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Lasana Trawally
U of U Writing 1010
11/7/15
The Confederate Flag: Heritage or Hate
The Confederate flag is probably one of the most controversial topic in the U.S. right
now. There has been lots of talk lately about whether the flag should be part of any state States
flag or should the flag even be flying. The confederate flag has existed for over 130 years and
every states have gotten rid of the flag as part of their state flag or from flying over their state
capital, except for Mississippi. South Carolina removed the flag after the South Carolina black
church shooting. Mississippi being the only state with the flag as part of its state flag has had a
lot of debate about whether they should follow the others state example or keep the flag. The
Confederate flag was used during the Civil War, the war is over time to get rid of the flag.
When it comes to the confederate flag, many Mississippian are divided. Some are saying
the flag is part of their history and heritage, while others thinks the flag stands for hatred and
they should get rid of the flag. The history of the flag itself could imply that the flag stands for
hatred. The Confederates tried to separate from the union because the South didnt want to
abolish slavery. When it came to slavery the South and the North didnt really agree with each
other, which caused the South to secede from the North or the Union and created the Confederate
States of America, composed of 13 states. The goal of the confederate states was to keep slavery
and the union wanted to abolish slavery and they eventually went to war. The south may have
secede from the Union for a couple of good reasons, but slavery was one the main reason for
secession. Even though the flag was used during the civil war is over and keeping the flag around
stills means the war isnt over just yet, For opponents, sometimes called "modernists," the

Lasana Trawally
U of U Writing 1010
11/7/15
emblem is a rude reminder of a degrading, disgraceful period in American history when whites
treated black slaves as subhuman. Even after the demise of slavery, the sharecropping system and
the ruthless exploitation inherent in de jure segregation hobbled African Americans. The use of
the Confederate battle emblem by ardent segregationists as a symbol of the days of Jim Crow
unequivocally made it offensive and degrading in the eyes of many blacks)) (Martinez). The
effect of the Civil War was to bring the nation together, but as Martinez states having the flag
around is disrespectful and a disgrace. The flag was also used during the time of segregation by
Southern to symbolize the south heritage during the war. After all that this country has gone
through to get rid of slavery and the racial segregation between black and white would all be for
nothing if we dont get rid of the confederate flag. The Confederate flag can also been seen as a
hatred symbol as it has been embraced with the Ku Klux Klan, one of the most racist group in
the United States, a group whose goal is white supremacy. Many member of the KKK members
are those group of Mississippians who believe the flag is part of their heritage and history. The
Klan says the reaction was excessive, and has fueled a broader feeling of dispossession among
those who believe their country is abandoning "white heritage. (Schecter and Schuppe).
According to Schecter and Schuppe, removing the confederate flags means abandoning the white
heritage, removing the flag means leaving the past behind, maybe somethings should be left
behind. Dylann Roof, the guy who killed nine people at a black church in South Carolina, had a
photo of himself with a confederate flag and a hand gun. Dylann had a website full of hate notes
toward supported the idea of white supremacy and also had 33 hate crime charges against him
after his arrest and that shooting was definitely a hate crime. This moral truththat the Negro
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Lasana Trawally
U of U Writing 1010
11/7/15
is not equal to the white manis exactly what animated Dylann Roof. (Coates). As Coates
states, what animated Roof what the idea of white supremacy, how black people are not equal to
white people, the idea that white people should be the dominate race. When they looked at his
website, there was a reading and it reads I have no choice, it reads. I am not in the position to,
alone, go into the ghetto and fight. I chose Charleston because it is most historic city in my state,
and at one time had the highest ratio of blacks to Whites in the country. We have no skinheads,
no real KKK, no one doing anything but talking on the internet. Well someone has to have the
bravery to take it to the real world, and I guess that has to be me.(Robles). He felt like he had
the need to do what the KKK or the other racist groups couldnt do. He felt like he actually the
State of Carolina a favor, because no one was talking action, everyone was just talking. After the
shooting, South Carolina under lots of pressure because in South Carolina there are more black
people living in the state than white people, the shooting really put some pressure on them to
remove the flag, even though it took them over a century to remove they felt like it was the right
thing, when the majority of state is black, having a flag and revenue named after generals who
fought to keep their ancestors as slaves. The people of Mississippi believe by protecting the flag
they are protecting their history and heritage, but the truth is they are supporting negative
message that the flag provides. The flag has no place in the present, it had place in past must the
past is long gone and its time we put it behind us because we are moving toward a new period in
America where the vast majority of the population isnt white anymore, and the flag has no place
in the future anymore, it is time to ditch the flag.

