5 ms·

Dukes of Hazzard was my second-favorite TV show as a kid, (next to CHiPs.) It saddens me that the symbol was foisted on me and millions of other kids throughout

by Lendal 6y ago

Dukes of Hazzard was my second-favorite TV show as a kid, (next to CHiPs.) It saddens me that the symbol was foisted on me and millions of other kids throughout history and not just from the TV show. Turns out there was never a time that that flag stood for anyone's "heritage." It always was a symbol of hate. I don't know why people would do that to children. Now memories of my childhood are darkened, and millions of adults are confused and don't know why. Because people who are long dead thought it would be great fun to raise a generation of f3cking racist kids who would grow up and raise another generation of f2cking racists. It f8cking sucks to be in this situation. Thanks for nothing, ancestors.

ars 6y ago
It was not used as a racist symbol in the show. That's what this whole discussion is about. For example: "After the first season, it distressed producer Gy Waldron that the cast was entirely white. So in subsequent seasons, visiting federal agents that investigated Boss Hogg were black, as was the sheriff of the adjoining Chickasaw County." https://www.neatorama.com/2011/05/04/23-facts-you-might-not-know-about-the-dukes-of-hazzard/ https://www.neatorama.com/2011/05/04/23-facts-you-might-not-...
- Lendal 6y ago
  Maybe they had innocent motives, or maybe they didn't. It's irrelevant. Attempting to normalize a symbol that for millions of people stands for brutality, terrorism and oppression, doesn't change its nature for that population of people. Now you might say that it doesn't matter how those people feel. They're not us. They have their culture and we have ours. Well, what if 10 years down the road there was a new hit show in the Arab world where the characters were all very charismatic, wholesome and diverse, but their car had an ISIS flag on it?
  - ars 6y ago
    > Now you might say that it doesn't matter how those people feel. They're not us. What?? How in the universe are you getting there? Talk about a strawman! The real explanation is much simpler: They didn't know the flag was racist. Because, despite attempts to rewrite history, until recently most people did not know that flag was racist. I mean, even the producer of the show, who went out of his way to hire black actors, did not even realize that about the flag. Today, things are different, I think most people know the flag is racist. But in the past? I suspect the vast majority did not realize it.
    - themacguffinman 6y ago
      > Because, despite attempts to rewrite history, until recently most people did not know that flag was racist. I find this extremely unbelievable. The American Civil War is a milestone in American history that has been taught in schools for a long time. Most people, despite attempts to rewrite history, know that the Confederacy fought for the right to own black slaves.
      - ars 6y ago
        That's true, but most people don't realize the flag is a symbol of slavery, they just think it's a symbol of the South. For example take a state flag from a rebel state (and assume the flag has not changed since the civil war). If someone flew that flag today, would you think they are implying state rebellion, or just pride in their state? It's the same with the confederate flag, to most people it's just a flag that symbolizes a group of southern states. To northerners it means rebellion, specifically for slavery, but it doesn't mean that for everyone.
        themacguffinman 6y ago
        A state flag can be ambiguous because it refers to a state, which is an ambiguous entity with a long and varied history. The Confederate States of America (CSA) is not an ambiguous entity. From beginning to end in its short 5 year history, it was made to fight for black slavery. It existed for no other purpose and was subsequently disbanded when slavery was abolished. Literally the only heritage the CSA created in its short life is rebellion and racism. If you are aware of this widely-known history, it's obvious what this flag narrowly represents. The argument that the CSA could conceivably represent Southern pride is a joke. Ask any non-racist southerner if the most racist institution in US history and its deepest shame is a good stand-in for Southern pride. Here's a thought experiment: if a group of Germans claimed that the flag of the German Reich represented their pride in Germany's independence and the valor of its veterans, would you be defending it like you are now? Would you use the same excuses? I can accept that some people may be completely unaware or are too dim to put 2 and 2 together. I simply expect that once they do learn about it, they understand why it's indefensible.
- angry_octet 6y ago
  That the FBI agents were Black seems more like an allusion to desegregation, and Federal Government interventions in general. If he had really wanted to do something he could have introduced a regular POC character.

by Lendal 6y ago

ars 6y ago

It was not used as a racist symbol in the show. That's what this whole discussion is about. For example: "After the first season, it distressed producer Gy Waldron that the cast was entirely white. So in subsequent seasons, visiting federal agents that investigated Boss Hogg were black, as was the sheriff of the adjoining Chickasaw County." https://www.neatorama.com/2011/05/04/23-facts-you-might-not-know-about-the-dukes-of-hazzard/ https://www.neatorama.com/2011/05/04/23-facts-you-might-not-...

Lendal 6y ago
Maybe they had innocent motives, or maybe they didn't. It's irrelevant. Attempting to normalize a symbol that for millions of people stands for brutality, terrorism and oppression, doesn't change its nature for that population of people. Now you might say that it doesn't matter how those people feel. They're not us. They have their culture and we have ours. Well, what if 10 years down the road there was a new hit show in the Arab world where the characters were all very charismatic, wholesome and diverse, but their car had an ISIS flag on it?
- ars 6y ago
  > Now you might say that it doesn't matter how those people feel. They're not us. What?? How in the universe are you getting there? Talk about a strawman! The real explanation is much simpler: They didn't know the flag was racist. Because, despite attempts to rewrite history, until recently most people did not know that flag was racist. I mean, even the producer of the show, who went out of his way to hire black actors, did not even realize that about the flag. Today, things are different, I think most people know the flag is racist. But in the past? I suspect the vast majority did not realize it.
  - themacguffinman 6y ago
    > Because, despite attempts to rewrite history, until recently most people did not know that flag was racist. I find this extremely unbelievable. The American Civil War is a milestone in American history that has been taught in schools for a long time. Most people, despite attempts to rewrite history, know that the Confederacy fought for the right to own black slaves.
    - ars 6y ago
      That's true, but most people don't realize the flag is a symbol of slavery, they just think it's a symbol of the South. For example take a state flag from a rebel state (and assume the flag has not changed since the civil war). If someone flew that flag today, would you think they are implying state rebellion, or just pride in their state? It's the same with the confederate flag, to most people it's just a flag that symbolizes a group of southern states. To northerners it means rebellion, specifically for slavery, but it doesn't mean that for everyone.
      - themacguffinman 6y ago
        A state flag can be ambiguous because it refers to a state, which is an ambiguous entity with a long and varied history. The Confederate States of America (CSA) is not an ambiguous entity. From beginning to end in its short 5 year history, it was made to fight for black slavery. It existed for no other purpose and was subsequently disbanded when slavery was abolished. Literally the only heritage the CSA created in its short life is rebellion and racism. If you are aware of this widely-known history, it's obvious what this flag narrowly represents. The argument that the CSA could conceivably represent Southern pride is a joke. Ask any non-racist southerner if the most racist institution in US history and its deepest shame is a good stand-in for Southern pride. Here's a thought experiment: if a group of Germans claimed that the flag of the German Reich represented their pride in Germany's independence and the valor of its veterans, would you be defending it like you are now? Would you use the same excuses? I can accept that some people may be completely unaware or are too dim to put 2 and 2 together. I simply expect that once they do learn about it, they understand why it's indefensible.
angry_octet 6y ago
That the FBI agents were Black seems more like an allusion to desegregation, and Federal Government interventions in general. If he had really wanted to do something he could have introduced a regular POC character.