NASCAR and The Flag [Archive] - Off Camber Forums

meadors

10-10-06, 10:18 PM

As Mr T would say, "I pity the fool..."

Yahoo! Sports asked more than 30 major drivers for their thoughts on the Confederate flag, whether they felt it created an unwelcoming environment to potential fans, and if so, whether it would be appropriate to ask their supporters to not fly it.

All but one turned down requests for private interviews, written statements or any comment on the issue. Many did so tersely.

After a decade of massive growth, NASCAR's popularity has slowed and television ratings have slumped. To restart its progress, NASCAR must continue to attract new fans in fresh, more diverse markets, many of whom view the Confederate flag as a symbol of racism and oppression. Yet NASCAR doesn't want to alienate its loyal base, many of whom view the waving flags in the infield as a symbol of honor, history and traditional Southern pride.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/news?slug=dw-confederateflag100906&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

Sean O'Gorman

10-10-06, 10:27 PM

Wow, what groundbreaking journalism... :rolleyes:

Can someone just take all members of the media and just send them on a rocketship to the sun? How is this even "news"?

spinner26

10-10-06, 10:28 PM

It's all about censorship so the minority push can move forward in NASCAR.

History means nothing. When your in the South, your gonna see Confederate Flags, to some this seems strange.:confused: :shakehead

It doesn't seem to matter though that I disapprove of or am offended by the Mexican , Russian, Polish, or Indianapolis Colt's flags flying.:cry: :irked:

Spicoli

10-10-06, 10:59 PM

WGAF? :gomer:

trauma1

10-11-06, 09:03 AM

of course D's repulsive response,
Defender

Joined: 06 Nov 2002
Posts: 4735
Location: The Dog House
Posted: Wed Oct 11, 2006 6:12 am Post subject:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I hate political correctness of any kind in any context. I don't care one way or the other about the cenfederate flag. Gotta love many southerners, though. The degree to which they desperately cling to a past now long gone rivals that of champcar fans.

rosawendel

10-11-06, 09:20 AM

reckonin' is racin.

KLang

10-11-06, 09:23 AM

NASCAR's popularity has slowed and television ratings have slumped

Did the eskimo write this? :p

Turn7

10-11-06, 09:43 AM

The flag that they picture in the article is not the Confederate flag, it is the rebel flag or battle flag. Big difference. It's basically saying, "Game on!" and not meant to be a racial stance.

These are the Flags of the Confederate. When you see someone displaying this, then you better not turn your back on your sheets hanging on the line cause most likely, they'll find a use for them.

http://civilwartalk.com/cwt_main/resources/images/starsbars.gif

http://civilwartalk.com/cwt_main/resources/images/stainless.gif

http://civilwartalk.com/cwt_main/resources/images/3rdnat.gif

However, when dealing with people living anywhere, exceptions are sure to take place.

The populace in the South that would actually display any of the above or the rebel battle flag is a small percentage and not the normal behavior.

Spicoli

10-11-06, 10:01 AM

WGAF? :gomer:

x2.:gomer:

pchall

10-11-06, 10:26 AM

The flag that they picture in the article is not the Confederate flag, it is the rebel flag or battle flag. Big difference. It's basically saying, "Game on!" and not meant to be a racial stance.

In WW2 my dad (a real Yankee from New Hampshire) was posted with several Southern units of Army Air Corps during training in Florida and Alabama. He remembers seeing the planes of a B-24 squadron start sporting the battle flag when they were just about to ship out for North Africa.

nrc

10-11-06, 10:39 AM

However, when dealing with people living anywhere, exceptions are sure to take place.

I really doubt that many racists make the distinction. When racists want to intimidate or just declare their loyalties if they don't have a swastika or klan flag handy the stars and bars will do just fine. While the confederate battle flag has a legitimate place in history as a symbol of southern pride, its symbolism has been marred by the fact that it was adopted in this century as a symbol of racism.

Wheel-Nut

10-11-06, 11:09 AM

Just a good ole boys . . . never meaning no harm . . .

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/Wheel-Nut/whitelighting2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/Wheel-Nut/whitelighting.jpg

and my personal favorite!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/Wheel-Nut/Darryll.jpg

chop456

10-11-06, 11:25 AM

and my personal favorite!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/Wheel-Nut/Darryll.jpg

Chock full o' ironic symbolism, ain't it? :D

racer2c

10-11-06, 12:11 PM

trauma1

10-11-06, 12:28 PM

btw they look like EARL fans, it's all relative right:rofl:

RusH

10-11-06, 12:47 PM

There was a gigantic cross and bars in the World Cup stands this summer during a Spain match. It was very out of place.

I wonder what that flag means to them?
Those could not be Jethro`s from here.

extramundane

10-11-06, 01:38 PM

Here in Virginia I see Confederate flags on a daily basis; flying from porches, in the back windows of pickup trucks and bumper stickers (many that say 'Heritage not Hate'). Harley's with Confederate flag gas tanks are common also.
I can't remember the last time I heard of a hate crime in my area, or even more specifically a hate crime in which the catalyst was the displaying of a Confederate flag.

Things are a bit different about 50 miles south. Then again, we've got an interesting dynamic that's partially a result of having myriad monuments to the Confederacy in a city with a 60% black population.

The bigger puzzle to me is the idiots I see on a daily basis with "The South Gon' Rise Agin!" stickers less than a foot away from "America: Love it or Leave it!" stickers. Well...which one is it?

The populace in the South that would actually display any of the above or the rebel battle flag is a small percentage and not the normal behavior.

You're assuming that the populace in the modern south knows the difference. You'd be surprised how many people who fly the battle flag don't know that it's not THE Confederate Flag.

emjaya

10-11-06, 05:16 PM

There was a gigantic cross and bars in the World Cup stands this summer during a Spain match. It was very out of place.

I wonder what that flag means to them?
Those could not be Jethro`s from here.

There are Australians who fly the flag, painted on their cars or a cloth patch on their clothes.:saywhat:
What it means to them,I cannot imagine.:rolleyes:

:)

cart7

10-11-06, 07:33 PM

Here in Virginia I see Confederate flags on a daily basis; flying from porches, in the back windows of pickup trucks and bumper stickers (many that say 'Heritage not Hate'). Harley's with Confederate flag gas tanks are common also.
I can't remember the last time I heard of a hate crime in my area, or even more specifically a hate crime in which the catalyst was the displaying of a Confederate flag.

Regarding the article, I do think that as NASCAR continues to grow in markets outside of the 'South' and into other countries, who view the flag as a symbol of racism, that could keep some potentials away. How many? Probably few, if even a discernable amount.

The few NASCAR races I've seen in the past few years (and I've never watched a flag to flag race) I noticed that they don't show the infield where the flags are displayed in large numbers.

I can certainly see southerners wanting to hold onto the southern culture. There's been a mass exodus of Northeners to southern states over the past 20 years either for retirement to warmer weather or jobs. I imagine the overall populace of places like Atlanta, Birmingham and other large towns has been dilluted with non southners. I attribute the growth of Nascar more to the slow movement away from that southern culture racing to series to one a lot more homogenized. It wasn't too long ago that you could barely find a Nascar driver that didn't talk with some flavor of southern drawl, now it's hard to find one.