Southern Pride In the USA: 'My Confederate Flag Will Not Come Down!'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeB-bHgccpc

The flag that I pledged allegiance to every Monday morning, K-12 has what I like to call “an evil twin,” or the Confederate Flag. However, fellow 19-year-old college student Byron Thomas interprets the semiotics of the other red, white, and blue flag much differently than I do.

This black student (‘black’ is the label he prefers as African-American makes him feel ‘half-citizen’) from South Carolina exercised his right to free speech by hanging the confederate flag in the window of his dorm room, on display all to see. Byron admits he sees the perceived oddness in this act as he stated in his youtube video, “I know it’s kind of weird because I’m black.” But Byron didn’t hang the flag up in an act of protest or irony, but because he finds inherent pride and respect in the flag.

Historically, the Civil War was not a war specifically fought for the issue of slavery, as it is often associated with, but a war for Southern Independence. Byron believes that the true meaning of the Confederate flag has evolved unfairly over time and he claims, “When I look at this flag, I don’t see racism. I see respect, Southern pride. This flag was seen as a communication symbol.”

After reading articles on Byron Thomas, I questioned whether I had any authority or right to feel so strongly on this subject of race and identity. I am a white citizen of Northern U.S. who grew up in the 1990’s. I’ve never felt threatened or discriminated against because of my race. I feel no strong personal connection to the fabric the flag in made of but I can say with conviction I do have permission to dislike the message I believe the symbol of the flag represents.

One of my good friends in high school had her car break down in Southern Mississippi. In the stranded car was her and her mom, both Jamaican; her step-father, a Caucasian; and her younger brother, who is half Jamaican, and half Caucasian. The truck that pulled over to help them had confederate flag mud-flaps. Her account of the deep and real fear she felt from seeing the image of the flag has stuck with me and has made me care.

I have to channel my inner Dryer and own my “whiteness” and all the mindsets that come with doing so. I accept that I am a Yankee, privileged and often in the majority. I will never know what Byron feels by being called “half-citizen” and although I don’t agree with him displaying the flag in a prideful way, I respect his reasoning behind doing so. His hope is that people “thoughtfully consider issues of race and not just knee-jerk reactions to such symbols.” I can only speak for myself, but his hope became a reality, as I took a second look at why I personally connect confederate with racism.