The Confederate Flag and Ninja Turtles

Earlier this summer in one of my classes I was having a conversation with some of my classmates about who knows what but then the confederate flag comes up as a topic. I did what I could to listen without giving my opinion right away, which is something I've been trying to better these days. However, one classmate likened the removal of the confederate flag to ninja turtle costumes. Yup, ninja turtle costumes.

Let me explain...she said that she felt that the immediate reaction of removing the confederate flag in South Carolina as being an over-reaction. She continued to say that if someone was wearing a ninja turtle costume while shooting people dead, it shouldn't mean we'd ban ninja turtle costumes. Thus, meaning that just because the shooter had photos of himself with the confederate flag doesn't mean the flag should be removed.

**Mouth drops open**

It was then that I couldn't not say something, and proceeded to tell her that the confederate flag has always been a symbol of oppression against Black people and of slavery. The removal of the flag was a long time in coming and hardly an "over-reaction." Thankfully she admitted that this was true.

What was most disturbing to me is that this classmate is only in her mid-twenties. One would generally believe that racist notions are in the purview of an earlier generation but the shooter in South Carolina makes it clear that is not the truth.

For my classmate to wonder if the confederate flag should be removed under any circumstance tells me how poorly we as a society are doing in teaching students about the history of race and racism in the U.S. and how symbols like the confederate flag is problematic and painful. What's worse is that this classmate will be working with young students as a counselor for which most of those students will likely be students of color. Her inability to understand another community's pain is troubling to say the least.



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