Reply #125: "Offended", Labels, and Hate, IMO

[rebelskypirate]

Hello All,

As a Southerner and avid student of history, I do have a take on the Battle Flag, but 1st I would like to comment on the "offended" issue. 1st off, is there a "right not to be offended" somewhere I missed? Also HOW and WHO defines what "offended" is? Also, the words "HATE" or "hate crime" is often used to try and suppress display of the Battle Flag or attack those who display it, but we should be very careful about this "slippery slope", consider this:

I am sure there are many conservatives who are VERY offended by things said here on DU (no question they are), and there are "hateful" posts here (of course, the mods delete many of them), but again, "hate" is in the eye of the beholder........so should "offended" conservatives have the right to label this a "hate" site and close it down? Of course not, yet all too often we seek to impose restrictions on things WE do not like......whats the difference? If we can silence our critics by throwing the word "hate" around, how long before it is turned on us, esp with the enemies of DU having the full power of the US Govt behind them......think about that!

As to the flag issue, To me, flying a Battle Flag(on private property) is an exercise of free speech, even one that does offend people, the same way porn offends many people, or any other number of things, but a FREE country is gonna have disagreement, and should.

There are many things others do that I am personally offended by(such as burning the flag) but last time I checked......we live in a FREE country, and that means tolerance vs trying to silence those we do not agree with with charges of "racist" or "hate crime" or whatever label. Of course, tolerance does NOT mean that the offended person loses their rights to strongly dis-agree and voice their opinion in every way.

As to the issue of the Battle Flag, I feel that has indeed been used by some to show their hatred of others. But so have many other symbols(including the American flag) and while racism does exist and sadly may always, fact is NO living American is a victim of slavery nor was oppressed under any Confederate flag.....unlike Jews who survived the Holocaust that were murdered by the SS wearing the swastika

Another comment against the Battle Flag is the "IF the South would won" theme of slavery would still exist today if that had occurred. In my opinion, that is very, very unlikely, for these reasons:

- If the CSA wins in 1862 or 1863, the reason would be one man: Robert E. Lee. In 1867, the CSA would elect a new President, and there is little doubt it would have been Lee.....who HATED slavery and would have worked to eliminate it
- A few years after the Civil War, the combine is invented, a device that would have rendered slavery UN-profitable(much as the cotton gin kept it alive) and it would have died off within 20 years at the outside

IMO, slavery was going out no matter whether the bloodiest war in American history was fought or not. Of course, there is no question the Civil War speeded its demise up by some years, however the "was it worth it?" debate would be its own thread(or many threads)

I am in NO WAY attempting to defend the EVIL of slavery, not at all. But has been 142 years since the Emancipation Proclamation, and 138 years since the 13th Amendment, a LONG time ago. While history should be studied and learned from, I for one am tired of hearing how I as a southerner I am somehow responsible for something that happened 7 score years ago....of course, some will dis-agree, as is their right.

In the end, I think it is more important to look at the person flying the Battle Flag(and WHY), vs the flag itself, the same way one should not assume anyone who watches porn is a pervert, or anyone who listens to country music is a hick, or anyone who burns a American flag is a traitor. Labels only serve to further divide us, and the emotions they generate block the flow of information that is vital for a free nation to last. We must always defend free expression, but nothing says we have to AGREE with the expression, or not try to convince the expresser it is wrong. But we should NEVER censor disagreeable or offensive things using the power of govt or the courts....less we someday find ourself censored by the very "hate crimes" methods we passed with "good intentions"

As someone once said, "The Bill of Rights exists to protect us from men with good intentions"

Take care all, and have a great holiday