I recently wrote about political correctness. I’d actually like to expand on that theme. First off, I’d like to note that everyone is offended by something. Period.
Now, I’m fixin’ to slip into my southern drawl and ‘splain a few other thangs.
Let’s start with the rebel flag. Some people are offended by it. Others see it as a sign of their heritage. I think it’s just a flag, but I’m a white female from the southern Midwest, so what do I know?
I know that symbols are powerful only if people make them so. The swastika (from the Sanskrit meaning “to be good”) was a symbol of good things for over 3000 years before Hitler took it and transformed it in the minds of the general populace. In the case of the Confederate flag, it was a representation of state’s rights and just grievances before the abolitionists took over and turned it into a sign of slavery and oppression. Contrary to popular belief, the Civil War was not about slavery.
I know that words, like symbols, only have power because people give them power. Curse words are only “bad” because society says so. Derogatory words and phrases—as mentioned in my previous column—are only hurtful because society made them so.
I know that being a “minority” isn’t actually being a minority. This is because, sociologically speaking, a minority is any group that feels it is treated separately from the rest. I feel like that. All the damn time.
I know that I’m tired of being treated like a minority without the benefits of actually being labeled a minority. Where’s the scholarship for being white? Oh, right, somebody tried that, and the whole country cried “racism.” Why? Why is that racist but a scholarship for being black or Hispanic isn’t? It’s not like you’re another species or something.
Why can’t we all decide that we are human beings and even though we’re offended by something it doesn’t matter? Why can’t we agree to disagree and get it over with?
O yeah, because people suck.
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It looks like someone needs to do a more thorough reading of the history of the Civil War and the implicit meaning behind “states rights”. Particularly the fact that all of the “rights” that the states wanted directly correlated to the right to perpetuate human slavery. Additionally, the author would do well to read some actual anti-oppression theory. Maybe she’d be most comfortable reading some books by Tim Wise because he’s white and, y’know, she’d, like, totally get him.
It really is too bad that despite the fact that differences are essentially imaginary that they create MATERIAL REALITIES that affect our daily lives. It’s really great, though, that white people can complain about it and just say we should “ignore it and it will go away”. Cheers!
“In the case of the Confederate flag, it was a representation of state’s rights and just grievances before the abolitionists took over and turned it into a sign of slavery and oppression.”
Not exactly correct-they were NATIONAL FLAGS (1st, 2nd, and 3rd) back when the Confederate States of America was a NATION, and they were BATTLE FLAGS representing regiments of men who put their lives on the line against a northern invasion to protect their hearths and families. The flag was later grabbed by those in opposition to establishment. That, you can’t control (the US and Christian flags have suffered similar fates)
People need to grow up and learn that this is not a me, me, me society and that they are not entitled to go through life without being offended. People who are offended by the Confederate flags (battle or otherwise) need two things: 1) an education, and 2) to get over it and move on. Interesting how some people have to tear down one groups history in order to prop theirs up..