Real Kato Blog: Society: Hate, Not Heritage

I'm sick of folks around here defending the Confederate flag. Their arguments simply don't wash with me.

"Heritage, not hate." That's what folks will say when they defend the flying of the Confederate flag. They're not celebrating slavery and racism and the violation of basic principles of the United States; no, they're celebrating the fact that sometime in the past, their ancestors just happened to be living in a place where the Confederate flag flew for a while, and so they have a right to be proud of that symbol.

When I first heard this argument, my first reaction was to wonder if they would also defend a German immigrant flying a Nazi flag at his house. But I decided not to try that line of reasoning, because someone who flies a Confederate flag might indeed also support flying a Nazi flag.

So let me try this one on you: is it okay for me to fly the Japanese Imperial flag on December 7th? Celebrating the fact that I have a Japanese heritage? Perhaps we could fly it at the Japanese embassy. Heritage, not surprise imperialist invasion, right?

No? So it's only okay if it's YOUR heritage that we celebrate, not mine?

Now, defenders of the Confederate flag also say they have free-speech rights to fly the flag if they want. And that's true; I agree with that. This is a free country. But the Confederacy came about partly to deny freedom to an entire race of people. So I find it ironic to use the Confederate flag as a symbol for freedom. It would be like making a public speech denouncing the right to public speaking.

People also have the right to wear T-shirts that say "I have sympathy for child molesters". But that doesn't mean it's appropriate to do so; and it doesn't mean those people should expect to avoid a backlash.

In any event, the controversy isn't about free speech for individuals. It's about putting the Confederate flag on top of government buildings and schools and public taxpayer-supported locations: that would be demeaning and disenfranchising to minorities and Northerners and all of us true patriots. And that's hate, not heritage.

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