That Old Confederate Flag

•  I was born and raised in childhood in the south, and I vividly recall the harassment thrown my way when we moved to the Wash., DC, area. I was asked if I were a bigot, my history teacher used to humiliate me in class with comments about how he was sure I was taught a "different" US history in the south, etc. I heard plenty of bigoted remarks from the more "northern" society, and truly heard the worst comments during the six years I lived in CT. I have a sister who marched in the civil rights marches in the 1960s and heard plenty of comments from the local white folk about her! 

  
  
• So, how do I feel about the confederate flag? To me it represented a time when farming states did not want the dictates of the industrialized north coming in w/ big money and a fast-paced life trying to ridicule and, in essence, enslave the confederate states. What the "south," and thus the conf. flag, stir in my heart is a respect for people who know courtesies, a slower pace of life, lots of spirituality, people unafraid to practice some of the non-western medical practices (many taught to them by southern blacks), a richness in song that cannot be compared, and so much more. 
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  No, not all my thoughts pertaining to the south are ideal. Bigotry did exist in some, maybe even many, places -- but I'm hard pressed to believe they did not also exist everywhere else in the States. There were brutal pockets that needed weeding out/cleaning out -- oh, but didn't NY and Chicago have its gangs and all their brutality and controls? And, oh, don't those gangs still exist today and have now even splintered off into other factions across all the states (and internationally?). And there were plenty of sweet ole southerners smiling all the way to the bank at the expense of others. But where in the world, not just America, does that not happen? 
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  There is a lot of pride in that confederate flag. And a lot of embarrassment. But what a display of humility over the years for what many consider to be the "losing side" to have still shown its flag. It's historic, it has a huge history, many failures but also many accomplishments. 
  Should it be taken down? To me, that's a choice to be voted on by the people who are permanent residents there, state by state.
• As for modern-day environmentalists, non polluters, believers of climate change -- which "side" contributed to what many today believe are some of our downfalls? Why does human nature love to gravitate towards and remain stuck in the negatives and not recognize the beauties and potentials? Turn it around -- make it a symbol to be proud of. Or ... take it down.
• Copyright © July 2015 by Maeke Ermarth

                 Ocean City, Maryland