Nope, still not a racist.

So Trump says everyone has the right to fly the Confederate flag under the First Amendment Clause of free speech. Except it's been ruled to be hate speech by local governments. Except he's the president who wants to ban the media and get rid of anyone who criticizes or disagrees with him. Except he's the guy who won't share any of his past on paper.

And why is the president of the United States in the year 2020 defending the right to fly the Confederate flag anyway?

This page is a permanent link to the reply below and its nested replies. See all post replies »

Piper · 61-69, F

Far as I know, people still do have the right to to fly or display the Confederate flag, on their own property. If the private property they display it on is any way vandalized, I'm not [i]okay[/i] with that. However one feels about that flag, that IS criminal behavior.

People having an issue with the Confederate flag flying on government property, or it being displayed at public events? Whole different thing. Trump isn't real capable, it seems, of perceiving those kinds of differences.

MistyCee

@Piper Well put, I think.

Graylight · 51-55, F

@Piper It's an important distinction, but is that where a line is drawn? What is a banner along a privately held home read, "Gays should burn in hell?" Or displays the representation of a black man hanging from a tree?

When does it go from private expression to hate speech?

Piper · 61-69, F

@Graylight Where the line is drawn is, I think, a rather [i]thorny[/i] question.

While I agree that the Confederate flag often [i]is[/i] used as a symbol of "hate", I believe it pales in comparison to the glaringly clear "hate" behind your two other examples.

Graylight · 51-55, F

@Piper I would agree, but as a woman who has been discriminated against, I can tell you that the degree of hate plays little into the situation.

Piper · 61-69, F

Okay, @Graylight. As a woman who has rarely been discriminated against just [i]because[/i] of the shade of my skin, I do know that I am not "insensitive", to the reasons why many people find the displaying of the Confederate flag to be troubling and offensive.