Bush Hurt my Feelings

Off Topic Politics and World Issues
21

The swastika has a long history of positive meanings before and after nazi Germany adopted it. It has stood for things such as love, happiness, and good luck, but very few people realize or accept this.

Unfortunatley, the symbol has been tainted and now has a very negative meaning to most people. I think a lot of people feel the same way about the confederate flag. It has a strong history full of pride, but for many people today is too has a very negative meaning.

I’m sure you are very proud of what the confederate flag stands for, but you should expect people to ask you to remove it, or at the very least question you about it.

The problem with having the flag as your avatar is when you make even the slightest remark that can be read as racism, you painted yourself as one. Even if you misspoke, you may not be able to take back what you said. The flag you display just confirms in many people’s mind that you are indeed racist.

I’m basically saying that if you want people to know and understand what the flag means to you, you should know and understand what the flag means to others. You should expect questions, comments, and maybe some personal attacks if you choose to display such a controversial image. If you don’t like it, take it down.

22

[quote]malonetd wrote:
The swastika has a long history of positive meanings before and after nazi Germany adopted it. It has stood for things such as love, happiness, and good luck, but very few people realize or accept this.

Unfortunatley, the symbol has been tainted and now has a very negative meaning to most people. I think a lot of people feel the same way about the confederate flag. It has a strong history full of pride, but for many people today is too has a very negative meaning.

I’m sure you are very proud of what the confederate flag stands for, but you should expect people to ask you to remove it, or at the very least question you about it.

The problem with having the flag as your avatar is when you make even the slightest remark that can be read as racism, you painted yourself as one. Even if you misspoke, you may not be able to take back what you said. The flag you display just confirms in many people’s mind that you are indeed racist.

I’m basically saying that if you want people to know and understand what the flag means to you, you should know and understand what the flag means to others. You should expect questions, comments, and maybe some personal attacks if you choose to display such a controversial image. If you don’t like it, take it down.[/quote]

malonetd,

Yes, the swastika was around long before German National Socialism. It has nothing to do with boots, black uniforms, and goose stepping.

I understand what your saying, but I didn’t make any racist comments, nor did I misspoke. Lumpy is the only person to make a big deal of my avatar. He didn’t address anything I said in my post, but simply took the opportunity to label me and try to sound clever.

I made comments based on my observations of current events. As I said, Bill Cosby was villified by other blacks because he pointed out what has needed to be said.

I apologise for the digression of the topic of this thread. That will be avoided if people would make positive contributions to this thread and refrain from making personal attacks. This goes for every thread, not just this one.

Dustin

Peroutka in 04

23

somebody previously commented that republicans are viewed as not caring about african-american issues…hmmm…interesting considering:

The Republican Party was born in the early 1850’s by anti-slavery activists and individuals who believed that government should grant western lands to settlers free of charge. The first informal meeting of the party took place in Ripon, Wisconsin, a small town northwest of Milwaukee. The first official Republican meeting took place on July 6th, 1854 in Jackson, Michigan. The name “Republican” was chosen because it alluded to equality and reminded individuals of Thomas Jefferson’s Democratic-Republican Party. At the Jackson convention, the new party adopted a platform and nominated candidates for office in Michigan.

In 1856, the Republicans became a national party when John C. Fremont was nominated for President under the slogan: “Free soil, free labor, free speech, free men, Fremont.” Even though they were considered a “third party” because the Democrats and Whigs represented the two-party system at the time, Fremont received 33% of the vote. Four years later, Abraham Lincoln became the first Republican to win the White House.

The Civil War erupted in 1861 and lasted four grueling years. During the war, against the advice of his cabinet, Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation that freed the slaves. The Republicans of their day worked to pass the Thirteenth Amendment, which outlawed slavery, the Fourteenth, which guaranteed equal protection under the laws, and the Fifteenth, which helped secure voting rights for African-Americans.

The Republican Party also played a leading role in securing women the right to vote. In 1896, Republicans were the first major party to favor women’s suffrage. When the 19th Amendment finally was added to the Constitution, 26 of 36 state legislatures that had voted to ratify it were under Republican control. The first woman elected to Congress was a Republican, Jeanette Rankin from Montana in 1917.

24

Warrior Spirit,

Yes, all that is true about the GOP. In fact, it was once considered very unusual for blacks to vote outside the Republican Party.

That changed with the invasion of the Dixiecrats disaffected with the development of the Democratic Party.

The GOP inherited bumpkin politics when the Dixiecrats bolted - the GOP’s general conservatism became a great way to advance the causes of states’ rights.

The fact is, the Republican Party has a great rack record for blacks - unfortunately, a few bad apples get the headlines and give party a bad name. But it is also the Party’s responsibility to manage its reputation, and when uneducated yahoos take over the party microphone, true Republicans need to shut them up.

25

Warrior, I’m sure you’ve also heard the phrase… “what have you done for me, lately”?