Is the Confederate flag racist? Is it intimidating?

This recent discussion has been debated throughout SLHS, due to the fact that one of the cars in the parking lot was asked to take this flag down. Personally, I think that the Confederate flag is neither racist nor a symbol of intimidation.

The flag itself represents the Southern states, also called the Confederate States during the period of the Civil War. During the war, the Confederate Army fought for states’ rights. They believed the United States was headed back to a centralized government with little power for the states; therefore, they wanted to fight for these rights.

“The Confederate flag does not support slavery or division of the races,” junior Brycen Holland said. “The flag is about limiting the power of the federal government and placing more power in the states, where the people have more options and more power, which is the point of a democracy. If you’re unsure of what states rights are, read the tenth amendment.”

The Confederate flag is also associated with the southern region of the country and the lifestyle that the people in that area live.

“The Confederate flag ain’t racist,” senior Nate Carl said. “It represents being southern nowadays.”

Senior Haley Disbrow agreed: “I think now it just kind of represents a way of life.”

If the flag truly represented racism and slavery, as opponents to the flag claim, then the flag would have owned slaves. However, this is impossible because flags are only fabric. Therefore, it can’t hold an opinion of racism.

In 1989, the Supreme Court case Johnson v. Texas proved it is not illegal to burn the American flag because by law it is described to be only a piece of fabric. If the American flag is only a piece of fabric, then the Confederate flag is no different. The Confederate flag has no concept of racism because it too, is only fabric.

“Flags aren’t people and therefore have no concept of racism,” senior Zach Moerder said.

The state of Mississippi, which has the highest percentage of African-American people out of all 50 states, with 38%, still displays the Confederate flag emblem on their state flag. The fact that there is no push among any of their citizens to remove it and change the state flag, despite having the highest percentage of African-American people, proves the flag is okay.

If someone chooses to fly a Confederate flag, he or she is protected under the rights of First Amendment of the U. S. Constitution, which grants all Americans freedom of speech.  If people want to express themselves and their Southern heritage through that flag, it is their right and should be protected by law.