Racist symbols matter.
Whether you agree or not, the Confederate flag represents racism, hatred and systemic oppression to generations of Americans. Once upon a time, this flag was a battlefield emblem in the Civil War. Today, it symbolizes so much more in our divided states of America. It also represents something different to various groups of people.
For some, it’s an emblem for Southern pride. I’ve known proud owners of this flag who fly it continually outside their homes. I’ve never heard them utter hate speech or ugly slurs against black people. Not in my presence anyway. Flying this flag in public doesn’t automatically make them bigots.
For others, the flag is a crest for youthful rebellion. In my teenage years, some friends draped these flags, and other confederate images, across their bedroom walls. They didn’t fully understand the flag’s infamous history or its racial imagery. They also didn’t care. They thought it looked cool next to their posters of Lynyrd Skynyrd and ZZ Top.
At that age, their stance was less about David Duke, the grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan, and more about “The Dukes of Hazzard” and its souped-up Dodge Charger, the General Lee. My friends were trying to be cool, not new recruits for racial hatred. Most of them grew out of this phase. I think.
My point is that not all owners of this controversial flag are inherent racists, despite public backlash during this era of Black Lives Matter. Still, racist symbols matter — this flag, the statues of Confederate commanders, the KKK logo, the Nazi swastika, a burning cross, a noose — all of these convey certain imagery or a visceral reaction.
We can try to remove the Confederate flag from public view. It won’t remove the pro-slavery echoes from its history. This would be like washing away the chalk outline of a homicide victim on a street but leaving behind the stain of blood. The body is gone, the killing still took place there.
This sort of disturbing imagery is what America is attempting to reconcile through public protests, police reform, and institutional overhaul. Americans generally agree that wrongful killings based on skin color have taken place on U.S. soil for centuries. However, we adamantly disagree on how much it matters. Or what
Is the Confederate flag merely a piece of faded cloth with a tainted history, or is it a tangible symbol for hate speech and racial hostility? I tend to believe the latter despite many of its owners insisting otherwise. Trying to change their stance at this point would be a “Lost Cause,” a reference to Confederacy sympathizers who continue to believe that their Civil War efforts were noble, even heroic.
A casual drive through certain communities in Northwest Indiana reveals a quiet parade of Confederate flags waving in the winds of change. It’s no secret that some of the owners of these flags are bigots, though they may never characterize themselves in such harsh words. To them, these tattered flags are their last allowed gasp of coded racism besides whispering slurs among each other on the front porch.
Not surprisingly, Confederate flags have been spotted routinely in the background at President Donald Trump’s rallies, which were set to resume June 19 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Yes, on Juneteenth, the holiday dating back to 1865 to commemorate the Emancipation Proclamation. Late Friday, Trump tweeted that the rally would be postponed to June 20.
In the face of this new public backlash against displays of the Confederate flag, I’m expecting to see even more of them in the background of his rallies. And probably in the foreground, serving as a bars-and-stars symbol of defiance.
Don’t expect to see them at future NASCAR events after the company banned all forms of Confederate flags at its races and properties. This has caused outrage from loyal fans of the sport who claim NASCAR is taking a back seat to political correctness.
“The presence of the Confederate flag at NASCAR events runs contrary to our commitment to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all fans, our competitors and our industry,”
It’s a huge risk for NASCAR, but then again, hey look, NASCAR is in the news again.
Meanwhile, dozens of other major U.S. companies are also genuflecting to social pressure in order to appear culturally sensitive. Some CEOs are stepping down to allow people of color a chance to climb the corporate ladder.
Brands are strategically reworking their marketing messages to appear hyper-sensitive to racial justice and the BLM movement. There’s even a term for it — “brand activism,” as firms carefully construct which side of history to side on. And, of course, to make a buck from it. Most of these companies appear as sincere as a marketing jingle.
“When any member of our McFamily hurts, we
I say his McMessage of McSolidarity comes across as McHollow.
I’m guessing that Ronald McDonald cares more for the company’s minority employees and recent allegations of racial discrimination by two former black executives. I’m expecting McDonald’s to soon unveil its new menu items, Black Lives Matter Happy Meals, to prove how much it cares for the cause.
The overcrowded bandwagon for corporate brands now supporting the BLM cause should be pulled over, harshly frisked and interrogated for authenticity. I doubt that many of these disingenuous corporations would be allowed to stay on board. Their corporate “cause” is whatever keeps investors satisfied and profits rolling in. Expect more of them to socially distance themselves from the Confederate flag.
Racist symbols matter. But nothing like dollar signs.
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