Personally, I think the license plate is obviously a symbol of hate and racism and should be banned. As Tyrone Brooks, a Georgia state representative, put it, "If the American Nazi Party applied for [a swastika on] one of those [license plates], would we grant one? Absolutely no." I agree with Mr. Brooks, because of the Confederate flag's history, is has a similar meaning as the Nazi flag. To some, the Confederate flag may only be a war flag and nothing more, but that is not the case for most people: "the Confederate flag is the semi-official symbol that represents the mark of 'old all white' traditions and the exclusionary feelings of whites towards blacks" (Kimenyi 52). Because the Confederate flag was used by the Ku Klux Klan and other white supremacy groups, the flag is a banner filled with hate rather than heritage. Though some argue that the Confederate flag is "simply a way to honor the memory of their ancestors," the only thing I see the Confederate flag honoring is the brutal institutional of slavery.
Though only 35 license plates have been ordered with this new design, I still find it very concerning that the design would ever be considered. Many people might want to believe that the days of racism are in the past, however, the fight for equality for all people is far from over. The creation of this new license plate shows how there is still a ways to go until the Civil Rights Movement is truly "over."
What do you think about the new license plate design?
Hi Josh,
ReplyDeleteI think it's telling that this particular issue refuses to go away, even as I have taught US History for the past 20 years. That might be another angle you could use in this post: why does the Confederate flag refuse to die in America?
You also might analyze the language of defenders of the use of the flag as opposed to just utilizing quotes from the side you support.
Thank you for your feedback, Mr. B!! I agree that it is concerning that the Confederate flag controversy seems to keep popping up. Unfortunately, I think it is not very likely that the issue will go away anytime soon, considering that fact that many civil rights battles are still being fought such as gay marriage. Also, I'd just like to point out that I did use a quote to address the other side of the argument: "a symbol of the South's cultural heritage" (said by a proponent of the Confederate flag license plate). However, I agree that I could have further analyzed the other viewpoint on the Confederate flag debate.
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