That implies faster than light communication, and as far as I know no one is suggesting that’s what’s happening.

Turns out you’re about as knowledgeable of sports as you are of social issues. Maybe you should consider writing about knitting....

Why? Where do you think he learned this nonsense? Academia has been viciously anti-Western for decades now.

(Warning: long story about a dream that cured me of my existential despair.)

Agreed, I’m just hoping it was worth it.

If you want someone to abandon their current identity then offer them a new one to grasp on to. There are many southern whites who, by virtue of birth, would be sympathetic to the confederate flag because they’ve been brought up to believe it represents their heritage. Being included in the process of reconciliation…

There you go with that straw-man thing again; I don’t disagree with all acts of civil disobedience, just this one. And recklessness is also “it’s own reward.”

They’re destined to lose, their confederate/racist culture is doomed to failure.

Engagement is exactly what I’m looking for; just engage the points I actually make. And a dose of kryptonite is what everyone should be looking for in an argument.

Hmm, you go from troll-like dickishness to offering one of the better and more well-argued replies to me. At the risk of offending you with further advice I would recommend reversing the order you employ these tactics. As far as your argument goes, I can’t really rebut it because I don’t necessarily disagree, I am…

Some would say having one of the few places you could go to be comfortable raided and subsequently being arrested without cause is a form of brutalization. I respect that the process was different in the US (and that it had to be), but as cliched as it sounds it was a different time in both nations. Pride,…

Well stated. I find myself torn on this because I admire her act but fear what the overall fallout from it may be. I might have been reading the situation wrong but it seemed like a lot of momentum was building for the flag to come down anyways. And it’s not the hardcore pro-flaggers that matter, as you state they…

Enjoying your argument with a strawman?

I advise none of those things; I have simply taken the position that this particular act of protest will probably not help the cause. I could be wrong.

Touche.

Not so sure about that. In Canada the bath house raids of the early 80’s in Toronto were what triggered the Pride movement up here. There were no riots, some vociferous protests, but they eventually developed into one of the most celebrated (and inclusive, even the same police dept that conducted the raids are…

So fan the flames? Play into their hands? Give them a symbolic act to rally around?

If rational and respectful debate is not your thing I advise you to avoid this thread.

Here’s to hoping you’re right and I’m wrong. But they might not get a second chance to take it down because I can easily see one of these confederate flag rallies spawning a group that camps out in front of the flags wherever they’re still flying and vowing to defend them, I’ll let you picture where that might lead.

They are exemplars of civil disobedience, but they were acting in a different time when there was literally no other way for a black person to be heard on the public stage. As it currently stands progressive causes dominate public discourse so the the potential effect of such defiant acts has conversely diminished.…