The Confederate Flag Controversy Gets a Unique Perspective from Country Music Legend Charlie Daniels

[Uncle Joe]

“I have no desire to reinstate the Confederacy. I oppose slavery as vehemently as any man, and I believe that every human being, regardless of the color of their skin, is just as valuable as I am and deserves the exact same rights and advantages as I do.

(snip)

Unfortunately, the Confederate battle flag has been adopted by hate groups – and individuals like Dylann Roof – to supposedly represent them and their hateful view of the races.

Please believe me when I say that, to the overwhelming majority of Southerners, the flag represents no such thing, but is simply a banner denoting an area of the nation and one’s pride in living there.

I know there will be those who will take these words of mine, try to twist them or call them insincere and try to make what I’ve said here some kind of anti-black racial statement, but I tell everybody who reads this article, I came up in the days of cruel racial prejudice and Jim Crow laws, when the courts were tilted against any black man, when the segregated educational system was inferior and when opportunities for blacks to advance were almost nonexistent.”

(snip)

http://www.ijreview.com/2015/6/355038-country-star-charlie-daniels-weighs-confederate-flag-controversy/

There is more on the link.

[Arugula Latte]

1. Well, their oh-so-benevolent *sarcasm* symbol ain't working.

Most people see that ugly red rag, they they think: racism, slavery, hate, KKK, etc.

I don't buy the "Oh, most of us just want to express pride that we're from the South!" Yeah, there might be a bit of that in some people who fly it, but I'd bet that the majority are also expressing some form of racism.

So, if you think your symbol is largely misinterpreted (Oh, Heavens, how could ANYONE ever conclude that it's promoting racism?! Where are my smellin' salts?!) then trash it. Obviously it's not a good symbol.

[TeeYiYi]

2. The courts are STILL tilted against any black man...

...and opportunities for blacks to advance are STILL as scarce as hen's teeth.

Pretending that a flag that has been adopted as a mascot by rabid racists is somehow still historically virtuous is disingenuous at minimum. Anyone who chooses to defend this racist icon immediately loses any respect I may have ever held for them.

TYY

[Hiraeth]

3. I understand what he is saying but, honestly I think it is time to put it in a museum. I see nothing

wrong with states updating their flags to represent their state's progress into the 21st century.

[jwirr]

4. He left out a part of the truth. No one is taking their historical flag away. They are being asked

to put it in history where it belongs - that is not on the present government grounds. They can put it in a museum or their own home or front yard. No one is telling them they cannot do that. But they cannot put it in a place that is supposed to represent everyone regardless of race.

[Jamastiene]

9. Exactly.

No one is taking their personal flags away from them. People are only asking that is not be flown on government property as if the Confederacy is still a country.

[arcane1]

5. So he's as ignorant of history as the rest of them n/t

[Lochloosa]

6. As a Southerner, this is such a bullshit statement...

"Please believe me when I say that, to the overwhelming majority of Southerners, the flag represents no such thing, but is simply a banner denoting an area of the nation and one’s pride in living there."

The overwhelming majority of Southerners do not own a Confederate flag, would not fly a Confederate flag and it has nothing to do with our pride in living here.

I love the South, I just hate racist.

[Hiraeth]

12. I rarely see that flag. I have seen more of it posted here on DU than I ever have in real life.

Just in the past week I have seen more of that flag than I have ever in all my sum total of years on this earth.

[cwydro]

14. Same here. Not to mention,

I've seen more "refighting" of the Civil War here on DU than I've ever heard in my life.

[Hiraeth]

19. gawd yes. Everyone I know around here, both black and white, Have Moved ON. Another thing,

all the whites I know, freely admit that there is a huge possibility they have mixed blood and so we all consider ourselves to be kinfolk.

Now then, kinfolk can argue, discuss and debate and break bread with one another.

Fight one minute and love the next. and honestly draw together in our disdain for Northerners trying to define us.

Northerners will never understand it, I don't think.

A lot of people around here (black and white) think Northeners need to just shut up and listen when we are talking about our issues and how we want to solve them.

[Go Vols]

22. +1

[Hiraeth]

25. I think Lincoln understood this. John Wilkes Boothe did this country wrong

and we are yet to recover from it.

[Cali_Democrat]

40. ...

http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2015/06/28/3674915/charleston-church-fires/

[Uncle Joe]

41. One of them burned down in Ohio on Saturday.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3142817/String-suspected-arson-attacks-SIX-black-churches-stretching-Georgia-Ohio-burned-single-week.html

[cwydro]

44. One burned in my town too.

However, that in no way negates the veracity of my post.

But, that's ok. I see you.

Clearly.

[Cha]

53. Coincidence? I think not. :( I hope they all had good insurance.

[Person 2713]

20. Lucky you.

[Hiraeth]

23. Indeed. For I am blessed and astute enough to know it. Sorry for your sad state of affairs. Is there

anything I can do to help you change your circumstances?

