NASCAR and Confederate flag continue to go together for certain fans

[Bluebear]

TALLADEGA, Ala. – Over the rolling Alabama hills, the soft autumn breeze still whistles through Dixie, finding a legendary track on race week and a sea of flags to push and pull – American flags, driver flags and the flag that remains the third rail of NASCAR, the Confederate. In America, a NASCAR race is the last major sporting event where the Stars and Bars is still so prevalent, still so prominent, and while the debate over whether the flag's presence is appropriate isn't new, the stakes for NASCAR continue to get higher.

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.

Which is why the flag issue – symbolic of many others including prerace prayer and moving races out of the South to fresh markets in the North, Midwest and West – remains an issue NASCAR can't easily solve.

A year ago NASCAR CEO Brian France condemned the flag on "60 Minutes" and reiterated his company's "commitment to diversity." But that has done little to pull the flags down here at Talladega; they were out in force all weekend, hung from homes and trees on the drive to the track, placed in the back windows of trucks and cars and run up makeshift flag poles on motor homes throughout the party-packed infield...

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

[Erika]

1. Nascar's silent prejudice

Stick it out there and pretend you didn't.

[jdadd]

2. NASCAR.....

I stopped watching when they stopped using basically hopped up stock cars...:thumbsdown:

[fishnfla]

4. This is the real issue

the flag is just a symbol of being stuck in the past. NASCAR is going down with everyone but the racist cavemen b/c the car races are watered down and ultra, ultra boring....kinda like Busch beer.

EDIT to add: car races , not the human kind

[Clark2008]

9. Going down?

Since when?

Seems to me like there are more new fans every year.

BTW, my 7 year old isn't racist - hell, he doesn't know what that means - and he's not a redneck, either - but he loves NASCAR because of the cars.

Nothing wrong with that, IMHO.

[fishnfla]

13. Yes, going way down

As the article indicates the popularity and ratings are declining.First hand, i can tell you, they are sweating bullets over here at DIS as I know many people who work at the track.

I know many former NASCAR fans, our 9-year-old one of them. They are now my new weekend fishing buddies. Offshore,the VHF would crackle with race stuff. Now its all bait pods and weedlines again.

The races are boring, people are complaining about team ownership, cookie-cutter speedways and the restrictor plates.

The very things it should be about, the cars, the races, the drivers: dull, duller, dullest

[jakefrep]

27. You'e never know it from the sycophantic coverage...

NASCAR gets from the mainstream press. If the "journalists" that cover NASCAR covered baseball, we wouldn't know anything about Barry Bonds' steroid use.

Didn't NASCAR pitch a hissyfit earlier this year when Dateline:NBC did an expose on NASCAR's lack of diversity? I bet this guy gets his credentials pulled.

[yellowcanine]

8. NASCAR racing was inspired by bootleggers running moonshine

with their sooped up cars that allowed them to outrun the police and federal agents. In the past the cars were modified stock cars. If you go to one of the "short track" (quarter mile ovals) you still can see that kind of racing. But as far as the big NASCAR events my understanding is that now they are just another kind of racing with cars built to NASCAR racing specs.

[Ron Green]

3. As one who comes from a long line of rednecks, I say:

"fuck a bunch of crackers."

[Chipper Chat]

5. Haven't seen Bush at a NASCAR race this year. Hmmmmmm.

Thanks for the post Mr. Bear, but can you cut this one a little slack?

[cboy4]

6. How bout a Dale Earnhardt memorial NASCAR flag with his

car number in the middle?!?

Now this says MURKA!! :eyes:

[lectrobyte]

12. This one works for me a lot better. Nothing says America like

this trio:

[cboy4]

14. PERFECT!! Now that is absolutely fukking hilarious!!!!

Perhaps the only thing missing is a scroll of the Ten Commandments!

Well done my friend. :patriot:

[lectrobyte]

22. It's not my creation, but I enjoy sharing it with folks just to see their

heads implode here in the South. I found it at the subsite, http://www.subgenius.com

[cboy4]

25. "praise his sweet name" AH HAHAHAHAHAHA . . great website!

You should try to photograph some heads imploding and post them dude! (or dude-ettt if you're female)

It would brighten a lot of people's lives ;)

[Solo_in_MD]

7. At the risk of flamage, the flag issue is way overblown and

could come back to haunt people in a big way.

If we allow any group to get clothing or a symbol banned because it offends them in schools and other public places, its a Pandora's box. If the so called Confederate flag goes (I assume everyone here knows that the rectangular stars and bars is a modern invention and was neither the Confederate flag nor the battle flag of the army of northern Virgina), protests can be lodged against other symbols including those in support of minorities and causes we support.

