Grumpy Poll: Majority Sees Confederate Flag as Southern Pride Symbol, Not Racist

[I_B_Perky]

This is medium bonfire.

The link: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141134611

The OP:

Comrade Grumpy (11,664 posts)

Poll: Majority Sees Confederate Flag as Southern Pride Symbol, Not Racist
Source: CNN

Washington (CNN)American public opinion on the Confederate flag remains about where it was 15 years ago, with most describing the flag as a symbol of Southern pride more than one of racism, according to a new CNN/ORC poll. And questions about how far to go to remove references to the Confederacy from public life prompt broad racial divides.

The poll shows that 57% of Americans see the flag more as a symbol of Southern pride than as a symbol of racism, about the same as in 2000 when 59% said they viewed it as a symbol of pride. Opinions of the flag are sharply divided by race, and among whites, views are split by education.

Among African-Americans, 72% see the Confederate flag as a symbol of racism, just 25% of whites agree. In the South, the racial divide is even broader. While 75% of Southern whites describe the flag as a symbol of pride and 18% call it a symbol of racism, those figures are almost exactly reversed among Southern African-Americans, with just 11% seeing it as a sign of pride and 75% viewing it as a symbol of racism.

Among whites, there's a sharp divide by education, and those with more formal education are less apt to see the flag as a symbol of pride. Among whites with a college degree, 51% say it's a symbol of pride, 41% one of racism. Among those whites who do not have a college degree, 73% say it's a sign of Southern pride, 18% racism.

READ: The complete CNN/ORC poll here

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/02/politics/confederate-flag-poll-racism-southern-pride/

Awaaay we go....

Judi Lynn (94,554 posts)
1. Bah-loney. Absurd! I cannot begin to believe this. Nothing can white-wash the Confederacy. n/t

White wash? Why not Black Wash or Yellow Wash or Brown Wash? Racist!!!

Uncle Joe (31,947 posts)
8. Symbols mean different things to different people depending on the prism

in which they're viewing the object.

Some people believed that a cross in a container of urine was art and many others were offended by it.

My mole? I can neither confirm nor deny...

LanternWaste (21,742 posts)
18. And, as with the flag, many people don't have the courage of their convictions and call it something

And, as with the flag, many people don't have the courage of their convictions and call it something other than what they in fact, believe...

Dummies talking about courage and convictions?   

Uncle Joe (31,947 posts)
22. Or they hold an entirely different interpretation than your own.

Some people revere the cross and some people despise, it doesn't make them any less sincere in their beliefs.

The same holds true for the flag.

 

blackspade (6,772 posts)
47. Historical revisionism on display.

The 'battle flag' is a symbol of slavery and oppression. Full stop.

This 'Southern Pride' meme is just an effort to whitewash this symbol of treason and villainy.

There is that term whitewash again. Racist... especially considering this dummie's handle is a racist take on a gardening tool.


Wait for it now....

Uncle Joe (31,947 posts)
50. 1. History is always being revised, it never stops.

2. How do feel about the cross, is putting it in a container of urine art or offensive?

 

Chakab (717 posts)
19. Given the fact that the average American is awash in misinformation and propaganda and exposed to
a grossly inaccurate view of American history during their education and the general aversion that many people, even progressives who'd be inclined to frequent a forum like DU, have to characterizing racism as "racism" rather than being obtuse and pretending that it's not a pervasive issue so that uncomfortable conversations don't have to take place, I have no problem whatsoever believing the results of that poll.

Teacher unions?   

underpants (111,763 posts)
26. Poll details at the bottom of the story

The CNN/ORC poll was conducted June 26-28 among a random national sample of 1,017 adults. Additional interviews were conducted with African-Americans and combined with those reached through the initial sample of 1,017 for a total of 303 non-Hispanic black respondents. The margin of sampling error for all adults is +/- 3 percentage points, for results among blacks it is +/- 5.5 percentage points. Results among the 727 non-Hispanic whites reached in the initial sample have a margin of sampling error of +/- 3.5 percent

geek tragedy (47,871 posts)
3. revealed: white people don't understand white people very well nt

Historic NY (24,661 posts)
5. Should have asked what the flag stood for?

