As long as we're getting rid of Confederate monuments, why not the Confederate flag, too?

[stopbush]

Flying or displaying the swastika is illegal in Germany.

Why do we still allow the flag of the TRAITORS to the Union to be flown, carried, displayed on government property, worn on clothing?

Free speech? Of course, there are limits, limits we all abide by every day. No one is going to defend your yelling "fire" in a movie theater, so why defend the display of a sign of hatred, slavery and bigotry?

[Weekend Warrior]

1. It's been taken down in many places.

That fight has been going on for a long time.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/news/post-nation/wp/2015/07/10/watch-live-as-the-confederate-flag-comes-down-in-south-carolina/

[randr]

2. It is just such an accurate indication of an asshole

I am afraid they would all go into hiding without it.

[Alice11111]

3. Absolutely! They always wave it around like a Nazi flag

Off to the Civil War Museum.

It is a symbol of racism & intolerance, just like the swastika. It is intended to intimidate.

ACLU won't take this on because tey are defending theNazis right to free speech now.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

4. Because the Supreme Court has already ruled that a flag,

even including a swastika, is protected symbolic speech. If the court's symbolic speech decisions are overturned that might be possible, but then who else's symbolic speech is at risk?

And it's perfectly OK to yell "fire" in a crowded theatre if there really is a fire. Justice Holmes' comment, discussing the clear and present danger standard for inciteful expression, was intended to illustrate what might constitute creating a dangerous situation using speech. If you falsely yell fire, you risk creating a danger when none existed. A Nazi flag or a Confederate flag is hateful symbolic speech, but the Supreme Court said in Brandenburg v. Ohio that speech can be prohibited only if it incites violence or creates an imminent threat of inciting violence.

There can be time, place and manner restrictions in some cases. So if the display of a Confederate flag in a particular circumstance incites or threatens to incite violence, you could justify having it taken down during the situation in question, but there is no authority in First Amendment jurisprudence that justifies prohibiting the display of that flag in all circumstances. So if some knuckle-dragging Trumpist flies the damn thing off the back of his pickup truck, he can do that unless a persuasive argument can be made that he's trying to incite imminent violence, and that there is in fact a reasonable threat of imminent violence created by that display.

The decision of some states like SC to stop displaying the flag was the legitimate determination of those states' government, and not a forced suppression.

[customerserviceguy]

5. Because we're not Germany

We believe in the right of people to have different opinions, and express them in public. Even if they're really, really offensive ideas.

[Codeine]

6. That's not how this works.

[marybourg]

7. You named it. We believe in free speech. It's one of the

cornerstones of our democracy. In the other direction lies a slippery slope in a country as non-homogeneous as ours. What symbol will be next, in a future Trump-like administration? The statues were on public property and thus made it look as though the governments involved endorsed them. The swastika is not being flown on public property. That's the difference.

But just because our government must tolerate speech, it doesn't mean we have to individually. 25 years ago, when I moved to the mega "active adult" community I live in, our largest indoor swimming pool was encircled with the state flags of all the residents' former states. It was meant as a tribute to our diverse origins. But at that time-and until recently- many of the southern states incorporated the confederate battle flag in their flag design. I wrote a letter to the board of directors, stating that I (only 1 of 38,000 residents, and a new one at that) would not use the pool while the flags with the offensive field were on display.

If nothing else, I introduced them to what I was sure was a novel idea to them; those flags were offensive to some, regardless of the fact that they were official state flags. Nothing was done at the time, but several years later, during a redecorating, the flags were furled and stored, and never re-hung.

About 15 years ago, the hardware store I used, placed a display of confederate battle flag license plates (and a few others) near the cash register. I put down my items and sought out the owner and told him these items were as offensive to me as though they were Nazi insignias and that I would not shop there until he removed them. He did, immediately.

We are not powerless in our own lives. Our democracy is under attack from the right. Let us uphold it and not begin an attack from the left.

[eShirl]

8. Just update it to the final version.

[GulfCoast66]

9. I refer you to the 1st amendment. nt

[cvoogt]

10. the Confederate flag

does not belong in the public sphere. People can fly it in private places as much as they want, but it has no place at schools, state houses etc.

[Luciferous]

11. I live in MS and it's part of the state flag. I see that damn flag everywhere...

[cvoogt]

12. grr

it's crazy