Essay On Confederate Flag

A symbol’s meaning is rooted in its perception and that perception is shaped over time and defined by what a person experiences throughout life. Because of this, a symbol’s meaning can also change over time. The Confederate flag, one of America’s most controversial symbols, has a long history. When the Confederate flag was first used post-Civil War, it typically accompanied some kind of Confederate memorial or monument dedication (Martinez, 2008). Its use outside of that was limited at most. From Martinez (2008), “Some former Confederates viewed their flag as sacred symbols connoting the apex of southern life and culture; to use their symbols for political or commercial gain was profane” (p. 203). Though simple at first, its history has become far more polarizing in the decades since.

Modern proponents of the Confederate flag cite several reasons for their support, but the central theme is that the flag is historically significant. Cooper & Knotts (2006) found among other reasons that support for the flag was by white southerners who feel “a connection to the south” (p. 152). Supporters feel that the flag stands for freedom from an oppressive government, and that it serves to honor and remember those ancestors who died during the Civil War. Beyond that, supporters are divided again, as Martinez (2008) said, “’Heritage preservation’ traditionalists see themselves as guardians of southern inheritance of honor and chivalry while a second group of traditionalists, most notably the Ku Klux Klan, espouses racist views” (p. 200). Opponents of the flag, on the other hand, recognize this racist connotation. They see the flag as a lingering emblem of a war that divided the nation and was fought in the name of slavery and