[Person 2713]

34. I guess you could offer my neighbors 2 doors down 2 new trucks with the condition that

they not put that flag on the back of both.i doubt they would take the offer as they seem to have plenty of money and the trucks they have are both new
Or maybe you can talk to them to park their trucks the other way around so folk who may be offended who have to walk by ,who have no choice ,do not have to see it on a daily basis since it is a mixed area. Especially the black kids on the way to school down the street

With 4th of July coming there will been young adults driving around flying that flag off their cars if it is anything like years past so the 2 trucks will not stand out so much that day

[Hiraeth]

42. Or ... You could move. Just a helpful suggestion

[Person 2713]

45. Yes I am sure they would like that too. Wish I could house finacially under water still

Prices going up so maybe next year if we can get out or you could buy it from us at what we paid since you are looking to help . Just a suggestion

[cwydro]

43. What state are you in Person?

I do feel for your pain.

[Person 2713]

47. Not south and others have commented on the flags around here and will not flee as suggested

Here's a forum complaining about the kids driving around with the flag
I know the poster above told me if you don't like it suggest I move , guess do not complain here and that they work things out in the south ... i guess people moving away is one way of working it out for some in fact one reason they display it so certain people stay away to begin with.
We lived here before the flag displaying neighbors so didn't get the message in time

Looks like I am not alone though in complaining and it's been going on awhile and not everyone think moving is the way to go although a few comments reflect the hey you don't like the flags then move

http://www.topix.com/forum/city/antioch-il/TTPIOJ1D47713C8T4/p7

[underpants]

21. Living in the South I can't remember it being about the WHERE

But hey, at least Charlie was done new material. It's been like 30 years since that happened.

[GaYellowDawg]

52. BINGO.

Could not possibly have said it better.

[griffi94]

54. well said and i would add

that proud heritage they talk about is really a willful ignorance
and a flat out refusal to accept that it's no longer the 1950s.

all the folks i ever knew who sported the rebel flag and talked about their proud heritage were in reality
hoping somebody would say something about it so they would have an opportunity
to get belligerent and speak the truth as they saw it to whoever called them on it.
they wanted to offend people or at least shock people.

think about that idiot rancher that the wingers got all moist over and how he stuck both his feet in his mouth
because he just couldn't stop himself from holding forth with his own personal version of truth.

[prayin4rain]

58. Agreed. When I RARELY see one on somebody's truck or something,

I just know that person is an insensitive moron. That's it.

[MohRokTah]

7. Then he turns around and IGNORES the fact that the Battle Flag of the Army of Virginia

or the Battle Flag of the Army of Tennessee in the rectangular form (or Navy Jack in that form also) was all but non-existent outside museums UNTIL THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT!

It then was dragged out of history as a symbol of hatred to fight AGAINST the Civil Rights movement.

So no, you do NO get to redefine it you rightwing jackass.

It's a symbol of hate and those who fly it are demonstrating their racial bigotry, YOU INCLUDED (directed at Charlie Daniels)!

[mmonk]

11. +1

[Stallion]

27. That's the Point That Destroys "the Flag Represents southern Heritage" Argument

it was a symbol of Southern resistance to civil rights and integration in the 1940s-50s.

[MohRokTah]

28. And between 1865 and the 1940s, only some KKK orgnaizations flew it.

Nobody else did.

[Jamastiene]

8. Sounds to me like there are a lot of people who need to learn

the history of that flag. They can claim all they want that it just means some stupid southern heritage or whatever, but it came from a war fought because they wanted to keep slavery. It's racist to display it today. Why don't they come up with a new flag that isn't rooted in treason, slavery, and pigheadedness?

They are glossing over the truth. They are being pigheaded over this. They need to put the flag in museums where it belongs. The fact that they are still hanging onto it like they are proves they cannot be trusted. They surrendered over 150 years ago and are still fighting the Civil War. It's time they gave up their blanket.

[Spazito]

10. Uh huh...

"I know there will be those who will take these words of mine, try to twist them or call them insincere and try to make what I’ve said here some kind of anti-black racial statement, but I tell everybody who reads this article, I came up in the days of cruel racial prejudice and Jim Crow laws, when the courts were tilted against any black man, when the segregated educational system was inferior and when opportunities for blacks to advance were almost nonexistent.”

And what did he do to fight against this......not a thing from what I can tell. Instead he defends a racist flag and uses the argument racists are using, imo.

[ChisolmTrailDem]

13. So, which Federal action against the confederate flag is he referring to? I'm not aware of any. nt

[kwolf68]

17. Federal action he is talking about is...

probably the Slave Fugitive Acts which trampled on the states rights of the North in forcing those states to adhere to southern pro-slavery laws which were being federalized.

No, wait...that's not it?

[H2O Man]

24. Well done.

Very well done, indeed.

