Monday, June 12, 2006

Battle Flag

I was reading the Journal-Inquirer this weekend when I ran across this story about a mural painted at Stafford High School which drew fire, and is now being painted over, for being offensive. Most of the images cited as offensive were, in fact, pretty harmless. However, there was one that stuck in my mind: Someone had painted a Confederate battle flag. Underneath was some sort of inscription--I don't have the paper in front of me so I can't tell you exactly what it read--which said something like "This is my culture, respect it."

Stafford is a pretty white place, as are most of the little semi-rural towns in northern Tolland County. Imagine being one of the very, very few black kids at that school. Imagine walking down the hallway and seeing that painted there. What would you think?

And what if that wasn't the first time?

I was a high school teacher for a couple of years in a small town very like Stafford, and there was a certain group of kids who had all kinds of Confederate flag gear. This ranged from stickers on notebooks to decals on their cars to the real deal flying from the flagpole outside their homes. There were a few kids who were obsessed with that flag. They put it everywhere.

Why?

This is Connecticut. We not only have no historical connection to the society that produced that flag, our forerunners actually fought a bloody war to bring that rebellious society to heel. So what was this deep connection these kids felt for that flag? It made no sense to me.

I actually asked a few of them about it, and was told that "it's a redneck thing." That made a little sense. They defined themselves as country boys, and they tended to come from the families who had lived in these little towns forever. The families who moved into the new suburban-like developments from towns like South Windsor, Manchester and Enfield didn't have the same attitude. Still, I had to ask myself--was it a racist thing, too? There was obviously something secret, since the kids sometimes, when they remembered, went to great lengths to hide it, or, when displaying it, cocked a defiant attitude.

I also knew those kids. I heard some of the things they said, and saw through some of the code they put in their writings and speech. There was an undercurrent of defensive racism and homophobia, of Connecticut's answer to Good Old Boys feeling threatened by the encroaching suburbs and the modicum of diversity they brought, to their actions, words and deeds. Sometimes it became much more than an undercurrent. There were incidents. Some had to do with race. Many more had to do with sexuality.

Worse, it wasn't just the kids. Their fathers, brothers and uncles were just as bad. I met a few of them. Big guys. Intimidating. Their trucks sported Confederate flag decals, too.

On the whole, it was a pretty stupid thing of that principal to cover up the mural in Stafford. Kids need to express themselves, and they need exposure to art. That Confederate flag, though... that has to go. One way or another.

Source

Soper, Kym. "School officials whitewash murals on high school walls: Students, parents upset over decision; art teacher suspended over assignment." Journal-Inquirer 10 June, 2006.

7 comments:

Genghis Conn said...

I do see what you're saying.

The thing is, they've been taught that since they were little kids. And they don't care.

Brock Townsend said...

The Battle Flag pales in comparison to the evil that has been done under the Stars and Stripes. Slavery was legal under the S&S for 80 years, and it flew proudly while Yankees massacred our American Indians using the expertise they learned so well in their rape of our Southerners of every color. But your biased remarks are expected, as New Englanders are well known for their hypocritical views. Don't forget y'all that your New England ships brought the slaves to these shores. Oh, that's right, you wouldn't admit that as it would show you in a bad light...... (Refer to hypocritical above)

Genghis Conn said...

That's nice. Our kids do fly it for racism, and so they can act like jerks. They want to be more like what they think you are. Thanks, by the way.

The fine hairs you're splitting here don't actually matter to the vast majority of people who aren't Southern whites, and you will not convince me that the actions and core beliefs of the government and society that flag represented (I remind you that it was an integral part of the second and third Confederate national flags) somehow don't matter.

I encourage you to take this fight elsewhere. You won't find any support here.

Genghis Conn said...

Ah. I didn't read your post entirely, madam, and my anger was primarily directed at the post above yours. I apologize if I've caused offense.

But with all due respect, I don't believe you want that symbol back. I see why you're trying to claim it, but it stands for too much evil in the minds of too many Americans. You'll forgive me for feeling strongly about people who hide bigotry behind "culture," which is what I've seen done.

Still, it's an honorable goal, and I wish you the best of luck. Again, no offense intended, and I hope you'll forgive my misdirected anger.

Brock Townsend said...

"Our kids do fly it for racism......"

Amazing! So, you really know what other people think? You certainly fit Dr.Clyde Wilson's definition below:

"By Yankee I do not mean everybody from north of the Potomac and Ohio...... I am using the term historically to designate that peculiar ethnic group descended from New Englanders, who can be easily recognized by their arrogance, hypocrisy, greed, lack of congeniality, and penchant for ordering other people around."

Genghis Conn said...

I do indeed fit that description, Mr. Townsend. Perfectly. :)

Brock Townsend said...

Helaina, my good friend, you stated

"It's easy to see from reading these posts why some northerners consider southerners racist bigots...the name calling certainly gives them plenty of cause."

Why in the world would my quoting Dr. Wilson, and stating in my own words before that, the more or less same idea, be construed by someone that I am a "racist bigot?" In addition, I see nothing in any other "comments" that are racist. You should remember that these same "people" were the Cause of the WBTS, as they thought that they should tell us how to behave while in effect stealing our money through an unfair tariff. I would like to quote my great, great Grandfather, Joseph John Pippen when he spoke on the latter in 1837, but I am not at home, and therefore do not have access to my computer files. All we wanted to do was leave in peace, but "those people" in all their superiority, would not let us do so, resulting in the death of over 800,000 Americans. They still continue to come to our Southland, and tell us how to behave. My wish is that they would stay where they belong, and leave us alone. As my mother instructed, I am not concerned with what other "people" think about me, as I am quite confident that what I do is correct.