flying the Confederate flag?

[HedgeVeg]

We've just seen that a neighbour of ours has decided it's a great idea to fly a Confederate flag proudly in their back garden.

AIBU to think that it's spectacularly bizarre and complete dickish behaviour to fly any flag outside of sporting events fly a the Confederate flag?

(We're within the UK)

A house near me also does this. Makes me think what a fucking idiot everytime I pass it.

YANBU. It has strong links with slavery and racism in the USA, and now also with the Trump/QAnon nastiness. It might be "just a flag" but it's actually the flag for a great deal of unpleasantness, both historical and current.

Yanbu. It's a flag that stands for white supremacy.

Is this the next exciting instalment in the UK culture wars, flying a confederate flag in Kent to 'own the libs'?

Knobheads.

While it has negative connotations in the USA until recently most people outside of America associated it with the Dukes of Hazzard more than any "I like slavery" position.

The confederate flag is only partly negative. It embodies rebellion against "the man" and the pursuit of freedom, very much like the Scottish flag being waved as a big "fXXX you" to England.

That said, I wouldn't associate myself with anyone who waved a confederate flag in their garden, just as I wouldn't someone displaying a USSR flag or picture of Che Guevara.

Bidens been and they started out confederate so he’s probably just a democrat/huge Biden fan.

Yes - it's a flag that screams 'racists'. It's association with white supremacists and supporting slavery is well known - they won't be flying it in innocence.

very much like the Scottish flag being waved as a big "fXXX you" to England

What?
The Saltire is Scotland's National Flag - it's not flown as a F you to England at all! Geez - get a grip.

And in no way is flying The Saltire related to the nut jobs who fly a Confederate Flag.

Why on earth would the Saltire being flown be a F you to England? Does England also feel offended by the sight of the Welsh flag?

The confederate battle flag (what you see on top of the general lee in the Duke’s of hazard) is a pretty charged statement.

Sure good ole boys used to display it as “Southern pride,” and it was always more of a big F-ck You! to Yankees than intended as a signal to African Americans, but it’s pretty well settled now that it does offend and distress African Americans (understandably so).

So while there may have been a convoluted argument to support it in the South 30 years ago. It really has no place anywhere now. Everyone knows better.

Bidens been and they started out confederate so he’s probably just a democrat/huge Biden fan

I doubt anyone flying a confederate flag is either a Democrat or a huge Biden fan.

I know Biden is an older guy, but he's not quite old enough to be a Confederate (and isn't even from a state that was one). He used to work for the Republicans and thought of himself as one until around the Nixon administration from what I've read, but Republicans and Confederates aren't the same thing as much as some like to mix the two up. As we're often reminded where I'm from - Lincoln was a republican (this ignores the political shifts between the parties over the century, but it's a whole thing in some US places to remember that).

I'd feel really weird seeing a Brit fly a Confederate Flag, and even if they were from the American South, doing it here would feel bizarre. I'd hope they wouldn't take the twang in my voice as aligning with that. I can the whole 'heritage not hate' argument when it's actually on a heritage site -- museums and similar with them, even reenactors, but little weird to put up a flag of a failed state that withdrew to continue a state's rights to continue chattel slavery out of the blue. I'd worry it was provocative, are there any new neighbours around that this might be aimed at? I've read some European groups have taken to using it as a signal because it's harder for it be treated as a hate symbol compared to ones aligned with European hate groups.

That’s just weird.

Bit of a strange thing to do in the UK.

Yeah its a weird thing to do in the UK. Are they conspiracy theorists or QAnon?

Its really odd. In a very tiny, very quaint tourist destination too.

Its definitely not the same as flying the Saltire, don't be so daft!!!

But yes, the confederate flag is making a statement about slavery and racism!

You are looking at this completely the wrong way. They have actually done you a favour. What they've done by flying the flag is stuck a big sign on their house that says 'I'm a fucking idiot'. Saves a lot of time in assuming they are rational thinking folk.

You really can't argue with stupid.

Sounds like a pretty blatant dog whistle.

They don't own qn old American car so they? I have seen the Confederate flag at car shows and it makes me cringe.

Were you looking for a more complicated answer than, 'they're a big fat racist'?

They are racist or stupid or probably both

How well do you know them? Would you consider knocking at the door and saying, very nicely, we couldn't help but notice your new flag. We weren't sure if you were aware it actually has an awful history and we find it quite offensive. We thought you mustn't know about this, or might have some other reason for flying it, so we wanted to ask.

You never know what they might say, at least I would have thought you'd get a clear answer as to whether they're racists, and what they're trying to convey.

I remember seeing an entire marching band kitted out in Confederate Flag uniforms and regalia - in the 80s in the English Midlands. Even then I was a bit bemused and I didn't know the full history then.
A friend who is very keen on Rock n Roll and the associated dances and "lifestyle events" tells me the Confederate flag was popular with that crowd before it was better understood.
As for OPs neighbour - who knows they are either goady or ignorant at the very least.

@cindarellasbelly

How well do you know them? Would you consider knocking at the door and saying, very nicely, we couldn't help but notice your new flag. We weren't sure if you were aware it actually has an awful history and we find it quite offensive. We thought you mustn't know about this, or might have some other reason for flying it, so we wanted to ask.

You never know what they might say, at least I would have thought you'd get a clear answer as to whether they're racists, and what they're trying to convey.

We don't know them at all. Fortunately for us, there is literally a big red flag in their garden to warn us of what they're like 👍 so we know not to make friends!