out there who are very opinionated about the confederate flag and I really am not one of them. I do believe that if you display something, regardless of what it is, for the sole purpose of offending someone else, then you are wrong.

Displaying the flag in or out of uniform, on or off post is a persons personal preference. I personally wouldn't be offended by it, it is their right as an American citizen to fly the flag.

The Confederate flag means a nation of traitors to me. As a kid I never knew what the Rebel flag meant other than it was a cool flag on the side of the General Lee on Dukes of Hazard. After joining the Army I took a Civil War class and found out exactly what the flag meant. After learning I saw the Rebel flag as a traitor flag, they rebelled against the United States and lost the war. Ask yourself this question, had they won would we be able to fly the Stars and Bars?

Most say it's part of their heritage, when they say that I ask what part of the heritage? Is it the right to fight for what they believe is right against the Federal government? If that's not their answer than I can only assume that their heritage is king cotton, slavery and Jim Crow and that I do not respect. Some just don't understand the pain caused by the sight of the flag being displayed. I'm only 43 years old and I've had relatives lynched, beaten and tied to train tracks. If that is the proud heritage they speak of then you should be ashamed of yourself.

1. Seems divisive. If we're going to get our drawers knotted over some USMA cadets raising fists, then that flag seems like it should be an even bigger issue.

2. The men who went to war under that flag went to war for a set of ideals. Some of those ideals are good, some not. In the 21st Century, a person flying that flag has to understand and accept the fact that that "movement" attempted to destroy the country, enslaved MILLIONS and the racial tensions and disparities that existed under that system have yet to be fully rectified. And maybe never will.

3. I am thick-skinned. You can't offend me by flying a flag. Any flag. And hell, I like guns n' freedom as much or more than most folks flying that flag. And by flying that flag, you have to not just accept the historical negatives, but the contemporary associations based on the fringe groups who have co-opted the symbol. So I figure that if you're aware of all that and still choose to ride out under that flag, you and I aren't going to have much to talk about.