An End to the Love Affair with the Confederacy?
As a woman of color, the Confederate flag represents HATE for me, no more and no less. Regardless of what supporters of both the Confederacy and the Confederate flag claim, we all know that it is, and always has been, a symbol of racial hate and racial violence.
When black men, women and children were lynched in the South and elsewhere, what flag was present - held in the hands above the heads of onlookers in the crowd? The Confederate flag!
When black men, women and children marched for equal rights in the South, what symbol was held in the hands or placed on the signs of those who blocked their way? The Confederate flag!
When the Ku Klux Klan and other hate groups held marches, rallies and protests against equality, what symbol was often sewn onto their white hoods or robes alongside their other hate symbols? The Confederate flag!
When state and city officials spoke of wanting to protect their community's "way of life" when the civil rights movement came knocking, what symbol did they often point to on the government buildings behind them? The Confederate flag!
In the face of such history, there is no other interpretation for the Confederate flag or the Confederate way of life other than HATE.
That is why it is so refreshing to learn that one institution finally stood up! Every January for the past 20 years, the United Daughters of the Confederacy, Sons of Confederate Veterans and other descendants of Confederate soldiers have gathered at Wyman Park in Baltimore, Maryland to celebrate the Confederacy and their ancestors. The park is directly across the street from the prestigious Johns Hopkins University.
While at Wyman Park, the descendants, adorned in Confederate uniforms, would march under the Confederate banner and sing "Dixie." They would conclude their demonstration by laying wreaths at the monuments of Confederate Generals Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson. Afterward, the 200+ group would walk across the street and gather at the University for coffee and refreshments, still in full Confederate uniform and carrying the Confederate flag.
This coming January, things will be different! On January 17th, days before the inauguration of America's first black president, the Confederate descendants will have to find another place to drink coffee and enjoy refreshments after their memorial celebration. Johns Hopkins University has decided to no longer rent space to the group for such festivities. Although it may have taken America electing it's first black president for the University to finally gain some racial sensitivity, I'm still glad that they did. Better late than never.
