Quentin Tarantino: 'It's about damn time' US discussed racist past

[struggle4progress]

Press Association
Saturday 2 January 2016 07.03 EST

... Tarantino said: “All of a sudden, people started talking about the Confederacy in America in a way they haven’t before. I mean, I’ve always felt the rebel flag was some American swastika. And well, now, all of a sudden people are talking about it, and now they’re banning it, and now it’s not OK to have it on fucking licence plates, and coffee cups, and stuff.

“And people are starting to question about stuff like statues of Bedford Forrest <the Confederate general and Ku Klux Klan grand wizard> in parks. Well, it’s about damn time, if you ask me” ...

http://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/jan/02/quentin-tarantino-says-its-about-damn-time-us-discussed-its-racist-past

[TreasonousBastard]

1. "All of a sudden..."? Where's he been? A lot of us have...

been talking about this for years.

The difference is now more people are listening.

[marble falls]

2. "Well, it’s about damn time, if you ask me” ..."

especially since the vast majority of these "memorials" were put up in the 1920's and later. These weren't memorials - they were "reminders" to those oppressed about who was in charge.

Bring them all down.

[callous taoboy]

3. Amazing that a business in the small town I live in is allowed to fly the confederate flag.

I live in a small TX town that is a huge tourist attraction. There is a business which sells western wear and antique pistols located just off of main street, and this business has three flags out front: U.S., Texas and confederate. It galls me every time I drive by it. I can't imagine that the city council would allow the confederate flag to fly on main street itself.

[TexasProgresive]

4. Rather difficult for a city to force a business to lower that flag

1st Ammendment and all that. What will get the flag down is public pressure. Boycotting letters to the editor, chamber of commerce, and get the local pastors on board.

[callous taoboy]

5. Well, this is a town which allows subtle anti-gay marriage floats

in its parades. There are locals that drive around in trucks with huge confederate flags flapping off the back. One local pastor is openly hostile to the idea of homosexuality. This pastor absolutely gives me the creeps. Interestingly, this is a town which refused to recognize segregation back when. I boycott this particular business anyway because they sell tacky shit, and have "I'm your Huckleberry" signs and bumper stickers for sale. They are stuck in the past.