Hampshire College: Removal of US Flag

[Neo Deist]

America was sending in the military to suppress other nations, typically for economic purposes, long before WWII. The Banana Wars alone lasted a few decades and was done before WWII.

The "Banana Wars" was done in the protection of US economic interests with regard to tobacco, sugarcane, and bananas. Spain had ceded control of places like Puerto Rico to the US, not to mention the US had just built the Panama Canal in an effort to promote global trade. Hell yes, the US was protecting its interests.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

The "Banana Wars" was done in the protection of US economic interests with regard to tobacco, sugarcane, and bananas. Spain had ceded control of places like Puerto Rico to the US, not to mention the US had just built the Panama Canal in an effort to promote global trade. Hell yes, the US was protecting its interests.

By using the military to suppress, allowing the fruit companies to take ownership over thing, forcing those Central/South American nations into a state of economic purgatory. It was the same military intervention paved for the way the world to know the name Che Guevara.

 

[Sunstone]

Deport them and burn down the college.

Yeah, because that's how we Americans traditionally handle disagreements of opinion. Through deportation and violence. Sheesh! It's a pity not all Americans respect the Constitution and founding principles of this nation.

 

[Sunstone]

The US is an aggressive, rapacious empire that's been riding roughshod over the rest of the world almost since it's inception. It's history is one of endless wars and suppression in the interests of American corporate hegemony.
Why should we take pride in such a country? It violates it's very founding ethos.

"The most terrifying words in the English language are: 'I'm from the US, and I'm here to help' ." (with apologies to Ronald Reagan).

While what you say about the US is a large part of the story of this nation, you overlook much that has been -- and continues to be -- decent about this country. The flag is as much a symbol of our greater aspirations and ideals as it is a symbol of our worse failures and atrocities. Nor are America's failures and problems generally unique to America. American exceptionalism is a myth, regardless of whether America is seen as being exceptionally good or exceptionally evil. America's failures and problems are by and large the failures and problems typical of human nature.

 

[Nietzsche]

Let me stop you right there. Inb4 Nietschze

Yeah! Because freedom of expression, mother****ers!!

You missed a good number of them. The flags of Confederate America, Ustase Croatia, so on and so forth. But those are a good start no doubt.

 

[Neo Deist]

By using the military to suppress, allowing the fruit companies to take ownership over thing, forcing those Central/South American nations into a state of economic purgatory. It was the same military intervention paved for the way the world to know the name Che Guevara.

I am the last one that needs a history lesson. But we are diverting far away from the OP...a college that is having a knee jerk reaction.

 

[lovesong]

You missed a good number of them. The flags of Confederate America, Ustase Croatia, so on and so forth. But those are a good start no doubt.

Hey, pssst! You're supposed to be on my side.

 

[Neo Deist]

You missed a good number of them. The flags of Confederate America...

That will be "eye of the beholder" area. Just saying.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I am the last one that needs a history lesson. But we are diverting far away from the OP...a college that is having a knee jerk reaction.

From your own article there is no evidence of such a knee jerk reaction. Rather, it makes it pretty clear taking it down was discussed and debated, and just after your "we're scared of it line" is also a direct quotation of the opposing side, contained within your article.

 

[Nietzsche]

Blame the Japanese. The US was not a powerhouse prior to WWII, and even tried to stay out of the war. Once Pearl Harbor happened, the US went into a** kicking mode and has never looked back.

History lesson time.

That's not true at all. The US was an industrial powerhouse. We didn't build all that in the weeks after Pearl Harbour. It was already there. We just mobilized. Very, very different from "not being a powerhouse".

Even then you're still wrong. It wasn't the Confederate flag flying over Government property all the way up the 1950s when black folks were enduring segregation.
It wasn't the Confederate flag flying over a nation that committed physical & cultural genocide against the First Nations and discriminated against them by preventing First Nations folk from a) practising their cultural belief systems b) being recognised as U.S. citizens up until the 1960s.

