While a national consensus is emerging that South Carolina — and other Southern states — should remove the flag from state-owned property, there are others who oppose any change.
>>Alabama Gov. orders Confederate flag removed from state capitol
Opolot Okia, director of African and African American Studies at Wright State University, said some people have long held misconceptions of what the flag represents.
“It appears to be a symbol of Southern culture, but also a very strong symbol of white supremacy and hate. That’s the issue,” Okia said. “I used to live in Alabama, so I’m quite familiar with the argument passed around that the flag is a symbol of Southern heritage and state’s rights.
“But the battlefield flag came in a period of fighting in the 50s and 60s with the rise of the Civil Rights movement. That’s when it really starts to become more of a symbol, but prior to that it wasn’t very common in Southern culture.”
John Anson, the Ohio division commander for the Sons of Confederate Veterans, called the murders of the nine churchgoers a “disgrace,” and that his organization does not associate with “racist extremists.” But he said the flag is not a symbol of racism, rather a preservation of the legacy of their Southern forefathers.
“I feel like our flag has been hijacked,” Anson said. “I understand that some people don’t like that flag. But there’s a lot of people who look at that flag and see their ancestors. To us it’s not a racist flag.”
Since Roof’s arrest, online images of him have been found, including posing with Confederate flags and at memorial sites, and burning an American flag. There has also been the discovery of a racist manifesto he posted on the website, “The Last Rhodesian,” in which he outlines how he came to hate blacks and why he targeted Charleston.
For Dayton resident Tilden Ray, he said the Confederate flag is offensive, because it “makes a statement.”
“As a rule when people put those certain type of flags up, they are making a statement, and we all know what the statement is,” Ray said. “I feel it does promote racism, and I think that maybe there should be a stop put to it.”
William Trollinger, a history professor at the University of Dayton, said the flag’s association with racism is tied to its historical symbol.
“The Confederate flag became very prominent in the early 1960s as part of the opposition to integration,” he said. “…In that context, it is not at all surprising that people — especially African-Americans — have had a very negative reaction to that symbol. The Confederate flag is a particularly prominent symbol, and it’s been understood by many people since the early 60s as a sign of racism.”
Dominique Davis, of Dayton, said while the flag carries a particular meaning for people, it is often used for different purposes.
“Where I live, a guy lives across from me, and his whole balcony is a Confederate flag. And it makes me a little uncomfortable,” she said. “Then again I don’t really know his story, and I don’t know what the purpose is for it for him.
“It has to do with the stereotype of what that flag means and the purpose that a lot of people utilize it for.”
Dayton resident Cassi Johnson said she believe the flag retains an important place in American history.
“If you go through all the books and you read about the Civil War, there stands the Confederate flag, not saying that this is what everybody believes in. But this is what a part of people believed in,” she said. “The Confederate flag to them stood for something, gave them something to fight for. And if we take that away, then were are taking away a part of American history.’”
Anson said his Confederate organization has no plans to abandon the flag.
“We don’t like extremists, we are not a racist group,” he said. “But we will absolutely continue to use the flag.”
The Rev. Melonie Valentine, presiding elder of the Dayton District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, said while the flag’s symbol is protected as a freedom of speech, it cannot erase its horrific past and connection to slavery.
“It is a part of history, but that flag belongs in a museum. It’s not our future,” she said. “Especially since this deranged person, who committed that heinous crime last week, identifies with it, why would anyone want to support it if it’s going to be used to (promote hate)?”
Staff writer Rachel Murray contributed to this report.
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