Southern Pride or National Dissatisfaction
August 23rd 2008 16:40
As someone who has lived both north and south of the Mason-Dixon line it’s easy for me to admit I’m proud of my southern heritage. You won’t find me flying the confederate flag though. Not because of shame for my ancestors’ part in the Civil War, but pride for the United States of America.
Regardless of where you stand on the issue of what the Confederate flag symbolizes, it isn’t a valid banner. It represents a turbulent period in American history, a symbol of the past. If the south had won the Civil War, they would be a country unto themselves separate from the United States of America. One of my nephews didn’t realize this fact until we spoke on the subject. To him it was a symbol of heritage, something separate from national pride.
The end of the Civil War marked a changed America. In the book Inventing America the authors state, “Americans emerged from the war with an altered idea of what their country and government meant.” The United States became a singular rather than plural entity. Displaying the Confederate flag hints at dissatisfaction with the war’s outcome.
I’m not telling anyone it’s wrong to display the Confederate flag but if you want the pride of the Confederacy to wave in the wind, you should look inward and discover the reasons why. Is it an expression of pride in southern heritage? Does it symbolize your dissatisfaction with the present government of the United States? Would you consent to fly Old Glory and the Southern Cross together and if so, which would fly above the other?
Confederate Battle Flag
The end of the Civil War marked a changed America. In the book Inventing America the authors state, “Americans emerged from the war with an altered idea of what their country and government meant.” The United States became a singular rather than plural entity. Displaying the Confederate flag hints at dissatisfaction with the war’s outcome.
I’m not telling anyone it’s wrong to display the Confederate flag but if you want the pride of the Confederacy to wave in the wind, you should look inward and discover the reasons why. Is it an expression of pride in southern heritage? Does it symbolize your dissatisfaction with the present government of the United States? Would you consent to fly Old Glory and the Southern Cross together and if so, which would fly above the other?
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