Current Affairs George Floyd and Minneapolis Unrest

[atypicalusername]

I never understood these Confederate flag types. I hate that flag. Hated it for decades before all this stuff popped off. It's a shame it took this and not years, of black americans simply pointing out that it is offensive to them.

My dad went to college in South Carolina in the 70s. Was always called a Yankee, and got a bunch of crap.

I went to school in Texas, got less of it, but still got it as a New Yorker. I'd see the flag on trucks, people driving around with "sons of confederate veterans" license plate frames.

They always say this is our history. Pretend like they are more patriotic than everyone else. But they are representing the biggest rebellion against the union, a culture of the worst oppression. I just don't understand it. People were burning that flag at protests in my city, not usually a fan of flag burning of any kind. But I didn't mind it at all.

Everything that flag stands for is wrong. It's like doubling down on being on the wrong side of history

Not gonna lie it's a cool looking flag. I always liked the look of it prior to it's association in people's minds with being pro slavery.

 

[atypicalusername]

Prior to finding out about it's association with pro slavery in many peoples minds* I should say.

 

[RAFUH]

I just made the mistake of reading below the line on this.
If you want an idea of how endemic racism is here, check it out, it's fairly gross.
One fella wrote
"Bubba should take his BLM attitude and convince blacks to start being law abiding, educated, not have progeny out of wedlock, and responsible for their own bad decisions."
I stopped reading after that.

"hit the wall bubba" did it for me

 

[RAFUH]

wow, who would have thunk NASCAR would be a shining beacon of hope!

I love the shade of not capitalizing confederate.

 

[RAFUH]

Prior to finding out about it's association with pro slavery in many peoples minds* I should say.

This improved the statement, but I'm not sure how it could be associated with anything else. It was the flag of the potential country that wanted to exist so it could continue to have slaves.

 

[Blueclouds]

What do you all feel about this defunding the police in the us?

 

[Lanolin]

This improved the statement, but I'm not sure how it could be associated with anything else. It was the flag of the potential country that wanted to exist so it could continue to have slaves.

You think the average British person has a great knowledge of the American civil war?

 

[RAFUH]

You think the average British person has a great knowledge of the American civil war?

In general, I am much more impressed with most British knowledge of American history than I am of American knowledge of American history.

 

[Grinch]

This improved the statement, but I'm not sure how it could be associated with anything else. It was the flag of the potential country that wanted to exist so it could continue to have slaves.

The north had slaves too... so maybe we need to change the American flag. Tear down every building ever built because some old geezer had ties to slavery. Or said something bad. Our whole country was built around this.

 

[mezzrow]

You think the average British person has a great knowledge of the American civil war?

If you read GOT, that's the impression you'd get. I don't find much uncertainty regarding guilt and multi-generational responsibility for past sins.

Race is the Achilles heel of the American project, and those who are ambivalent or hostile about that American project know that all it needs is a good stir to put us off our stride. This will end when we completely eliminate racism from the face of the earth, or never. Whichever comes first.

People think I'm cynical. Imagine that.

 

[mezzrow]

In general, I am much more impressed with most British knowledge of American history than I am of American knowledge of American history.

Indeed.

On reflection, perhaps the schools over there do a better job of teaching it. I say that having taught a few years worth of US History to students who were pretty much uninterested about anything before or after the Civil War. Seems to be a theme here...

 

[Grinch]

Cancelled Cops and LivePD on television. Cancel culture is the worst. Alienating cops. This country will go up in flames.

 

[Lanolin]

In general, I am much more impressed with most British knowledge of American history than I am of American knowledge of American history.

Generally speaking, British people would have no idea of the relevance of the confederate flag. I was just pointing out that the poster wasn't an idiot for not previously having been aware of it's connotations; the same would apply to a pretty big proportion of the population.

 

[Ruairi77]

What do you all feel about this defunding the police in the us?

it might be a bit of a PR own goal for the BLM movement.
Unbundle the police might be a better way to put it.
The police here have a whole raft of responsibilities that could be taken up by more suitable organizations.
They aren't properly trained for all their roles.
So someone should put together a proposal of how to deconstruct the police and better provide the services that stretch them now.
The problem is the police unions are too strong making enacting change almost impossible.

 

[mezzrow]

Generally speaking, British people would have no idea of the relevance of the confederate flag. I was just pointing out that the poster wasn't an idiot for not previously having been aware of it's connotations; the same would apply to a pretty big proportion of the population.

Which Confederate flag? You know what the battle flag looks like, but that's not the genuine Confederate flag. As a baseball little leaguer in the 60's I played for a team called the 'Cannon Rebels', sponsored by a local pol named Clyde Cannon. We had that battle flag proudly displayed on the left sleeve of the jersey, as we demolished every other team in the county on the way to an undefeated season. That was about 55 years ago.

We had a pitcher that went on to get a cup of coffee with the Oakland A's. He threw about a dozen no-hitters that year.

As that flag has become the equivalent of the hakenkreuz, you get a funny feeling in the pit of your stomach. I was 12. Was I the baddie?