Confederate Flag is a Symbol of Division


By Dr. RUFUS G.W SANDERS 
         
         Special to USAfricaonline.com 
         
While driving home from a lecture that I had given at 
Terra College on the theories of cognitive development in adolescence 
(the theories as developed by Swiss Psychologist, Jean Piaget), there it was.  
On State route 6, just east of Pickerel Creek, and just before I got to Raccoon Creek, 
I saw it. I couldn't believe my eyes. I had seen it before when traveling, especially in 
the South on lonely stretches of southern state highways.  I had even seen it 
draped across grills of old chevy trucks, or plastered on stickers adoring 
bumpers.  I have seen it at truck stops and souvenir shops, but I had never 
seen it like this before.
         
There, to my surprise, atop a flag pole, just below the stars and stripes of 
Old Glory, definitely blazing in the torrid sub-degree frigid winds of 
Sandusky County was flying the bars, stripes and stars of the now defunct 
United States of the Confederacy.  To add injury to insult, just below the 
flag on the ground, stood a boot Black statuette shrouded in snow.  You know, 
the kind where depicted is a replica of a Black boy holding a lantern.
         
I got the most eerie of feelings. It wasn't fear, as much as it was a 
combination of being appalled, aghast, ashamed, confused, and angry.  Just to 
make sure about what I saw,  I turned around and went back the 
next day.  I wanted to be sure that right here outside of my hometown, which 
sits at one of the most northern points on the American north coast; I saw 
what I thought I had seen:  a confederate flag. Well, I did see it.  It was right there: 
a confederate flag.  I knew then that I had to give 
voice.
         
I know the cry of supporters is that they are just appreciating their 
heritage.  I know that they see the flag as a symbol of their history.  Remarkably, some claim that it's 
supposed to be an appreciation for a genteel and nobel life of a bygone era.  
But what about the heritage of being oppressed, physically abused, sexually 
harassed, enslaved, manacled, exploited and millions of Blacks who were forced into a state of 
cultural decapitation and emotional estrangement; all in the name of the Confederate flag.
         
In January of the year 2000, almost 46,000 people marched on the state capital of South Carolina 
to protest the issue of flying the Confederate battle flag over the South Carolina State house. 
Rev. Dr. Martin King must have been turning over in his grave regarding the flaunting of this 
segregationist flag. Why?  Still 30 years after his death, the vestiges, symbols and 
paraphernalia of racial hatred continue to divide and cause havoc among the races.
         
I had decided not to get emotionally involved in this issue. The 
fight between the supporters of the Confederate flag flying over the 
Charleston State house and the 60 percent of the South Carolina State population 
that oppose it; including their governor, had reached a crescendo as the 
Martin Luther King Day crowd marched in protest. 
         
The NAACP in a carefully orchestrated national boycott campaign of South 
Carolina's lucrative tourist industry had definitely made its point. The 
state has lost million of dollars in revenue just because a bunch of die-hard 
left over separatists won't let go of the past.
         
I had even considered not vacationing in South Carolina this year just to 
honor the protest. The Confederates lost the American civil war and 
freedom prevailed. I am able to vacation in beautiful South Carolina, an 
engaging environment which Iappreciate. So I decided that I wouldn't comment 
on this issue hoping that it would work itself out.  Hopefully, this resolution 
should happen by summer; just in time for the vacation season. I personally felt 
this issue was a no-brainer and it simply made no sense, especially in the world's 
greatest democracy, and especially in 21st century for segregationsist to 
flaunt their symbols of division. 
         
If the Confederate flag had never come down then segregation, discrimination, 
racial division would have continued to be accepted and practiced in this 
country as a way of life.  Oppression of Black people would have been 
continued and continues to be legitimized as if it was the order of the day. 
         
The flag stood for racism and it still stands for racism.  In the name of 
what the Confederate flag stood for innocent American people have been 
hanged, mutilated, murdered, dehumanized and rendered socially worthless.
         
To those who say that by flying the flag they honor their Southern history; 
that's absolutely true.  But it was a history that glamorized, glorified and 
romanticized hatred, racism, slavery and bigotry.  And, I must say that any 
decent human being will tell you that that's not a history to be proud of.
         
The only other American symbol that is worse than the Confederate flag is to 
see a white hooded individual, riding a horse in the dead of night; carrying 
a blazing torch in one hand, with Bible under shoulder, and a noose in the 
other hand.
         
The civil war is over.  The Confederate states lost the war. The confederate 
flag should come down not only in Charleston, but from a top any governmental 
building in The United States of America. It is the Stars and stripes of old 
glory that stands for union in this country.  One union that is indivisible with 
freedom, liberty and justice for all.
Dr. Sanders, a Suffragan Bishop in the Pentecostal Assemblies of the world, 
is the founder and the pastor of the Emmanuel Temple church in Sandusky, Ohio. 
He holds a Ph.D in American Culture Studies and has served in many leadership 
capacities in the organization that include national evangelist, international 
youth leader and missionary to West Africa. He also serves contributing editor 
of USAfricaonline.com, USAfrica The Newspaper, The Black Business Journal, 
and www.BBJonline.com. Readers response will be published.

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The best show in town: Art vs Politics. By Dr. Rufus G.W. Sanders


            

               
                  
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