Update: I don’t think I was vague about my opinion on the Confederate flag in public venues, and you can see that below. How the symbolism of the flag contributed to the actions of the shooter are also mentioned, but only briefly. To be clear, the issue of the flag is only an aside to my post. Understand, I see how the shooter used the symbolism of the flag for his horrific purposes. It seems clear enough, he saw it (and the flag of Rwanda) and used both as symbols of hate. That said, however, this was not the crux of this post. It’s more about how some historians are activist in the removal of the flag from all public venues… even private… and how overlap with their chosen historical era of study might create issues (specifically, how zeal for matters may have negative bearing on objectivity in historical works created outside this activism). My thoughts, I believe, are also clear enough on this. I just choose not to do the “naming names game,” as I find it unnecessary. If one thinks I’m incorrect in my observations, please feel free to express that opinion in the comments section, below. End of update.
In the wake of the horrible event in Charleston (and, without a doubt, it was among the worst type), I’ve remained quiet. I find “listening” to be a worthwhile thing before expressing personal ideas. There’s no need for me to elaborate on the obvious, but, in the act of listening (considering how media is often too hasty to release information… and then has to backtrack on poor information released), I’ve also had time to observe how people react (perhaps this is the historian in me), as to where fault is to be placed, and what and how justice should be delivered… and I’m not just talking about justice to the criminally guilty. Certainly, I need not tell anyone how guilt is being distributed beyond the person accused of the crime, but… there is that matter of symbolism as a catalyst for the shooter.
If, however, you haven’t heard… the focus is on the removal of the Confederate flag from public venues.
Understand, I am not an advocate for the flag in various public venues where it currently flies. I suppose, in some ways, I’m an historical purist. The flag’s placement, for example, is more a contemporary matter… often being used purposefully, as a means of initimidation, during segregation and the civil rights movement (which just happened to take place very close to the Centennial of the Civil War). In some places, Confederate flags have more recently been placed… as standing, regular features… at Confederate monuments. As this was not originally done at time most of these monuments were placed, I think doing so now is proactive and purposeful in a different way (most often, not in the same intent as before the Centennial), often redefining the meaning of these monuments. Not being original to the purpose for which these monuments were erected (reflection), I disagree with such placement.
Yet, this issue of the flag is not really at the center of my concerns. I’m more fascinated… and concerned… about public advocacy.
I’ve especially taken notice of the vast “wealth of knowledge” among so many in their advocacy… not only for the removal of the Confederate flag in public venues, but more… much more. After reading my news feed this morning on Facebook, I commented:
I never knew there were this many Civil War historians. Of course, that’s not to say that the same who profess “vast knowledge” are actually right… and that goes to arguments being made on both sides of the pendulum swing. I don’t mean for this to sound “elitist” of me, it’s just that… wow… some of the stuff I’ve read lately.
Let’s just say, opinions are aplenty… as is a demonstration of bad historical knowledge. Passion and zeal appear not only to have brought out the best in many (our sympathies directed to the victims and families… and even the community in Charleston), but also the worst. I’ve read all sorts of arguments, for and against the removal of the Confederate flag… and a lot of it is testimony to the horrible knowledge of U.S. history in the American collective. It’s not that this “bad history” didn’t exist before… it’s just that it’s been tremendously magnified because of recent events.
Passion and zeal have even crept into the circle of Civil War historians… and, let’s be clear… that’s fine, but…
Historians have every right to be passionate and zealous for a “cause”; they can even be activists. It’s just that when that cause intersects with their professional historical era of interests, I find it a little troubling. For one, depending on the advocacy, I begin to question the ability of the same historians to really be objective when they return to the practice of writing and speaking about their historical era (obviously, in this case, I’m talking about the Civil War). More specifically, I find it troubling when, in the course of advocacy… for that common cause… the passionate and (overly?) zealous historians are much more accepting (yes… I’ve seen this in various places on the Web and in blogs) of those who rant and rave with poor history. I find it odd that they don’t keep the others in check. I’d say it might be a matter of one battle at a time, but then… there are also examples where I’ve seen selective dismissal of one ranting of poor history, but not another. I believe the “temporary lapses of forgiveness” of poor history displays compromised professionalism for zeal. I don’t think such compromise, even in the midst of passion for advocacy, is a good thing.
Furthermore, given a momentum that is strong enough… well, I’m more concerned.
If the momentum continues to trump professionalism, what else stands to be changed? Seriously… in this day and age, social momentum (perhaps being fed more by social media and the simple ability for everyone to have a “stump” from which to speak) appears, at times, to have a strong pull. In the extreme, could it even be that those who are practitioners of history get caught in the “crash” of the “wave”. I’ve even wondered, considering the force of the momentum over the Confederate flag, and seeing comments made by people who can truly be classified as haters of almost anything and everything Southern) if a historian who works, in professional endeavors, to correct the “collective” (mis)understanding of some aspect of the antebellum South, might be equally virtually “beaten down” by the social media “mob”. Don’t be too quick to scoff at the suggestion.
