Pierce writes: "In which a majority of Americans think the Confederate flag symbolizes Southern pride, not racism."
Confederate flag. (photo: Getty)
04 July 15
In which a majority of Americans think the Confederate flag symbolizes Southern pride, not racism.
ell, that certainly was a short-lived sea change. American Exceptionalism is a terrific growth medium for stupid.
The poll shows that 57% of Americans see the flag more as a symbol of Southern pride than as a symbol of racism, about the same as in 2000 when 59% said they viewed it as a symbol of pride. Opinions of the flag are sharply divided by race, and among whites, views are split by education.
Well, that'll change when the old white folks die off, right?
Millennials see the flag as a symbol of pride, which is actually slightly higher than Gen X-ers (56%) or Boomers under 65 (53%). Seniors, well, They're at 64%.
I understand that, people being essentially optimistic, if you give them a choice between having something symbolize the best of us or the worst of us, the former's going to win almost every time. But this is an astonishing example of the end result of 150 years of outright propaganda in defense of the worst act of sedition in American history. (James Loewen's piece in The Washington Post on Wednesday made that quite clear.) Personally, I am going to continue to blame these guys for the whole thing.
As it turned out, however, the actual membership turned out to consist of eight Republicans and seven Democrats. The Commission voted along straight party lines 8 to 7 to accept all of Hayes' electoral votes and reject the Democrat's claims. The night before President Grant's term expired, the Senate announced Hayes had been elected President. The deadlock was broken behind closed doors when Southern Democrats agreed to support Hayes' claim for the Presidency if he would support increased funding for Southern internal improvements and agree to end Reconstruction, thus guaranteeing home rule -- meaning white control -- in the South. Hayes became President and the Southern Democrats could reverse with impunity the gains that blacks had made during Reconstruction.
Thus ended the American Civil War. With a victory for the white supremacy that had been crushed on the battlefield.
