A Puma's Thoughts on the Confederate Flag and Monuments

I’ve debated writing something on this for quite a while and really kind of confused that this subject is even still a thing in the year of our Lord 2017. And that subject is the Confederate flag and Confederate monuments; its mind boggling to me that people are really fighting hard to keep these remnants of arguably the biggest L anyone has ever received in American history up for public consumption.

Much more appropriate

This isn’t to say we shouldn’t teach the history of the Confederacy but to hold it up as something to be honored is a weird thing to me. 

A little backstory here, the Puma grew up near a town called Stonewall in Mississippi. I didn’t really think too much of it as a child but I remember seeing a plaque in town speaking of the bravery of Stonewall Jackson, the man the town was named for. I did some digging (using encyclopedias because I’m old and this predates the Wikipedia you kids use today.) 

He probably hated slavery, so he's cool right?

What I found as a kid was a man who owned slaves, was gifted slaves, and then fought to protect the society that allowed him to do so. He owned people like me. That was a sickening thought for a young Puma who couldn’t have been more than 10 years old at the time. 

“But Puma, that flag and monuments are about heritage! Not hate!” I counter with those flags and monuments represent a heritage of hate. These monuments were not erected during the Civil War or even closely after the Civil War; they were built en masse in 2 waves. The first of the two waves being post Reconstruction in the Jim Crow era, and another uptick during the Civil Rights era, these monuments were built as forms of public intimidation and a reminder of Black people’s standing in society. 

During the late 1940s we saw the return of the Confederate battle flag when Dixiecrats protested against President Truman for having the gall to desegregate the armed forces and support anti-lynching bills. They waved the Confederate flags and enthusiastically did rebel yells. Now I want you to tell me why in the hell would I be like “oh cool, it’s just a flag! It’s just a statue!” No, it represents so much more. 

I've seen so many defenses begin with "my family fought for that flag and they didn't own slaves, what about their legacy?" To that I say with all due respect (so you know something wild disrespectful coming,) FUCK THE LEGACY OF FIGHTING FOR THAT FLAG. I have family who were terrorized with that flag. And I'm not the only person. So what about my family legacy? We have to be reminded of that terror just because people want to display history's version of a participation trophy? Fuck that noise. This isn't something that you need to hear both sides on, which side owned people? Cool, I'm with the other guys, end of discussion. 

Ok. I'm done. I promise I'll be back with wrestling or some snarky insults aimed at people I dislike. Or not, this is free content. You're welcome.