The Confederate Flag: a symbol of freedom or racism.In June, a shooting occurred in Charleston, South Carolina and since that event outcries against the Confederate Flag have heightened, making it one of the frontrunner debates across the nation. A majority of government officials and American citizens demanded the Confederate Flag be removed from public government buildings. Soon after, businesses like Walmart and Ebay also banned the sale of Confederate Flag-based items.
Historically, various Confederate Flags were the symbols of the confederacy for the southern states as they tried to secede from the Union. The most popular Confederate Flag during the civil war era is not the flag recognized today. After the confederacy’s surrender, General Robert E. Lee of the Confederates disowned the flag and swore an oath to the U.S. constitution, which is the opposite of what the confederacy stood for initially. U.S. history teacher Debbie Brown said the appropriate place to keep the Confederate Flag is in a museum.
“The Confederate Flag is a symbol for the separation of the U.S. and oppression of a group of people,” Brown said.
Locally, students and adults have dawned the Confederate Flag and publicly displayed their stance in the matter.
Various acts have shown the clear division of where people stand on this issue. Senior Maxwell Freeman respects the right for those to do as they want, but sees the impacts that come with using the flag.
“Most who fly it see it as a symbol for states’ rights and pride,” Freeman said. “I understand that they see the good of it, but the negative connotations far outweigh the good ones.”
The Confederate Flag has a long history that has been interpreted differently among past generations. According to a series of CNN polls, 57 percent of Americans see the flag as a sign of southern pride, yet 72 percent of black Americans and 25 percent of white Americans see it as a sign of racism.
“The symbol has everything to do with the oppression of African Americans. The use of the flag after the war was by the KKK,” Brown said.
The subconscious racism behind the flag is hard for students to ignore. Junior Katie Sharp said it’s hateful and represents an oppressive past.
“It’s against America, and used to be mainly for white supremacy,” Sharp said. “The KKK flew it. Why would you want to associate with that?”
However, the view on the confederacy has changed over the years. To students like senior Taylor McKee, the Confederate Flag is not inherently linked to racism or what many have portrayed it as.
“People have changed the message of what it’s supposed to mean,” McKee said. “I think it means freedom.”
Some people see it as simply a flag, a modern symbol used for the appeal of the people. Sophomore Brent Flackus remains neutral on the issue, seeing it purely as the item it is.
“I don’t really see it as a problem. It’s a flag,” Flackus said. “That’s all I really see it as.”
Other students feel the issue has been blown out of proportion and it should not impede on freedom of speech. Junior Darci Schaffer does not appreciate the negativity associated with the flag.
“It’s ridiculous how people are making a big deal about it,” Schaffer said. “People should be allowed to have their own opinions on it.”
Even though people are allowed to wave the flag that doesn’t mean it won’t have a negative stigma about the community
“I think it represents Coos Bay badly, people think initially about racism and the people may not be inherently racist,” Freeman said.