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The South co-opted the flag as a similar symbol of "opposing the government" like the Revolutionaries had, but in their case it was to oppose the abolition of s

The South co-opted the flag as a similar symbol of "opposing the government" like the Revolutionaries had, but in their case it was to oppose the abolition of slavery. Here's a better pic of the Alabama flag -- it's a cotton plant with a snake under it and the phrase "noli me tangere" (touch me not): https://i.imgur.com/UIUZM4p.png https://i.imgur.com/UIUZM4p.png Here's South Carolina's secession flag: https://i.imgur.com/14Yuw3G.png https://i.imgur.com/14Yuw3G.png Another Georgia one that General Sherman captured: https://i.imgur.com/Hk41Xy7.jpg https://i.imgur.com/Hk41Xy7.jpg Explicitly spelling it out with the serpent imagery "Slave states ... the only way of preserving our slave property [and] our liberty, is a union with each other": https://i.imgur.com/iHkVl0H.png https://i.imgur.com/iHkVl0H.png Union propaganda, "Down with the traitors serpent flag": https://i.imgur.com/A0wKKZx.png https://i.imgur.com/A0wKKZx.png Union envelopes: https://i.imgur.com/g7ljHSf.png https://i.imgur.com/g7ljHSf.png KKK adopting it to protest civil rights: https://i.imgur.com/uDq7IZ4.png https://i.imgur.com/uDq7IZ4.png Flag proudly flies on the homepage of the largest white supremacist site on the internet: https://i.imgur.com/WWYL6T9.png https://i.imgur.com/WWYL6T9.png 100% of confederate flag rallies will have Gadsdens flying and ~100% of extremists who attack the government will fly it too (From the Vegas killings: https://i.imgur.com/yHWJCM8.png https://i.imgur.com/yHWJCM8.png, at the home of one of the extremists who plotted to execute Michigan's governor: https://www.mlive.com/resizer/OrmrIm147a1JxQUsKvBPGOdTt2U=/950x0/smart/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-advancelocal/public/UQM4GYIB25FZ3EKZQW3COHUSEA.jpg https://www.mlive.com/resizer/OrmrIm147a1JxQUsKvBPGOdTt2U=/9..., at the Unite the Right rally: https://i.imgur.com/EG6roQa.jpg https://i.imgur.com/EG6roQa.jpg) It's fine, you can fly whatever flag you want for whatever reason you want, just be aware that the literal worst people in the country are flying the same one and that it was the rallying symbol for slavers.

enchiridion 5y ago
Thanks for the additional info. Where did you find out about this? Is there a good book or something? It’s all very interesting. As far as rallies flying the Gadsden, they’re also flying the America flags. I get what you’re saying, and I’m not one to make overt politic statements IRL in public, like flying any flag besides the US and maybe state. Again, to me and a lot of people the Gadsen represents rebels against tyrants. It even represents that to the objectionable people who use it. However, the idea of rebelling in order to upheld human rights is fundamental to the US. I am not willing to throw out the ideals or the iconography just because I disagree with the current (and confederate) rebels. I certainly agree with the flags original use when the US gained its independence. So while I won’t be publicly flying the flag because I don’t like to make public political statements, I might just hang it somewhere privately. IRL conversations like these are incredibly valuable to me and I believe in the general sentiment of the Gadsden.

enchiridion 5y ago

Thanks for the additional info. Where did you find out about this? Is there a good book or something? It’s all very interesting. As far as rallies flying the Gadsden, they’re also flying the America flags. I get what you’re saying, and I’m not one to make overt politic statements IRL in public, like flying any flag besides the US and maybe state. Again, to me and a lot of people the Gadsen represents rebels against tyrants. It even represents that to the objectionable people who use it. However, the idea of rebelling in order to upheld human rights is fundamental to the US. I am not willing to throw out the ideals or the iconography just because I disagree with the current (and confederate) rebels. I certainly agree with the flags original use when the US gained its independence. So while I won’t be publicly flying the flag because I don’t like to make public political statements, I might just hang it somewhere privately. IRL conversations like these are incredibly valuable to me and I believe in the general sentiment of the Gadsden.