The Star-Spangled Banner is a symbol of racism to some as much as the Swastika or the Rising Sun.

eh.

The Stars & Stripes are over 200 years old. It stands for the American state and people as a whole, rather than something like the NSDAP flag, which was constructed to symbolize Aryan-German supremacy. You could argue that the Union Jack is just as racist using this logic, but it isn't because it represents more than one particular era of the British government.

I'd go so far as to say that even the Rising Sun could be seen the same way, because it is not a state flag in the traditional sense of the term but one that symbolizes/symbolized the Japanese armed forces from the Meji Restoration onward.

The American, British and so on flag have pedigrees far larger than something like the NSDAP banner. It's just as stupid as when people claim the Schwarz-Weiß-Rot is a symbol of Nazis and hate. No, it doesn't. It predates them by quite a bit and means something very different.

 

[Nietzsche]

That will be "eye of the beholder" area. Just saying.

Only if you're historically illiterate.

 

[lovesong]

eh.

The Stars & Stripes are over 200 years old. It stands for the American state and people as a whole, rather than something like the NSDAP flag, which was constructed to symbolize Aryan-German supremacy. You could argue that the Union Jack is just as racist using this logic, but it isn't because it represents more than one particular era of the British government.

I'd go so far as to say that even the Rising Sun could be seen the same way, because it is not a state flag in the traditional sense of the term but one that symbolizes/symbolized the Japanese armed forces from the Meji Restoration onward.

The American, British and so on flag have pedigrees far larger than something like the NSDAP banner. It's just as stupid as when people claim the Schwarz-Weiß-Rot is a symbol of Nazis and hate. No, it doesn't. It predates them by quite a bit and means something very different.

Thanks for fighting my fights for me. Maybe someday Pet will know how to history.

 

[Neo Deist]

History lesson time.

That's not true at all. The US was an industrial powerhouse. We didn't build all that in the weeks after Pearl Harbour. It was already there. We just mobilized. Very, very different from "not being a powerhouse".

I was referring to military might. The US was not a super power until during/after WWII. Up until then, the US army was smaller than Portugal's.

 

[Nietzsche]

I was referring to military might. The US was not a super power until during/after WWII. Up until then, the US army was smaller than Portugal's.

Fair enough, though I would argue that it was no different than Britain at the outset of the war. Small professional army, massive navy & airforce.

 

[Mister_T]

I find it supremely idiotic that people have no problems living or getting an education in this country, yet find it's flag so abhorrent. No one is forcing you to be here.

The college is as equally idiotic, as well as spineless....which seems to be a growing trend with colleges and people getting offended for frivolous reasons.

 

[Neo Deist]

Only if you're historically illiterate.

We won't get into it here. Historians from both sides have argued it for decades.

 

[Neo Deist]

I find it supremely idiotic that people have no problems living or getting an education in this country, yet find it's flag so abhorrent. No one is forcing you to be here.

The college is as equally idiotic, as well as spineless....which seems to be a growing trend with colleges and people getting offended for frivolous reasons.

Let's put it into perspective though...why is it always places in the north east or west coast? You don't hear about events like this at Univ. of Alabama (Roll Tide!), Georgia, Oklahoma, North Dakota (not that anyone actually lives there), etc.

 

[Mister_T]

Let's put it into perspective though...why is it always places in the north east or west coast? You don't hear about events like this at Univ. of Alabama (Roll Tide!), Georgia, Oklahoma, North Dakota (not that anyone actually lives there), etc.

Because that's where most of the country's population is. The more people you have, the more opinions.

 

[Kemosloby]

Yeah, because that's how we Americans traditionally handle disagreements of opinion. Through deportation and violence. Sheesh! It's a pity not all Americans respect the Constitution and founding principles of this nation.

Yeah the civil war was a disagreement of opinions.

 

[Neo Deist]

Because that's where most of the country's population is. The more people you have, the more opinions.

While I agree that those areas do have higher population centers, places like Texas and Florida aren't exactly lacking in population. I think it has more to do with political beliefs (liberal vs conservative).