This is just personal spit balling, but I think I can understand why they feel this way. Southerners could see the flag as representing their communities: their customs, heritage, food, shared historical experiences, etc. In theory they could divorce this sense of community from the flag's history of racial prejudice. So they honestly may believe that they themselves are not racist, their community is not racist (anymore at least), and that the flag merely stands as a symbol of their community bond. Of course it's beyond naive to separate the flag's despicable racial past from it's use in modern times, but perhaps that's just the culture in South Carolina. I wouldn't know, I've never been.
That's true, but then there's a reason one of the classic history books on the South was titled the Burden of Southern History. The confederate flag is a very good symbol. Tell someone who flies it that it's irredeemable because it's tainted by racism and you might as well be telling them that they're irredeemable because they're tainted by racism. Which might be what people who want it removed mean to say, but all the same these arguments are never just about the flag itself on either side.Of course it's beyond naive to separate the flag's despicable racial past from it's use in modern times
I see, so by telling them they can't fly the Confederate flag because it's tainted by racism, we're saying they're tainted by racism. Which I imagine they resent because they likely don't consider themselves racist, whether this is true or not. I think this raises an interesting question: Can the Confederate flag be redeemed? Can it ever be considered primarily a symbol of Southern community pride, and not a racist rallying point? I have a feeling this question and it's answer lies with minority communities, and it's something I personally cannot comment on.
I really don't think the Confederate Flag can be redeemed, a lot of people will see it as a symbol of racism and but also as a symbol of a bloody civil war that killed many young men. This flag is seen by a good number of people as a symbol of traitors and history rarely treats traitors well. Is Benedict Arnold ever really treated well after all these years?
It's possible, but not likely. Certainly not in my lifetime, or my grandchildren's lifetime. I guess the point I'm making is that many Southerners see the stars and bars purely as a symbol of Southern pride and culture, and not as a racist banner. I think in theory it could be viewed this way, but I imagine a large portion of the public, especially minorities, wouldn't buy into it, understandably so.
I suspect you're right in that most people perpetuating casual racism don't view themselves as racist. Like you say, there's a feeling that we've moved beyond race and that people should just get on with the bootstrap pulling. When the flag represents nothing more to you than a shared cultural experience (using shared loosely considering that it's not really the most inclusive "share") then I'd say you have other issues at hand. It shows that they haven't considered what it must be like to see the flag through any other lens than their own. Or perhaps more frighteningly, considered it but came to the conclusion that the other experience was not "that bad" or whatever. IMO you'll never have any kind of meaningful reconcilliation until people are able to identify with the lived experiences of the other group. edit: on rereading I see this might seem like I'm implying that you (BB) think this way - when I say "you" I mean it generally