"Consider the recent debate about whether or not display of the Confederate flag in public spaces in Southern states is a microagression (defined by Dr. D. W. Sue for Google as "the everyday verbal, nonverbal, and environmental slights, snubs, or insults, whether intentional or unintentional, which communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative messages to target persons based solely upon their marginalized group membership"). Analyze this complex political debate in terms of its rhetorical situation and semiotics."
The public's perception of the Confederate flag is a multifaceted issue. The main opponents to the display of the Confederate flag argue that it has a history steeped in racism. They feel that you cannot divorce the symbol of the …show more content…
For them, every time they see the flag it's a reminder of one of our nation's greatest failures. It reminds them of a time when we described ourselves as the land of the free even as millions of our people were treated as mere farm animals. It can also be a source of fear, indicating the person wearing it or sporting it on their vehicle or flag pole may yearn for the days when this racism was the norm.
In such context, the Confederate flag may well be offensive. But as mentioned before, many supporters of the flag hold no ill will towards descendants or slaves or "Yankees". They see the flag as a celebration of the time their forefathers defended their homes against an overbearing government bent on destroying the livelihoods of millions in the South for the sake of appearing more progressive.
The problem, then, would be the not insignificant chunk of Confederate flag supporters that do support racism and slavery. And these people may very well be displaying the flag in a hostile manner, eg: Putting it in their window after a black family moves in across the street from them. Though in this case they may be going beyond just a "microaggression". They may be attempting to incite outright hatred or
The public's perception of the Confederate flag is a multifaceted issue. The main opponents to the display of the Confederate flag argue that it has a history steeped in racism. They feel that you cannot divorce the symbol of the …show more content…
For them, every time they see the flag it's a reminder of one of our nation's greatest failures. It reminds them of a time when we described ourselves as the land of the free even as millions of our people were treated as mere farm animals. It can also be a source of fear, indicating the person wearing it or sporting it on their vehicle or flag pole may yearn for the days when this racism was the norm.
In such context, the Confederate flag may well be offensive. But as mentioned before, many supporters of the flag hold no ill will towards descendants or slaves or "Yankees". They see the flag as a celebration of the time their forefathers defended their homes against an overbearing government bent on destroying the livelihoods of millions in the South for the sake of appearing more progressive.
The problem, then, would be the not insignificant chunk of Confederate flag supporters that do support racism and slavery. And these people may very well be displaying the flag in a hostile manner, eg: Putting it in their window after a black family moves in across the street from them. Though in this case they may be going beyond just a "microaggression". They may be attempting to incite outright hatred or