The New Confederate Flag

I'm so happy people have finally started to realize the Confederate flag is NOT something which should be displayed in the United States, at least not in a formal capacity.  Part of historical display?  Absolutely, but it's the flag of the ENEMY of the United States, an insurgency funded and fueled by twisted, hate filled men who wanted to keep the ownership of minorities legal.  The Confederacy killed hundreds of thousands of US citizens (beyond their own ranks) and were looking to destroy America.  They felt slavery was more important than preserving this country. The Confederate flag is no better than a Nazi or ISIS flag.

Racists would feebly attempt to hide their true motivations as they chuckled about "southern pride and heritage," as the flag, a symbol of hate, was flown in town squares, on government buildings, and in schools. In the last ten years, we've finally started to wake up from the lie that flag represented.

But now we've been presented with the Confederate flag's replacement, the Trump flag.

There's nothing wrong with a person who wants to fly Trump paraphernalia at their home or on their car because they like the guy.  More power to you! That's Freedom of Speech and that's protected, but like the Confederate flag, racists, bigots and the uneducated are trying to use Freedom of Speech to justify them to rubbing the Trump flag into anti-Trump people's faces, especially the faces of minorities.  That's racist.

The latest example of Trump supporters pushing their Trump love too far took place in the mostly white rural school district of Jordan, Minnesota.  Tuesday night, Jordan hosted Minneapolis Roosevelt, a school from the inner city who has a far larger minority population than Jordan.  At the game, Jordan students were displaying a Trump 2020 flag, clearly aimed at the predominantly minority Minneapolis Roosevelt team, coaching staff and fans.

(photo from Star Tribune)

Let's not mix words; Trump is a racist.  Everything he's done in office has been with a racist skew.  He's embraced racists and bigots, validating their ignorant thought processes, and in return, they've pledged their undying support.  Trump has validated them.  This is why we have an insane amount of racists verbally and physically attacking minorities across the country.  Trump has allowed the cockroaches to feel that it's safe to come out of the shadows.

I've been going to high school sporting events with my family for five years.  In all of the times I've been at a field, arena, ice rink, court, or pool, not once have I seen ANY political flag, sign, or poster.  All the sudden Jordan does it when Minneapolis Roosevelt comes to their town, and we're supposed to take it as harmless fun.

There's a weak out for the flag kids.  If Jordan, for some strange reason, allowed their kids to always bring political banners, signs and flags to all sporting events, then what these kids did isn't necessarily with an ulterior motive.  It does open up to the question of why Jordan Public schools, a tax payer funded institution, would allow such blatant political favoritism to be displayed at official school events, but hey, they want to get sued, bon appetite!

That's not what happened here.  The Jordan kids seem to have brought the flag specifically to the Minneapolis Roosevelt game.  They knew the racial makeup of the opponent, and seemingly displayed the flag as a "you may be from a racial diverse community, BUT YOU'RE IN WHITE TRUMP COUNTRY NOW" pseudo threat to the African American players.  The coach of Roosevelt's team was right to post the photo of the kids and express outrage at what clearly seems to be an attempt at racial intimidation.

Some Jordan parents are insisting the people upset have it all wrong, that this was only a planned theme night, a "USA blackout" night.  The term "blackout" for a sports team's themed night is in reference to the crowd wearing all black, not red, white and blue.  That would be a 'Red, White and Blue night' or a 'USA night.'  The community referring to the evening as a 'blackout' night seems to be a telling omen.

Some people are saying it's just a political flag, and 'shouldn't we be happy the kids are politically active?'  Once again, this was an official event at a taxpayer funded institution.  You can tell us all day how the school didn't coordinate the attire, but they hosted the event.  This wasn't a hat or t-shirt, but rather a flag.  There weren't any Clinton or Obama flags/signs/posters being displayed, hence the argument the kids were only partaking in a glorified 'political experiment' is very reminiscent to the Confederate flag supporters "Southern pride and heritage" argument to justify their intimidation.

Many Jordan residents are saying "these are just kids, without a racist bone in their body."  Yet many of them don't want to acknowledge quite a few people are bothered by these kids actions.  They're ignoring the implied racism and are only screaming about how their little Billy or Susie is innocent.  They've upset a lot of African Americans, and dismissing their frustration is a racially condescending attempt to make a feeble excuse for the kids.

One parent in particular, Bridget Kahn, not only takes the blame for the flag, she also inadvertently seems to admit the truth.  The Minneapolis Star Tribune story quotes her as waving away any criticism the Trump flag is racist, but then Kahn, without provocation, and quite inexplicably, pointed out the Minneapolis Roosevelt team stayed in the locker room during the National Anthem.

Okay...the story was about Jordan kids displaying the Trump flag, not what the Minneapolis Roosevelt kids did in private during the National Anthem, but let's go down Bridget's rabbit hole...

The reason they're in the locker room is because lily white snowflake conservatives are so upset at African American athletes taking a knee during the National Anthem to protest racial inequities and discrimination in America today.  The Minneapolis Roosevelt team was protesting, but they did so in private, out of sight.   Kahn seems to be bringing up this as a way to vilify the Minneapolis Roosevelt team, when all they were doing was engaging in their right to protest in a non-offensive manner.

Kahn seems to be implying the Trump flag was justified because Minneapolis Roosevelt didn't stand at attention, on the court, during the National Anthem.  For Trump supporters, they feel as if the African American protest of the National Anthem is more of a protest against Trump and the USA.  Why do they think this?  Because Trump told them, in numerous racially tinged tirades.  She might feel as if the flag is an equal counter protest.  This would be flying the Trump flag out of ignorance, but ignorance doesn't erase or validate the racism of the flag.  If the flag was a counter protest against African Americans protesting racial inequity, then it was a racist counter-protest, regardless of what the fools though they were doing.

Kahn seems to have, unintentionally, let the cat out of the bag in regards to the real reason that flag was at the game.  Considering the Jordan High School Athletic Program was aware Minneapolis Roosevelt was going to protest during the National Anthem, the question should be whether the Trump flag counter protest was coordinated and/or organized by the Jordan school or athletic department in any capacity.

The sad truth is the fools who allowed this to happen have now placed a target on the players and coaches for Jordan.  These guys will have to venture out into more racial diverse communities for games.  Because the Jordan parents and teachers failed to educate the kids of Jordan, the boys basketball team is going to bear some unfortunate consequences.  Don't be surprised when they experience jam packed gyms on the road; fans eager to have their home team play 'the racist team from Jordan.'  This stupid stunt will have much bigger ripples than just a Trump themed swipe against the African American kids from Minneapolis Roosevelt.  Let's hope it causes the parents and kids of Jordan to rethink their actions too.