The Leader of The Party of Lincoln defends the Confederate flag

July 18: On This Day In 2020

MAGA and the Flag

Championing the Confederate Cause into the 21st century. Though the South lost the Civil War, its flag remained a source of pride, defiance, and intimidation for generations.

It was incorporated into the flags of former Confederate states. Waved at high school football games. Stamped onto license plates. Brandished at rallies by the Ku Klux Klan and other terrorist groups. Posted on the website of a white supremacist who murdered nine Blacks in a church…

…And, in this era, it was flaunted by enthusiastic Trump supporters at his 2020 campaign events…and then still at his presidential rallies after he won.

But most others changed their view: In the wake of George Floyd’s murder, more people came to see that flag in a new light. 155 years after the Civil War, many were ready to bury this emblem of the Slaveholding South. For example, Mississippi finally took it off their flag, becoming the last state to remove it. And NASCAR banned its use by drivers and fans, a move applauded even by Trump allies such as Lindsey Graham.

But not everyone was happy about this progress. OTDI 2020 Politico reported that the Confederate flag still had one influential champion: the President of the United States.

Trump defended his support via this spin: “When people proudly had their Confederate flags they’re not talking about racism. They love their flag, it represents the South….it’s freedom of speech.”

But, as Tina Nguyen noted: “President Donald Trump is fighting to retain people’s right to fly the Confederate battle flag, but many of his own supporters and government have already turned in their swords.”

A Quinnipiac poll found that only 35% agreed with Trump that the flag is merely a symbol of Southern heritage. But, hey, Trump must appease his supporters. So, Trump also refused to let the Pentagon change the name of bases which had originally been named in honor of racist Southern military men, and he fought to keep up statues honoring those who had waged war against our country.

Btw: A year before the 2020 election, before he was trying quite so hard to court racists, Trump expressed a different view about the flag. "I think they should put it in the museum and let it go…I would take it down. Yes."

So apparently Trump was happy to spread further hatred and division if it meant he could just capture a few more votes from white supremacists.

Lincoln would be spinning in his grave.

Dive Deeper

• Politico has much of the story and those quotes

• CBS reported on his pre-election philosophy

• Pic: By Anthony Crider

Subscribe

On This Day In The Trump Administration: Trump still embraces Confederate flag