Lasana Trawally
U of U Writing 1010
11/7/15
When you think about the confederate flag, it remind you of the Nazi flag, a flag used by
the Nazi party, led by Adolf Hitler, a man who murder millions of Jews and other racial groups
because he wanted an Aryan race. After the war the Nazi party and the Nazi flag used by Hitler
and his followers were banned by Germany under the Strafgesetzbuch section 86a. The people of
Germany would never forget about the Holocaust but they did the right thing to ban the flag,
even though the people of Germany were probably embarrassed about the whole event, which
led to banning the flag, but the still banned it. Mississippi and the U.S. should do the same and
banned the Confederate flag, once and for all. Under the Strafgesetzbuch section 86a, it states the
followings:
1. Domestically distributes or publicly uses, in a meeting
or in written materials (section 11(3)) disseminated by him,
symbols of one of the parties or organizations indicated in
section 86(1) Nos 1, 2 and 4; or
2. Produces, stocks, imports or exports objects which
depict or contain such symbols for distribution or use in
Germany or abroad in a manner indicated in No 1,
Shall be liable to imprisonment not exceeding three years
or a fine.

Lasana Trawally
U of U Writing 1010
11/7/15
(2) Symbols within the meaning of subsection (1) above
shall be in particular flags, insignia, uniforms and their
parts, slogans and forms of greeting. Symbols which are as
similar as to be mistaken for those named in the 1st
sentence shall be equivalent to them. (German Code)

(German Code). The Holocaust was already bad enough for the people of the Germany and the
groups who were racially abused and killed, this helps them all move on from the past. This
allows the government to protect the groups who are being abused. Even though many people
still have the flag in their home or hidden dont go out in public waving it around and saying its
part of their heritage and history to keep the flag around, even though they might not agree, this
law protects the people of Germany and its outsiders. Everyone knows that slavery was bad and
that the segregation period was hard times, but we have to push on, we have to move on from the
past and follow Germanys example ban this flag. Changing your heritage isnt easy and no one
is saying that flag is not part of their heritage but when you heritage comes across something that
might have stand for something, it puts your heritage in jeopardy. The Nazi flag in the past may
have stands for hatred and may have been used by probably one of the worst human being that
the world has seen, but in the present the flags means nothing because it has been banned and the
confederate should be the next.

Lasana Trawally
U of U Writing 1010
11/7/15
When South Carolina took down the Confederate flag from its state capital, 49 U.S. states
has removed the confederate from its state flag or the flag is not flown over the capital build. 49
states except for one, Mississippi. For the white people of Mississippi, this might be a good thing
because the state probably believes that the flag is part of their history, but for the black people
of Mississippi, the state decision to not remove the flag is totally outrageous. As one student who
states There was a time where we were not wanted at this University. To some that may have
been fifty years ago, to others that may have been just a few years ago, and for me it was just
last week.(Herod). This probably how many black students at Ole Miss feels whenever they
go to the campus and see the flag flying over them, realizing that the state of Mississippi
fought with the Confederate to keep slavery and not only that, after the war black and whites
were segregated and couldnt attend the same college or schools and to still see that the
University still have the flag flying over the students. Even though the school official might
not be thinking about what the leaders of the confederate were thinking, it still doesnt matter.
After the South Carolina shooting, many students protested at the school to have the flag
removed and the school listened. The school listening was a step toward the future and
forgetting about the past. Ever since the church shooting there has been a lot of banner all over
campus and revenue saying black lives matters and on her way to her friends house she
could see signs 'Keep the Flag', Black Lives Don't Matter' and 'If Diversity Wins, We All
Lose(Herod). This isnt really much of a surprise to many blacks or African-Americans
because many have to deal with some sort of racial discrimination against them, but the thing
is all lives matters and what people dont understand as the author is saying, black l ives are just
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Lasana Trawally
U of U Writing 1010
11/7/15
the one in danger right now. Diversity winning doesnt mean we have lost, diversity winning
means we are moving toward a great future, because diversity is what makes America so
beautiful and Mississippi keeping the flag as part of their state flag isnt beautiful.
America has been through lots when it comes to racism and slavery, there has been
movements and there has been war, but the war isnt over yet until the confederate flag is
banned. Germany has banned the Nazi flag and its time we do the same, banning the flag is a
step toward the future, many Mississippians are saying the flag is part of their heritage and
history, we are in a period where if the flag is part of your heritage, your heritage is hate. The
War is over and time we all move on and we cant until we get rid of the confederate flag.

Lasana Trawally
U of U Writing 1010
11/7/15

Citations

German Criminal Code. German Criminal Code. Web. 9 Nov. 2015

Coates, Ta-Nehisi. "Take Down the Confederate FlagNow." The Atlantic. Atlantic Media
Company, 18 June 2015. Web. 9 Nov. 2015.
Herod, Ann-Marie. "Essay: 'Your Heritage Is Hate', Take Down The State Flag at Ole
Miss." NBC News. 26 Oct. 2015. Web. 9 Nov. 2015.
Martinez, J. Michael. "The Georgia Confederate Flag Dispute." Georgia Historical
Quarterly 92.2 (2008): 200-228. Academic Search Premier. Web. 7 Nov. 2015.
Schecter, Anna R., and Jon Schuppe. "South Carolina Confederate Flag Rally Tests a Diminished
Ku Klux Klan." NBC News. N.p., 12 July 2015. Web. 08 Nov. 2015.
Robles, Frances. "Dylann Roof Photos and a Manifesto Are Posted on Website." The New York
Times. The New York Times, 20 June 2015. Web. 17 Nov. 2015.