Advocacy can be for positive change, but let’s be careful not to become carried away by the wave that can too easily become a mob with pitchforks… in the wake of this recent horror, there are positive steps that can be made in our society, but take care… there is also a very real possibility of collateral damage attributable to zeal left unchecked.
Cenantua's Blog 
Cotton Boll Conspiracy
June 23, 2015
Here in Columbia, there’s been far more media attention devoted to the Confederate flag than to the victims of the Charleston shootings. That’s extremely unfortunate but in some ways not surprising.
I wish more folks would use your example and listen and think before expressing themselves.
Robert Moore
June 24, 2015
Thanks for commenting CBC. It looks like this whole matter is only escalating.
Cotton Boll Conspiracy
June 24, 2015
Sadly, yes. This seems to have brought out not just those who genuinely feel the flag does not belong on the SC Statehouse grounds, but those that have no tolerance for that with which they do not embrace. It’s been rather disheartening, to say the least.
Richard Williams
June 23, 2015
Robert – your response is the most professional and thoughtful I’ve seen on this topic. I agree with much of what you’ve said and you’ve given me some things to think about and reconsider as well. I can tell you spent a lot of time reflecting on this whole issue. I’ve tried to do the same. The only thing I posted after the event was to offer support and prayers for the good people of Charleston and the families touched by this evil. The wide-eyed, breathless zeal I’ve seen on some of the sites to which I believe you’re referring is quite telling, in my view. It is obvious to me that some are using the victims of this terrorist act to advance their already well-known and publicized agendas.
“what else stands to be changed?”
Well, for starters, Wal-Mart, Sears and K-Mart have all announced that they’re pulling all merchandise with a CBF image. I’m sure that is receiving approving nods and smiles from the individuals you describe as “haters of almost anything and everything Southern.” I’ve seen other suggestions on blogs that anyone sporting a CBF bumper sticker should be denied their constitutional rights. And no one rebuked them.
One of these “haters” routinely posts protests of denial regarding bias against “everything Southern”, but then almost every post in some way denigrates those of us (like you and I) who honor our Southern heritage which involved, among other things, Confederate ancestors. As you well know, I have deep roots here in Virginia and 3 great-great grandfathers who served in the Confederate Army. I was born on a battlefield my ancestors’ units defended. One of the sons of those ancestors would later build a home on that same battlefield which I would eventually come to own. As a child, I often looked upon my ancestor’s Civil War musket mounted on an archway in this home. 2 of these men were wounded, 2 suffered in Yankee prisons. I honor their sacrifices. Many without such connections seem to struggle to understand the familial bond many Southerners have to our heritage.
As Virginia Senator James Webb so eloquently put it:
“And so those of us who carry in our veins the living legacy of those times have also inherited a special burden. These men, like all soldiers, made painful choices and often paid for their loyalty with their lives. It is up to us to ensure that this ever-changing nation remembers the complexity of the issues they faced, and the incredible conditions under which they performed their duty, as they understood it.”
But, as you also well know (and helped me to discover), I also have deep ancestral roots in New England. I also honor the sacrifice of those ancestors in the history and building of our great country. And the sons and grandsons of my Confederate ancestors would fight in WWI and WWII – under the American flag. I honor their sacrifices as well. Which brings me to my next point.
The hypocrisy of many (associated in some way with academia/educating) lamenting over the CBF is something to behold. There are several images which show Dylann Roof burning and spitting on the American flag – the other flag my ancestors fought under. I find such disrespect detestable – though I would defend the right to do so. The silence on this connection from these same haters is deafening. I’ve not heard any calls to outlaw such desecration – just the focus on the CBF.
There is a growing complicity from certain corners of academia about this disrespect of our country’s flag, as well as our founding. I’ve given dozens of examples on my blog. It is well documented. It is also growing. This is, I believe, connected to the rejection of American Exceptionalism as a legitimate point of view. The image of Bill Ayers standing on an American flag, arms folded in defiance, typifies and perfectly illustrates this attitude, as well as the rank hypocrisy within academia.
As I’ve noted on numerous occasions, the CBF and other Confederate imagery is simply the low-hanging fruit of heritage, pride in a region, tradition, patriotism and, yes, American Exceptionalism. Those who view America, it’s founding and its history as “evil” have already begun reaching higher. I predict you will now see those efforts energized and increased. I’ve already read statements suggesting that streets in Charleston be renamed due to their connection to slavery, etc. Logic and “progress” (in their view) dictates these efforts continue all the way back to 1776, not 1865.
