Though it is a relatively simple design, a red rectangle with a blue, starred X across it, the Confederate flag is a complex symbol that represents a piece of American history people have a variety of perspectives on.
Tonight the University Honors College and Stillman College will host “Heritage or Hate?” a Southern history conference which will address the historical background and current social implications of the Confederate flag.
The event begins tonight at 6 in the Warner Presentation Room in Stillman College’s Wynn Center. Following the event will be a formal reception of Stillman College’s jazz ensemble.
“Heritage or Hate?” is a collaboration of the Honors College class “Heroes of Faith and Social Justice” and Stillman’s Harte Honors Program.
Thomas Herwig, who teaches the Honors “Heroes” class, said the Confederate flag is a controversial and painful symbol, but one we cannot run away from. Herwig said truth must be used in accepting painful facts and getting in touch with awkward realities.
“I am pretty much convinced, as a German, that you can only come forward with your society if you are really ready to face the conflicts of your region,” Herwig said. “Otherwise you will repeat the same patterns.”
Herwig said in some ways, the Confederate flag can be connected to the swastika. While it was once a symbol of peace and good luck, the swastika now has the negative implications of the German Nazi party. Herwig said the swastika will always retain the negative image because it is so clearly connected to the Holocaust.
Though a symbol may be created with the intention of one representation, Herwig asserts that the people of a society define a symbol’s meaning. The swastika and the Confederate flag are similar in the sense that they are both deeply rooted in history and connected to historical victims. One thing Herwig hopes to accomplish with the event is to present to students the historical facts and give them an academic, rather than political, view of the issue so that they may open their mind to the truth. He emphasized the importance of learning the facts, listening to others and becoming part of a “joint humanity.”
“Only truth can overcome these tensions between the majorities and the minorities in different contexts,” Herwig said. “You cannot talk about other people all the time. You have to go into the dialogue and get in touch with other people and listen to them. This is the only way to understand.”
Louis Cary, who teaches an Honors College seminar on the history and persistence of Southern attitudes, will be speaking briefly at “Heritage or Hate.” Her talk will focus on the psychological implications of the Confederate flag. In the discussion, she will delve into the minds of the people who have used and continue to use the flag as what she deemed “a symbol of their misguided allegiance to cultural values that were systematically instilled in them.”
“The Confederate flag was a divisive symbol from the beginning and has subsequently picked up many layers of meaning,” Cary said. “Maybe it belongs in a museum, though it can never be outlawed because of the First Amendment, which allows us to keep an eye on everything ranging from insensitivity to hate. I hope students will understand the fact that it’s a complex issue that demands more than a knee-jerk response.”
Elizabeth Price, a senior majoring in public relation, helped bring the project together, and said she is pleased with the collaboration between the UA and Stillman students.
She said the event will give attendees information that will allow them to form their own conclusions, rather than forcing a certain perspective.
“The event will be informative and challenging, but not conclusive,” Price said. “We want the event to provide people the resources and environment to think and decide for themselves what their personal opinion about this controversy is. And while the Confederate flag is our main focus, we hope to really dive into some of the underlying racial tensions and controversies.”
There will be a faculty debate following the presentation, and then the audience will be able to ask questions. UA and Stillman students will also have the opportunity to voice their opinions about the flag.
Herwig said the main things he wants the audience members to walk away with are open eyes, open minds and new understanding. He emphasized how a symbol can hurt those who have dark memories connected to it and that we should be sensitive in terms of the effect of certain symbols.
“People try to suppress certain perceptions which would be painful or force people to change perspectives on history and identity,” Herwig said. “We should try to find ways of mutual understanding.”