Most people don't know the difference from the Revolutionary War or the Civil War, in other words they are clueless.

Teacher unions?   

skepticscott (11,386 posts)
12. Exactly...most people are quite ignorant of history

And on top of that, neo-Confederate propaganda has been very effective in painting over the true nature and cause of secession (which was expressed quite unambiguously at the time).

Teacher unions?   

tularetom (20,618 posts)
20. Yay! We picked a fight with a stronger opponent and predictably got our ass kicked!

Since then we've been sucking off the federal teat, receiving far more in government largesse than we pay in taxes.

And by god we're really proud of that so we're gonna wave this flag in everybody's face.

Making friends and influencing people to vote for your side, DU style.

Reter (998 posts)
45. Well the first two go along with secession only if you lose

George Washington and his boys would have been charged with those two count if they failed. Had the Confederacy won and was still a separate country today, its founders would have national holidays.

 

Quixote1818 (17,876 posts)
10. I am sure racists see it as a symbol of Pride


Their pride in racism.

!!!

RAAACISTS!!!!!

JudyM (2,499 posts)
42. Exactly my thought. Not "Southern" pride at all but white supremacy pride. Nt

Quit thinking dummie. You are obviously not good at it and overtaxing your one brain cell.

GeorgeGist (15,883 posts)
13. CNN is a joke. eom

CNN = Foxnews?

Roy Rolling (1,485 posts)
16. pride in what

I am a southerner. That flag doesn't represent the values of southern hospitality, graciousness, tolerance, and other endearing qualities. It represents the battle flag of 1.6% of southerners who were slave owners and convinced a few states to declare war on the United States rather than give up slavery and their business. It is a losers battle flag, get over it fellow southerners.

Location bouncie?

Sunlei (9,214 posts)
17. perhaps they missed when segregation stopped & angry whites brought out their 'flag of pride'

just what is the south proud of?

Wait for it....

Leontius (1,667 posts)
23. Not being

****ing yankees

 

That is all I will bring over. There is more. I'm sure it will grow.

[HawkHogan]

Dummies can't appreciate that the Confederate Army was one of the greatest armies in history, led by some of the smartest and most tactical military leaders in history.  If you cannot recognize their accomplishments on the battlefields, then you are a Dummy. 

Without the influx of Irish and other immigrants into the Northern army, there's a good chance history would have turned out differently given the early victories of the South.

And that's coming from someone born and raised in Philadelphia. 

[RayRaytheSBS]

tularetom (20,618 posts)
20. Yay! We picked a fight with a stronger opponent and predictably got our ass kicked!

Since then we've been sucking off the federal teat, receiving far more in government largesse than we pay in taxes.

And by god we're really proud of that so we're gonna wave this flag in everybody's face.

Uhhhhhhh... No DUche, just no. It was a nearly won thing, not as cut and dry as you make it out to be.

If Lincoln hadn't finally found generals who would fight the war (i.e. Grant, Sherman) and stuck with McClellan, than the South may well have won. Lee kicked McClellan's ass all over the battlefield, it wasn't until Antietam, that McClellan even came close to a victory.

Had Lee realized what a game-changer the rifle was compared to the musket, I think he would have made different decisions at Gettysburg. The man was no fool, just daring and audacious.

As for the Sucking off the taxpayer's teat comment, How are they classifying this statement? Let's Look at some figures:

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2014/05/which-states-are-givers-and-which-are-takers/361668/

(I know, I know, its teh Atlantic, My Google-fu was weak this morning)

The states that have the most federal dollars coming in compared to the amount of money paid by their taxpayers is kind of a misleading statement, in my opinion. A lot of these states have Military installations in them, which throws off the equation. New Mexico (allegedly one of the worst) has an Air Force Base, Los Alamos National Labs, and White Sands Missile Range, plus a SHIT TON of National Parks. So if they are counting all the money spent on those activities as well, then the amount of money coming in makes sense. Those are resources for the betterment of the nation, and availability of recreation for ALL citizens. Unless, of course, the DUche is mandating that the federal parks be closed?