I apologize for rambling so long. Thanks again for your post.
Robert Moore
June 24, 2015
“what else stands to be changed?”
That, right there… is key. The slippery slope. It’s that vast pool of “historical understanding”, wielded in a mob frenzy, that especially worries me in this regard. We’ve seen the same historical understanding (which = ignorance) in action even in our politicians. Bad history wielded in the name of change… where “might that lead?”, we ask…
Jimmy Dick
June 23, 2015
Nice post, Robert. The bottom line is that the CBF has been co-opted and used for a century and a half as a symbol of racism and terrorism while at the same time being seen as the unofficial symbol of the South. Yet, why was it chosen for that symbol? The reason is because of the ties to racism. Its use in the South by governments is all about racism. The evidence is overwhelming on this.
Now with this said, we as historians and I as an educator have a duty to teach my students about the Civil War. We sure do not want another one. I constantly point out to my students that the people of the past did what they did for their reasons and their interests, not ours. They acted in the context of their times and their knowledge within their social and cultural environments. We do the same. Therefore to sit and judge them with 21st century morals is a useless and ultimately incorrect thing to do.
That leads us to why the CBF is waved today. To honor confederates? Fine, fly it at their cemeteries. It is appropriate that it flies there. Put it in a museum and in educational situations where you are teaching. I do that. I do not have it on license plates. I do not wear it. I do not fly it at all because it is the symbol of hatred and racism. It represents an attempt by a group of people to create a nation whose foundation was slavery. While many of the people of this nation fought under that flag in the ACW, so did many who fought against it and died. On top of that we have people in this country who were enslaved under that flag.
We have people in this country whose relatives and ancestors were murdered in various ways by men who waved that flag over the last century and a half in order to preserve white supremacy. It is a symbol of racism, tyranny, and oppression. You want to honor confederates? Fly it when appropriate. You want to honor the victims of racial terrorism? Take the damn thing down and put it up.
Robert Moore
June 24, 2015
Understand, Jimmy, the flag in public venues is the least of my concerns. In the wake of events yesterday, it’s almost a moot point to continue to justify its removal. It’s the continued spiral out of control that concerns me much more. I’ve also mentioned above, there are those who continue to beat the drum with indifference to the fallout… activists, advocates… or whatever. I don’t have a magic mirror into the future, but some events outside of the calls for removal of flags do not bode well for what may yet come. I’ll say it again… there’s something to be said about a mob with pitchforks, and the results, historically, have not left us with a warm and fuzzy feeling. That thing called zeal might be better replaced by “cooler brains.”
Jimmy Dick
June 24, 2015
Think of the Stamp Act and the mob actions in Boston. Sometimes mob reactions trigger other actions. Sometimes this is good and sometimes bad. Why is there a mob reaction in the first place? If the CBF was not a symbol of racism, then it would not have triggered the reaction that it has.
What I want to see is some real history driven home out of this. I want the heritage crew’s BS kicked squarely in the nuts and run out of town on a rail covered in tar and feathers. Their BS mythology is partly at fault for the racism as many of them are racists themselves. Not all are, but unfortunately far too many are. They had a lot of chances to set things straight, but they chose to lie about history instead. Now it is time to pay the fiddler.
Richard Williams
June 24, 2015
I must wonder, will all the various Civil War magazines now stop accepting advertising for Confederate themed merchandise? Those full page color ads are quite lucrative, I have to believe. Have any of their editors/advisers/writers publicly called for the removal of the CBF or criticized the display of the CBF? I don’t know, I’m just asking. If they have, then writing for such publications that advertise Confederate themed merchandise could be called . . . ???
And now that Mitch McConnell has called for removing Jefferson Davis’s statue from the Kentucky Capitol, how long will it be (as I’ve already mentioned on previous occasions) before there are calls to remove the Recumbent Lee from Lee Chapel – and to rename Lee Chapel? And we could all think of dozens of other targets. The low-hanging fruit is going to go fast. To where will the feeding frenzy and the activist historians turn next?
As you’ve already pointed out Robert, one should be careful about what one wishes for – you may get things that you want, but there are often unforeseen and unpleasant consequences. Being on a slippery slope with a (to use your words) “mob with pitchforks” at your heels is a difficult position to be in, is it not?
Richard Williams
June 24, 2015
And just as many have predicted:
“Jefferson owned slaves….and there’s a monument to him in the capital of the United States, no one ever asks for that to come down – is it equal?” ~ CNN anchor Ashleigh Banfield
And co-host Don Lemon responded:
“There may come a day when we want to re-think Jefferson….when we get to that point, I’ll be happy to partake in that particular discussion.”
That low-hanging fruit is going faster than I thought.