Redeck Confederate Flags
A Rebel Flag with ‘Redneck’ in bold letters across the top is an awesome way to poke fun at yourself or that strange uncle with the trucker hat and huge belt buckle. The Confederate flag is viewed by many as a symbol of racism, but what it has really become is a symbol of the stereotypical Southerner. Not in a bad way, but in a ‘good ole boy’ way.
The Confederate flag as we know it today was never officially the national flag of the Confederacy. The flag that we all consider the Confederate Flag was actually the Second Navy Jack and was only officially used from 1863-1865. It also had a much lighter shade of blue than the flag has today.
Several U.S. States use some variation of the Confederate flag as a component of their official State Flags even today. Mississippi’s state flag has, in the upper left corner, the Confederate Battle Flag, which is essentially a square version of the Confederate flag. The Confederate flag made up two thirds of the Georgia State flag up until 2001. The Georgia flag since 2003 very closely resembles the ‘Stars and Bars’ flag, which was the first national flag of the Confederacy.
When I see someone displaying a Confederate flag, I assume that person must be from the South. When I see a Confederate flag that reads ‘Redneck’ across it, I assume that that person wished they were a Southerner! Either way, I don’t think either is bad? After all, anyone that would display a Redneck flag is probably very proud to be one. Even though the designation itself might seem unflattering, I don’t think any true Redneck would be insulted by being labeled a Redneck?
Comedian Jeff Foxworthy has made a career of telling people ‘you know you’re a Redneck if.”, and no one is ever offended by what he points out. When your neighbor displays a Redneck flag, you will probably look over and think to yourself, ‘yep”. When you give your Redneck brother a Redneck flag for his birthday he will proudly don it like a cape until he can get home to attach it to his flag pole. The point is that no one will really give much thought to the fact that it is a Confederate flag. The symbol of hate is disarmed by simple humor.
So the next time you see a Confederate flag, don’t view it as a person showing their hate. Think of it as a person just showing their Southern pride. Southern pride doesn’t have to represent racism or hate, it can mean pride in the independence of the distinct cultural tradition of the South. If it makes you feel better, maybe you can just think of it as a symbol of a Redneck?
Do you want to fly your own ? Or maybe you know someone that could use a .