As for the proud comment, Southerners are proud of being a part of the greatest nation in the world; the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. If that statement wasn't true, we wouldn't have so many illegal immigrants trying to sneak into our country. I am proud of my country, DUche, and plan on continuing to display my pride in my nation. If you don't like this country, LEAVE

I'm sick and tired of these whiny little Oxygen-thieving DUches complaining about my country. It may not be perfect, but it's a damn sight better than anything else in the world right now. And I speak from experience, DUches, not some academic 'book knowledge' imparted by your commissar, I mean professor. Europe, isn't the paradise you make it out to be. Try paying $5.00 a gallon for gas for your car, DUche, THEN tell me how good Europe is.

[JohnnyReb]

So, I went to the map of counties and their poverty rates....the poorest were democrat and the richest republican....also a good indicator of race to. The whitest was richest and blackest the poorest....it takes a lot of federal dollars to buy votes.

[Ptarmigan]

There was slavery under the American flag as well. The Confederate flag is a Democrat flag.

[Fourwinds]

There was slavery under the American flag as well. The Confederate flag is a Democrat flag.

It's not that they don't know, it's that they don't care. All they saw was a way to raise hell.

[FlippyDoo]

tularetom (20,618 posts)

I am proud of my country, DUche, and plan on continuing to display my pride in my nation. If you don't like this country, LEAVE

I'm sick and tired of these whiny little Oxygen-thieving DUches complaining about my country. It may not be perfect, but it's a damn sight better than anything else in the world right now. And I speak from experience, DUches, not some academic 'book knowledge' imparted by your commissar, I mean professor. Europe, isn't the paradise you make it out to be. Try paying $5.00 a gallon for gas for your car, DUche, THEN tell me how good Europe is.

I very much agree. If I walk into a restaurant that I don't like I don't stay there and bitch about it and try to force them to change to fit my desires, I just get up and leave. It just makes sense to me. Maybe that's why the DUmmies are still here. They are completely opposed to anything that makes sense.

[RayRaytheSBS]

I very much agree. If I walk into a restaurant that I don't like I don't stay there and bitch about it and try to force them to change to fit my desires, I just get up and leave. It just makes sense to me. Maybe that's why the DUmmies are still here. They are completely opposed to anything that makes sense.

But you are a reasonable person Flippydoo, these idiots have no common sense. They just bitch and whine and don't see that the solution is in front of them; leave. And if you ask them that, they will probably say something like 'I have just as much of a right to be here as you'. which doesn't answer the question, it just shifts the topic. If they REALLY had the strength of their convictions, they would leave this country and not make excuses. But they're DUches, all talk, no walk. So unfortunately, we're stuck with them. 

[diesel driver]

But you are a reasonable person Flippydoo, these idiots have no common sense. They just bitch and whine and don't see that the solution is in front of them; leave. And if you ask them that, they will probably say something like 'I have just as much of a right to be here as you'. which doesn't answer the question, it just shifts the topic. If they REALLY had the strength of their convictions, they would leave this country and not make excuses. But they're DUches, all talk, no walk. So unfortunately, we're stuck with them. 

At least, until they die.  Can't be soon enough for me.

[Ptarmigan]

But you are a reasonable person Flippydoo, these idiots have no common sense. They just bitch and whine and don't see that the solution is in front of them; leave. And if you ask them that, they will probably say something like 'I have just as much of a right to be here as you'. which doesn't answer the question, it just shifts the topic. If they REALLY had the strength of their convictions, they would leave this country and not make excuses. But they're DUches, all talk, no walk. So unfortunately, we're stuck with them. 

They got a real sense of entitlement on top of their injustice collecting.

[Skul]

At least, until they die.  Can't be soon enough for me.

They still vote, DD, and will for several election cycles. 

[JohnnyReb]

The local paper this morning has an article that says they have polled the S.C. senate and they have enough votes to have it removed. Cowards.