BlackCommentator.com October 29, 2015 - Issue 627: The Confederate Flag Makes It Easier To Spot The Racist - Sharp n' Blunt By Desi Cortez, BC Columnist

October 29, 2015 - Issue 627

The Confederate Flag
Makes It Easier
To Spot The Racist

"When you encounter a Rebel flag clad
lady or gent, why hell, you know where
they're coming from, from Jump Street."

The University of Mississippi took down the state flag on Monday, heeding the calls of those who profess it's divisive Confederate battle emblem which is harming the school's future in an era of diversity. i don’t know about this ageof “enlightenment,” but unquestionably the flag illustrates the racial/cultural split in the USA.

Of course this got the card carrying Republican TEA Party Rednecks upset... so a petition is up on change.org . . . after a few days they still haven’t generated 2500 fool’s signatures.

Sure, initially you would say “bleep” the “Keep the flag of the state of Mississippi flying at The University of Mississippi” petition which is circulating the World Wide Web . The flag has flown for years in the Lyceum circle. That's where deadly white riots broke out in 1962, when James Meredith was enrolled as the university's first black student . . . just so you get the sentiment and the motivation to fly it.

Nonetheless, ponder this point; it’s easier to know when you’re dealing with a Confederate minded individual if they’ve got this Redneck red alert on their hat, car, boat, underwear, motorcycle, jacket, beltbuckle . . . otherwise it’s a challenge sometimes trying to determine “good” white folks from “bad” White people.

They tend to all look alike.

Look, if you're White and you desire to honor this flag . . . in the minds of millions of Black people, Jewish folks, catholics, Latinos , honestly most Americans Of Color it defines you as a as a no good, “bad” White person a racist. It depicts you as an elitist who believes in White superiority.

Dick Cheney calls it “American Exceptionalism.”

Sure you’ve got regional characters; Farmers, Surfers, bible thumpers, Cowboys, Swamp people, YUPPIES, rebels, Corporate folks, trailer park types . . . but within all those stereotypical subgroups you’ve got another subgroup which harbors hatred which is beyond the “normal” fears, phobias and prejudices . . . and they fall into the group of blind racist Confederates fit
neatly into that category. Klansmen are Confederates, Confederates are Klansmen, one in the same, cousins, brothers, inlaws.

The later group is the ideological numerical majority of White America, really. While Liberal Conservatives are as common as pink elephants . . . Most White folks are anti immigration, pro guns, bazookas, tanks . . . anti Women's Rights and Pro Trickle Down Economics those are Conservatives, then you’ve got conservative Conservatives . . . i.e., Confederates, I.e., Ted
Cruz and the Crusaders.

The Confederate Flag represents a “nobrainer,” followed by “Don’t Tread on me,” “Romney” and NRA Bumper stickers. . And to be razor sharp and brutally blunt when you see “Ol’ Glory” I can make the argument it’s a code for “real Americans,” “Patriots,” that White Americans have co-opted and embraced!

Nevertheless, when you encounter a Rebel flag clad lady or gent, why hell, you know where they're coming from, from Jump Street.

Bill Clinton didn’t have a Rebel flag . . . but he passed legislation which Confederates applauded, from “3 Strikes n’ you’re behind bars in a for profit prison“ to NAFTA. This is the problem for Americans Of Color . . . we can’t tell the White folks who want us to move to the back of the bus, or even back to Africa . . . from the ones who think like Senator Elizabeth Warren . . . and there’re more who think like Michelle Bachman or Carly Fiorina than like the enlightened Senator.

Additionally, generally speaking . . . I’ve found White folks to not be very forthcoming nor honest about their political/racial/economic viewpoints in mixed company. Instead they seem to either become quiet, or kinda go along to get along. Any “tip” I can ascertain, which tells me they're grappling with the fact I’m human . . . and that flag screams just that I’d like to know.

See that matters when that individual is a decision maker in your life; your child’s doctor or teacher, your banker, your wives boss . . . your neighbor or coworker, not that you can do to much about it but it’s good information to have, no?

I couldn’t, wouldn’t and you shouldn’t let a Confederate operate on your child.

So see, despite how obvious this issue appears . . . of course the Confederate Rebel Flag should be removed from our society . . . I’d argue it ain’t.

And I ask you, what a choice we have here. White man who’ll look me in the eye and tell me he hates me, or . . . the smile in my face Liberal who believes he’s got to treat me like a manchild, lower all expectations because of my simplemindedness nature.

Hatred or pity . . . ain’t that a bitch?

BlackCommentator.com Columnist, Desi Cortez, was hatched in the heart of Dixie, circa 1961, at the dawning of the age of Aquarius, the by-product of four dynamic individuals, Raised in South-Central LA, the 213, at age 14 transplanted to the base of the Rockies, Denver. Still a Mile-Hi. Sat at the feet of scholars for many, many moons, emerging with a desire and direction… if not a sheep-skin. "Meandered thru life; gone a-lot places, done a-lot of things, raised a man-cub into a good, strong man, produced a beautiful baby-girl with my lover/woman/soul-mate… aired my mind on the airwaves and wrote some stuff along the way." Contact Mr. Cortez and BC.