Boss
Take a Memo:
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- #461
What purpose does it make to pick at those cultural scabs? Does flying the Confederate battle flag in contemporary America serve to unite, to inspire, to rally? The perception of that flag is what it is. All the rationalizations, equivocations, excuses and obtuse history won't change that perception one iota.
The purpose of a flag is to inspire, to act as a benchmark, of national identity. The legacy of that flag on the battlefield and in the post war century has been one of division, treason and bigotry.
Go ahead and fly that flag. Don't expect everyone who sees it to consider Lincoln's ideas of racial separation as an excuse to admire it.
The perception of that flag is what it is.
The perception is different depending on who you are and what your intentions are. This is where I have a problem with you. It's like you want to infer your own perception as the ONLY perception and pretend there can be no other. That's what BIGOTS do, in fact, it's the hallmark of bigotry to do that. I prefer to defend the right of anyone who wants to fly that flag, and use it as an opportunity to dispel ignorance in the symbolic meaning. I can't speak to why various people fly the flag, just as I can't speak to the motivations of those who may fly an American flag. People have different reasons for what they do. They have different perceptions of various images and symbols. We're fortunate to live in country that recognizes our freedom to be different and to be able to have freedom of speech.
Don't expect everyone who sees it to consider Lincoln's ideas of racial separation as an excuse to admire it.
I don't expect that, and it's not the reason I brought up Lincoln's ideas. I haven't demanded that you "admire" anything, that's up to you as an individual. I've only asked you to be tolerant of those who don't share your perception of the symbolism. I've explained how your perception has flaws, but you keep rejecting that and insisting your perception is the ONLY perception and no one else is entitled to a different one. Again... textbook bigotry.