The confederate flag is not racist

I will argue that the confederate flag is racist. PRO: "The South seceded because of higher taxes in the North not slavery. "Before the civil war, Jefferson Davis advocated secession (of Mississippi) if an abolitionist is elect president [1]. It is clear that one of his main motives is the preservation of slavery. He says: "It seems now to be probable that the Abolitionists and their allies will have control of the next House of Representatives, and it may be well inferred from their past course that the will attempt legislature both injurious and offensive to the south. I have an abiding faith that any law which violates our constitutional rights, will be met with a veto by the present Executive. – But should the next House of Representatives be such as would elect an Abolition President, we may expect that the election will be so conducted as probably to defeat a choice by the people and devolve the election upon the House. Whether by the House or by the people, if an Abolitionist be chosen president of the United States, you will have presented to you the question of whether you will permit the government to pass into the hands of your avowed and implacable enemies. Without pausing for your answer, I will state my own position to be that such a result would be a species of revolution by which the purposes of the Government would be destroyed and the observances of its mere forms entitled to no respect. In that event, in such manner as should be most expedient, I should deem it your duty to provide for your safety outside of a Union with those how have already shown the will, and would have acquired the power, to deprive you of your birthright and to reduce you to worse than the colonial dependence of your fathers. " Also, the Texas secesionists clearly state in a declaration that slavery is a reason for succession. They write [2], [3]: " That in this free government all white men are and of right ought to be entitled to equal civil and political rights; that the servitude of the African race, as existing in these States, is mutually beneficial to both bond and free, and is abundantly authorized and justified by the experience of mankind, and the revealed will of the Almighty Creator, as recognized by all Christian nations; while the destruction of the existing relations between the two races, as advocated by our sectional enemies, would bring inevitable calamities upon both and desolation upon the fifteen slave-holding States. By the secession of six of the slave-holding States, and the certainty that others will speedily do likewise, Texas has no alternative but to remain in an isolated connection with the North, or unite her destinies with the South. For these and other reasons, solemnly asserting that the federal constitution has been violated and virtually abrogated by the several States named, seeing that the federal government is now passing under the control of our enemies to be diverted from the exalted objects of its creation to those of oppression and wrong, and realizing that our own State can no longer look for protection, but to God and her own sons—We the delegates of the people of Texas, in Convention assembled, have passed an ordinance dissolving all political connection with the government of the United States of America and the people thereof and confidently appeal to the intelligence and patriotism of the freemen of Texas to ratify the same at the ballot box, on the 23rd day of the present month. " There is overwhelming evidence that slavery was one of the main reasons that the South wanted to secede from the Union. meaning of the confederate flagThe confederate flag means different things to different people, also depending on the context. Since slavery was a major dispute in the American civil war, it is understandable that some people have associated the confederate flag with slavery. And it is not only black people, descendants from slaves, who have interpreted the flag in this way. As my opponent mentioned, the KKK and other hate groups have interpreted the flag in this way, and have abused the flag for their own political purposes. This abuse has strengthened the perception that the confederate is associated to racism. Nowadays, the perception that the confederate flag stands for racism is widespread. In a Gallop poll in 2000, 28% of the American people felt that the conferate flag is racist, another 5% believed it stood for both racism and southern pride. A flag is a symbol. And symbols, much like words, change their meaning over time. (If I say I am tweeting, nobody will think I am making bird sounds nowadays. ) The confederate flag has been tainted from the start, but even if it wasn't, even if it did not stand for racism initially, it does now. In my opinion, people in the south should acknowledge that the flag is perceived as racist, and find another symbol for southern pride. The south has a lot to be proud of, but slavery is not part of that. There is a striking example in history where a positive symbol has become a symbol associated with racism. This is the swastika. To avoid any misunderstanding, let me make clear that I am NOT using this example to compare the South with the Nazi's, but only to illustrate the evolution of a symbol. The Swastika was is an old symbol, that has a rich history [4]. Among other things, it symbolizes Lakshmi, the Hindu god of wealth, prosperity and auspiciousness. Then the Nazi's used this symbol in their flag. Nowadays, the swastika is almost always associated with racism and antisemitism. It would be foolish to use this symbol, even if your intentions were good and you wanted to honor Lakshmi. In the same way, whatever the history is of the confederate flag, it IS perceived as racist NOWADAYS by a significant portion of the American population. Therefore, I think it would be foolish to continue using this symbol. People who want to use the confederate flag should understand that this flag is offensive to a lot of people. Sure, there may be some reasons to use this symbol, but what reasons would justify offending a lot of people? [1] . http://www.confederatepastpresent.org...[2]http://www.confederatepastpresent.org...[3] William Winkler, Journal of the Secession Convention (Austin: State library, 1912), 61-65. [4] . http://en.wikipedia.org...