In the
second half of the 20th century, a so-called flag war broke out. Confederate heritage
groups were fighting against the negative publicity of the banner, saying that
it should only be displayed to express one’s respect to the soldiers who once
fought and died under it. However, the flag could not escape stigmatization;
moreover, after the CRM, the flag continued to be the symbol of racism, hatred.
There are many cases documented in the 1990’s which are about unfortunate
shootings and killings generated by the presence of the Confederate flag on a
car, on clothes, etc.
In pop
culture, the flag became more often used in logos but this differed from the
flag fa din the 1950’s. Sports events, vehicles, scout uniforms used the flag
in various forms. Due to the anti-flag policies, these illustrations were
banned. For example, “In 1993, NASCAR barred a car sponsored by the Sons of
Confederate Veterans bearing the organization’s battle flag logo. A year later,
Harley-Davison, makers of the popular American motorcycle, forbade the use of
logos and the sale of products bearing the Confederate flag; the Milwaukee-based
company acted after receiving a protest from a local civil rights activist…Within
months, Harley-Davidson reversed its decision, and declared that local
motorcycle dealers could decide for themselves whether or not to incorporate
the Confederate flag in their logos”. 176
“Confederate
heritage groups in recent years have pursued a logical two-track approach to
defending the flag: persuade the media not to give coverage to the misuse of
the flag by the KKK and other extremists while simultaneously offering models
of proper, reverent flag use. Theoretically, it may be possible to teach a
critical mass of Americans by word and example to believe that the Confederate
flag is a positive or at least a benign historical icon. But as long as hate
groups and ordinary people use the flag as a racist or politically charged
symbol, and as long as the flag maintains its status as a signal of
countercultural rebellion and militant individualism, the education campaign
will fail to overcome stiff resistance to the Confederate flag.”177
