Warner Bros.’ consumer division says it will stop licensing toy cars and models featuring the General Lee with the controversial flag on its roof.

http://www.ew.com/article/2015/06/24/dukes-hazzard-general-lee-confederate-flag

It’s about time that this symbol of White Supremacy was seen for what it is, not some romantic link to a more innocent age.

I hope Obama can use his remaining time in office to shame those who cling to white supremacist/racist views even when in public office and shame the gun lobby into understanding that the solution to guns is not ‘more guns’.

I hope Obama can use his remaining time in office to shame those who cling to white supremacist/racist views even when in public office and shame the gun lobby into understanding that the solution to guns is not ‘more guns’.

He ain’t going to do that now – he’s pretty much zombie president until the next lot take over. He’s had plenty of mass shootings to shame everyone into any gun control and each time he’s been beaten down. Shame really.

I wasn’t expecting legislation but at least he can talk about it more than he has to date. Maybe?

[at least partly tongue in cheek]

What it gets hijacked for is surely a different matter. Ban the St Georges cross due to it’s association with the far right?

What about the ginger supremacists? Who also fly their similar flag based on a proportion of a now united country that was at some time at war with the rest over which part was going to be in charge but lost. And regularly talk about how things would be better if they could secede?

[/at least partly tongue in cheek]

Seems like strange (over) reaction or misdirection to focus on flags when someone murdered nine people. If there are hardcore racists out there who fly the flag purely to offend people then I imagine banning said flag won’t change their views.

Interesting article from 1988 when it was being used as a white supremacists symbol;

jimjam – I think the issue is that the flag is flying outside the local equivalent of the Scottish Parliament Building, not some redneck’s trailer. It’s a potent symbol of past white power and desire to dominate black people and that’s why the focus has shifted to it.

Symbols are important, yes it’s superficial but it is the most visible evidence of the underlying institutionalised white supremacist views that are still prevalent in large parts of the south.

I live in Belfast so you really don’t need to tell me about flags. My point was that it seems like a convenient distraction when gun control is still the real (albeit impassable) issue.

What it gets hijacked for is surely a different matter

It’s the battle flag of the army who were fighting to keep black people enslaved. It’s not much different to the Nazi swastika. Hardly an innocent hijack.

I don’t consider it a distraction from any current problem. It’s hardly a new thing – this has been going on for many years. As I said – imagine people flying swastikas around in Europe, that’s the kind of thing we are talking about here.

Good news this is happening.

Saltire / Flag of St George – people aren’t using these and going on mass shooting sprees

Obhama cannot introduce gun control on his own, also there is a big issue of federal over state law and the constitutional right to bear arms.

IMO gun control is impossible in the US, there are simply too many weapons in circulation. The war is already lost.

IMO gun control is impossible in the US, there are simply too many weapons in circulation. The war is already lost.

I’ve been looking for an excuse to post this.

Warning: contains opinions and some rude words.

[video]http://youtu.be/lL8JEEt2RxI[/video]

jambalaya

Saltire / Flag of St George – people aren’t using these and going on mass shooting sprees

molgrips – Member

It’s the battle flag of the army who were fighting to keep black people enslaved. It’s not much different to the Nazi swastika. Hardly an innocent hijack.

I don’t consider it a distraction from any current problem. It’s hardly a new thing – this has been going on for many years. As I said – imagine people flying swastikas around in Europe, that’s the kind of thing we are talking about here.

It’s all about context though isn’t it. Were the military units flying it in WW2 to oppress black Nazis or were they using it to distinguish themselves as southern? I’m not trying to defend the flying of battle flags or confederate flags on state buildings, that reeks of racism and is no doubt unwelcome and oppressive to many, but next month or the month after that, some disgruntled American will shoot another load of Americans regardless of what happens to that flag.

Whilst “racism” may have been the justification for this nutcase to go on a killing spree I’d wager he would have found some other justification to go on a killing spree.

Tackling racism by taking down flags isn’t tackling racism.

Flags should be white with black text stating the representation.

I’ve read quite a bit about this recently thanks to friends posting grumpy Facebook posts. Learned quite a lot, it’s been eye-opening. I’ll try to summarise.

The Confederacy is enjoying a romanticised version of history. People think of them as plucky rebels; think Rebels vs the Empire in Star Wars, or the Browncoats in Firefly.

Thing is, that’s not the case. The Confederacy was by its very definition treason, though that’s not necessarily a bad thing if the government is corrupt. But it was an uprising (started by the Confederates) against a government which wanted to abolish slavery; the whole point of the American Civil War was white supremacy, it was a revolt by people who wanted to keep their slaves and maintain the black man as a lower life form. Flying the “confederate flag” (as we commonly know it) is in a very real sense akin to flying a Swastika.

I do concede that it’s “just a flag” and there’s an argument for reappropriating the Swastika as it was a symbol of peace in multiple cultures for Millennia before the Nazis got hold of it; however, saying it’s “just” a flag is kind of disingenuous, the whole point of a flag is to display allegiance. Much as I hate symbolism, that’s exactly what it is. Pulling its sale won’t stop people getting shot, but it’s almost certainly a good thing to be raising awareness of what it means.

As I understand it, etc etc.

Jon Stewart did a fantastic job talking about this recently, explaining why the acceptance of every day confederate symbology was a constant divide:

[video]http://youtu.be/mjzrvRKv6Ks[/video]

I do concede that it’s “just a flag” and there’s an argument for reappropriating the Swastika as it was a symbol of peace in multiple cultures for Millennia before the Nazis got hold of it

I think one has to concede sometimes that a particular ship has sailed, and I think it has for the swastika, whatever the original intention of it was.

I also did a bit of reading up about it today and was a bit amazed at various Southern States flying various versions of the Confederate flag, e.g “Stars and Bars” over their State Capitols. Their bleedin’ State Capitols. I couldn’t believe it.

I’d be pleased to see its demise.

I think it has for the swastika, whatever the original intention of it was.

Actually the swastika is still widely used in Bhuddist temples and the like.

Have to admit that as a European I found it a bit unsettling seeing ornamental gardens and architecture in that shape (in Malaysia and Borneo), but they definitely had dibbs on it before the Nazis.

Yeah, yeah, I know all that.

Anyway, best of luck trying to re-appropriate it in the rest of the world. 😀

I’m just gutted because I had many happy memories of watching the Dukes of Hazzard as a youngster. For me personally, the flag is associated with doing far fetched jumps over creeks and getting the back end out on dirt roads whilst escaping the corrupt sheriff than anything actually sinister. Oh, and seriously short denim cutoffs… Compulsive young lad viewing.

I don’t recall seeing any black characters in the show though, so maybe a little more sinister than I realised. Then again; America has been segregating its TV shows for a long time. I DID notice that as a kid, and thought it was odd, even back then.

TBH it’s a pretty appropriate association, the Dukes were redneck criminals after all.

Tackling racism by taking down flags isn’t tackling racism.

As a Norn Iron resident, you are in the epicentre of flag nonsense. Loyalist loons can riot for a whole summer over a single flag issue!