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The Confederate Flag : America's Scapegoat Page 1 by Roger Smith You have to be kidding if you think I am going to support the notion that the Confederate Flag, with its single high point being the four years that it flew during the Civil War, is the symbol for slavery. It is just not that simple. Since the issue arose, in the year 2000, about the flying of the Confederate Flag atop South Carolina's state Capitol, I have formed two opinions. When I am in a rush or do not feel like having a long drawn out debate about the subject, I give people my short version. However, if I feel in the mood to argue, then the longer version is what I use. The short version is simple; who cares! Do you think that just because the flag is taken off of the Capitol building that southerners who supported it there would all of a sudden stop showing it? NO! What they would do, however, is display it even more. It would be on their homes, their cars, their clothes, and anywhere else they could think of putting it to show their southern pride. And, what of the opponents, mainly civil rights organizations such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Do you think they would just pack up and go away if the flag continued to fly. Uh, not likely. Chances are, they would dig in more. I know a lot of people would probably think that I was insensitive, uncaring, and lacked pride but that is when I would try to persuade them otherwise with my longer version. I believe that in order to better understand the relationship between the Confederate Flag and the American society, slavery has to be examined more closely. It should be understood that President Abraham Lincoln, who did oppose slavery, was not looking, at first, to rid America of it, he just wanted to stop further expansion. In his first inaugural address, he stated, " 'I have no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery ... where it exists. I believe I have no lawful right to do so....' And that is how things would have remained, had not the outbreak of war changed all the rules." Growing up, I had believed that slavery was the direct cause of the Civil War but after doing research, I reassessed my opinion. Now, I believe that secession, or the withdrawal of southern states from the Union, was directly responsible for it and the emergence of the Confederate Flag, while slavery was an indirect cause. In my opinion, if the advocates for slavery had conceded and agreed with Lincoln, at least they would have had their slaves and, who knows, maybe the next president would have re-instituted slavery throughout the land. However, with the action that the southern states took, President Lincoln was forced into making the decision to go to war. And, because of the uncertainty of the outcome, he had to change his stand on slavery, which eventually led to the Emancipation Proclamation. In a letter to Horace Greeley in August of 1862, while in the process of drafting the "Proclamation", the President clearly pointed out which was of more importance to him but he also recognized that the issue of slavery was tantamount to the outcome of the war when he wrote, "My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that. What I do about slavery, and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union...." In the midst of war, realizing the possible outcome, the President "freed" all the slaves, who were willing to fight alongside Union soldiers and changed a war that began over secession into a war against slavery. With the help of black men, the North prevailed. During the years of the Civil War, the Confederate Flag flew proudly in those states that fought for their independence from the Union. After the war ended, it continued flying throughout the south. Many southerners have said that the main reason for this display is to show that they are proud of their heritage. You know what, I believe that. I do not agree with slavery or those who use the Confederate Flag to represent hatred (not unlike some anti-abortionist who hold the Bible in one hand while committing murder with the other) but I do understand those people who fly it as a symbol of their heritage. You do not always have to like something but, at the least, you should try to listen and understand what it means to others. |