by Matt Maerowitz

Created on: June 08, 2008   Last Updated: June 09, 2008

In the United States, Flag Day celebrates the adoption of the first American flag in 1777. However, about a century later some people would commemorate a new type of flag day: Confederate Flag Day. Confederate Flag Day typically refers to commemorating the adoption of the Confederate Flag. The controversy around Confederate Flag Day revolves around what the Confederacy and the Confederate flag itself stand for. Many people who display the Confederate flag argue that slavery was a past wrong and dreadful part of United States history and display the flag as a representation of their Southern heritage. Others are offended because one of the reasons Confederacy originally existed was to uphold the institution of slavery especially in newly acquired territories.

I realize I am at a risk taking a side this issue, but I feel that I must express my own views on this controversy in order to delve deeper into the issue. While I know people who are comfortable with proudly displaying this icon, and do not intend any harm, I feel that people in favor of displaying this flag refuse to acknowledge what the Confederacy stood for in the late 19th Century. The Civil War broke out in the first place because the Confederacy was in favor of expanding slavery in the territories whereas the Union opposed it. The war took place between the slave states (members of the Confederacy) and the free states (members of the Union). As long as it is conceivable that the flag of the Confederacy can represent a battle to maintain slavery, then people should refuse to display their flags. I feel that this is more than conceivable. The Confederate flag is a symbol of the Confederacy and had the Confederacy won the Civil War, slavery would have lasted longer.

If you are still not convinced consider another controversial icon - the swastika. If you think it is fine for someone who has Southern heritage to display the Confederate flag, are you comfortable with someone of German heritage displaying the swastika? Most people would say no because the swastika was the icon of the Nazis during the holocaust. Although there is far less controversy behind the swastika in that the vast majority of American believes that people should not display the swastika, I do not see the Confederate flag as much different.

As a result, I do not see why Americans who are proud of their Southern heritage would choose to display the Confederate flag, which has been known to create tension. We have made great progress over the years, we are now one nation united. Why display a symbol that divides us instead of Old Glory, the United States flag?

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