The recent (as in this week) dust up over Dixie Outfitters shirts in a school is headed that way, with Malcolm X shirts targeted. Lest you think I am making this up, review Castorina, et al. v. Madison County School Bd., et al. There was also the Straight Pride fiasco that the school lost as well. All it takes is a few creative idiots and the schools will have everyone in uniforms (another controversial topic in itself)

Free speech and expression means just that. Most of the displays of rectangular stars and bars have nothing to do with racism. Are those it offends that thin skinned or that willing to have their own displays removed. That is indeed what is being risked. The rules/law have to be impartial and apply to all. Is this a road we should be going down? I think not.

[Clark2008]

10. I agree.

The only reason this flag has any power is because people allow it to have such.

It's a piece of fucking cloth, for Pete's sake!!

[cboy4]

16. You cannot be real.

:popcorn:

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

15. Who said anything about banning?

Just recognizing it for what it is- racism.

[Solo_in_MD]

17. Schools mostly, the most recently Flat RockCounty Middle School in GA

In the past the ACLU has even weighed in against bans.

Furthermore its no more racist than the Malcom-X or African National symbols that are out there though the PC brigands insist otherwise. Free speech means free to offend.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

21. Oh, well, schools are a different issue.

They've got business banning swastikas and confederate flags and other threats against minority students.

"Malcom-X or African National symbols"

Well that's unmitigated bullshit. That's like saying rainbow flags are anti-christian bigotry.

[Solo_in_MD]

23. The exucse the schools use is that is disrupts the educational process or

upsets other students. Courts have already said that is only reason they can use otherwise its infringement on free speech. Specifically in Castorina, et al. v. Madison County School Bd., et al., a federal court of appeals ruled wearing the Confederate flag image did fall under First Amendment protection and schools could not prohibit it, providing it was not causing a disturbance. The ruling went on to say that schools that had been experiencing racial violence could not enforce a “viewpoint-specific ban” by barring the Confederate flag while allowing other racially sensitive symbols to be worn - in this case, T-shirts with Malcolm X’s picture on them. The Straight Pride issue went along those same lines.

The key issue for us is that free speech needs to be for all people if any are to have it. If gay pride or african pride shirts are allowable, then so are straight pride and white pride. If people want to wear the Mexican flag, or African nationalism symbols, then the Conferate Batte Flag or its incorrect reproductions should be allowed as well.

There is no evidence that the so called conderate flag is a threat to minority students.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

24. LOL

Uh huh.

[cboy4]

20. You do realize that at least one (maybe even two) southern states

have modified the design of their flags because of the stars and bars controversy, right?

Hey.....it's a free country. You're entitled to your opinion, but you better be prepared for WWIII if certain DUers read this. :hide:

[Solo_in_MD]

28. Indeed I do, but to me its a free speech issue

And the limits some would impose for PC reasons will be used against us in the long run. I personally think that the southern pride bubbas should get over it and move on, but saying that they cant wear the stars and bars is both silly and dangerous. Consider this:

PT - Stonewall Jackson offends us, and disturbs us in our classroom. He was a racist and advocated attacks agianst my ancestors. All shirts and pictures of him must be removed.
CP - But he is a hero of our people. He lead us in a troubling time. Yes he had some attitudes we don't agree with today, but it is still important to honor his memory and the good things he stood for. If you understood our history you would know this.

Now substitute for Malcom-X for Stonewall Jackson...

[cboy4]

29. I can'r speak for African Americans, but it appears it's easier said than

done getting over it and moving on!!!!

I realize the confederate flag is a source of pride for many Southerners.......but it also symbolizes something very ugly from the past.

[Solo_in_MD]

31. Even speech that offends some people should be protected

In the movie The Da Vinci Code, the lecture the prof was giving was priceless and totally on point about symbols and their mis interpretation by many. While it may have been one of the few factual comments in the movie, it was quite well done.

[NNN0LHI]

11. I have been to NASCAR races. Not too many people of color there n/t

[kwolf68]

19. SO

Means nothing. Just because some event has few people of color doesn't mean those people are a bunch of racists. Now, I'll grant you that while not all nascar fans are racists, its a good bet most racists are nascar fans, but i digress.

I like rock music, hardcore punk and stuff...not many blacks at those shows either (although some) and much of the music speaks out AGAINST racism.

Instead of juding the color of people's skin lets check their character.

Admittedly, it does appear Nascar races are breeding grounds for right-wingers to comensurate...Rumsfeld got a standing ovation at a race in Richmond in 2004, nearly all of the drivers support Republicans (I know of NONE who have supported Dems), and it is a "family" sport that values guns, hard-work, Jesus, and getting loaded.

[RedStateShame]

26. WHHHHHHAAAAA?!

:wow::wow::wow::wow::wow::wow::wow::wow::wow::wow:

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

18. Watching noisy machinery go around in circles.

Simple things entertain simple minds. Just as romantic visions of Scarlett O'Hara, and happy "darkies", do.

[Zhade]

30. Oh, come ON already. It celebrates heritage!

...

Okay, it's a heritage of racism, but still!

:rofl:

[jakefrep]

32. A LOSING heritage. nt