It all started in 1861 when the Civil War broke out. Eleven southern states succeeded from the Union and were now known as the Confederacy. Although the Confederate States claimed to be fighting for States rights, the States right they wanted to keep was that of slavery. They argued that their "property" (meaning slaves) should not be set free or taken away just because they traveled to a northern state. The North argued that it can be taken away because having slaves in the North would break the law that abolished slavery in the Northern States. This debate quickly turned into a war and when the south succeeded, they had to create a new government, new currency, and a new flag.
These days the Confederate Flag has a lot of controversy attached to it. Whether or not the flag represents Southern pride, advocation of slavery, racism, or the country band Lynyrd Skynyrd is always up for debate. Even the Mississippi state flag currently resembles the Confederate flag, so I understand why there is still so much animosity towards this subject. This issue has not receded from view after the ending of the Civil war, even though it has been 149 years.
This fact becomes evident after reading an article about what occurred this September at Bryn Mawr College. 2 girls decided to display the Confederate flag in the middl of a court yard where everyone can see. When others asked for them to removed it they declined. Eventually they brought the flag into their dorm room, but it could still be seen by others. They defended their actions by claiming that they were just showing southern pride.
This same skirmish has occurred in many southern colleges with strong Confederate ties for years now, but in the case it different. For one, Bryn Mawr College is a women's liberal arts college located in no other city but Philadelphia. And secondly, Bryn Mawr publicizes itself as a progressive college, so for a debate like this to occur there is a very big shock.
Thankfully the students of this college are trying to fix this problem of minorities feeling left out by creating a mandatory diversity training course and increasing the number of colored faculty members. Although these changes are good and could help create some ease between the majorities and minorities, this problem will still be present in our society. And I fear that it always will be.
This fact becomes evident after reading an article about what occurred this September at Bryn Mawr College. 2 girls decided to display the Confederate flag in the middl of a court yard where everyone can see. When others asked for them to removed it they declined. Eventually they brought the flag into their dorm room, but it could still be seen by others. They defended their actions by claiming that they were just showing southern pride.
This same skirmish has occurred in many southern colleges with strong Confederate ties for years now, but in the case it different. For one, Bryn Mawr College is a women's liberal arts college located in no other city but Philadelphia. And secondly, Bryn Mawr publicizes itself as a progressive college, so for a debate like this to occur there is a very big shock.
Thankfully the students of this college are trying to fix this problem of minorities feeling left out by creating a mandatory diversity training course and increasing the number of colored faculty members. Although these changes are good and could help create some ease between the majorities and minorities, this problem will still be present in our society. And I fear that it always will be.
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