[Person 2713]

18. Part of the same federal action plan in place to take away his guns and ammo

...and now his flag
Stir up some shit much Charlie?

[Uncle Joe]

30. I believe he's referring to federal action removing the flag from state grounds.

Daniel's believes the states should vote on it, that's my take from the article.

[Person 2713]

35. What federal action in which state took place when and where on state grounds?

[Uncle Joe]

36. It hasn't yet, I believe Daniels is trying to preempt future federal actions. n/t

[Person 2713]

15. Too late Joe . The swastika was an ancient Asian symbol but post WWII

it had to go for most people
Edit Wiki
Because of its use by Nazi Germany, the swastika since the 1930s has been largely associated with Nazism and white supremacy in most Western countries. As a result, all of its use, or its use as a Nazi or hate symbol is prohibited in some countries, including Germany. Because of the stigma attached to the symbol, many buildings that have contained the symbol as decoration have had the symbol removed.
--------------------
Daniels is part of the confederate flag fest in Oct, so he will be talking about it a lot ($) in the media

[1939]

39. Swastika or sunwheel

Was an ancient symbol of the Indo-European (Aryan) peoples. It was common in many Germanic art and represented the sun to those people. The Aryan migrations to and invasion of the Indian sub-continent made it a Hindu symbol. Buddhism as an off shoot of Hinduism adopted the symbol and spread it to east and southeast Asia. Its occurrence in Native American art would indicate some contact with Chinese traders before Columbus. The US 45th Division (Oklahoma National Guard) used the swastika as a shoulder patch showing NA heritage of Oklahoma. With the rise of Naziism in the 1930s, the shoulder patch was changed to a thunderbird motif.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

55. One of my sister's Jewish friends recently married a Hindu, and there were swastikas at their

wedding.

I've also seen (I think) Falun Gong members carrying banners through Cambridge with, inter alia, swastikas on them.

So it's not as gone as you might think.

[sarisataka]

16. I think what Mr Daniels is missing

Is the point that he or anyone may fly any rag in their front yard that they wish. The First Amendment allows that and I support it 100%

So he may fly a Confederate flag, Nazi flag or put a bumper sticker on his truck reading 'I am Anal Backwash'; they all say pretty much the same thing.

It is a matter of government institutions flying the flag. Then the message changes to support. Such institutions should not fly anything that is going to be misrepresenting the state, Confederate, Nazi, Isis flags representing hate.

Neither would I favor flying the Christian flag, Buddhist flag, Coptic flag or Vatican flag as that could be construed as supporting religion.

[Solomon]

26. Lol. Uncle Joe just ain't giving up.

Go ahead and shed some tears over your beloved flag. Charlie Daniels can't save it and his perspective is far from unique.

First rule: When digging a hole - stop digging!

[Uncle Joe]

31. Ironically one of my family members that fought for the Union was a well digger by trade.

I guess it's in my DNA.

[Uncle Joe]

32. P.S. Just for the record and I've posted this before.

The only flag that I own and for that matter have ever owned is the U.S. Flag which was draped across my father's coffin and is wrapped in a plastic triangle stored in my closet.

[Lint Head]

29. I know him. He is a holier than thou right wing prick. He doesn't want to lose fans.

It's about the money. Just my opinion.

[Ex Lurker]

37. It's a shame. He used to be countercultural

Long Haired Country Boy wasn't just the name of a song. He found Jesus and Regan in the eighties.

[awoke_in_2003]

33. Bullshit. nt

[RobertEarl]

38. Charlie is peeing in the wind

The flag is not to be flown at any official state flagpole ever again.

NANANAna, hey hey hey, goodbye.

So whine on Charlie, whine on. Yer all wet!! Bwahahaha

[treestar]

46. Even if what he says is true

Why does a USA region have a flag? No other region does. Why does that region? Oh yeah, history.

[Monk06]

48. Bullshit. When you see an eight foot long confederate flag flying off the back of a pick up truck

it doesn't say pride. It says, Hee Haw a drag hangin is comin your way n****r.

Charles Daniels is just being a confederate apologist as usual.

[geek tragedy]

49. Shorter Charlie Daniels: "I'm not evil, just stupid." nt

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

50. "race baiters like Al Sharpton" - The fact that he insisted in dropping that one

Tells you all you need to know about Ol' Charlie.

Sharpton has barely been a part of this story, but racists like Chuck are show indoctrinated in Hannity and BillOism that they have Al on the brains 24/7.

[Drunken Irishman]

51. If you have to start off by saying you oppose slavery, you've already lost the argument.

[Skittles]

56. yes, I remember all the demonstrations about racists hijacking their beloved confederate flag

oh wait

[Hoyt]

57. Just another confederate flag waver using it to attract an ignorant racist

audience.

[hatrack]

59. IOW, "We do it because we've always done it, and we never bothered to learn history"

Nice try, Charlie. Fail.