Is a Confederate soldier costume out of bounds?
I was clicking through Facebook last night looking at all the different Halloween costumes and couldn’t help but pause on the little boy dressed in a Confederate solider costume carrying a very large Confederate flag.
I’m not sure why I paused. I love history and that’s an historical outfit but I just wasn’t sure it was OK. Grown men do Civil War re-enactments all the time and that seems OK. But is a Georgia Reb costume out there without the other side somehow offensive or insensitive?
We know from Prince Harry that Nazi soldier costumes are not OK. I am thinking that a KKK costume would definitely NOT be OK. So what historical costumes are off the table? What can you definitely NOT wear and are Confederate soldier costumes in that realm?
Quick aside: I would like to add that my favorite costume was my cousin’s husband and their baby. Hubby dressed as a giant gorilla and the baby was dressed like his banana! So cute!
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322 comments Add your comment
Grumps
November 1st, 2012
5:33 pm
As the late Lewis Grizzard used to say.. We don’t care how you did it in Ohio and Delta is ready when you are.
Joe Biden
November 1st, 2012
6:17 pm
The Republicans gonna put y’all back in chains !
54th Mass
November 1st, 2012
7:03 pm
“Funny we never had the busing issues they had in Boston, over intergration, and that was after the schools were intergrated in the south.’
_______________________________________
Boston – Racist parents yelling at buses vs the south where governors and the law stood blocking the doors of the schools to keep blacks out. Big difference, so learn your history.
Kat
November 1st, 2012
9:31 pm
To the victor and the loser go the spoils of war and Halloween candy, too.
Is it bad to dress as a Rebel without the other side, no. History has people dressing up as all sorts of things: hobos, punk rockers, people from history – albeit mostly nerdy types, and so on. I don’t find it offensive, but that’s just me.
As far as Prince Harry goes. He’s a prince! He is THIRD IN LINE TO THE THRONE. He has to set a good example. He’s shown how bad his taste is with his behavior (what he wears – or doesn’t wear, what he says, etc. I would say that if you want candy, you should goes as something clever or within reason. I’d give candy to someone wearing a Nazi uniform to get them off my porch.
Jd
November 1st, 2012
10:08 pm
When did we become a nation of touchy feely wimps? I can’t believe this article is considered news worthy… Get over it.
aladawg
November 1st, 2012
11:21 pm
All you low life scum bags men and women who compare the Confederate uniform to the Nazis must be northern scum. Logical dad I will be over tonight to spend the night with your daughter. She loves a good old Southern boy dressed up in a Confederate uniform.
Atlantarama
November 2nd, 2012
1:41 am
Trying to equate the Confederacy with Nazism shows incredible ignorance.
To those who do, I hope you people aren’t buying ANYTHING from China, which is still practicing slavery over their citizens to this day.
T.S.
November 2nd, 2012
6:04 am
So reading these comments we have learned that the Civil War had absolutely nothing to do with slavery. Well, with that said here is an interesting question. When do you think individual states would have gotten around to ending slavery on their own? 1880? 1900? 1940?
Kat
November 2nd, 2012
8:26 am
Did we need Prince Harry’s experience with a Nazi costume to tell us that “it is not OK?”
Me
November 2nd, 2012
8:30 am
How much longer are we to remain on this topic? I dare not make attempts to speak for everyone but, as a regular visitor, I am personally ready to ‘move on’ from this. The topic may originally have seemed benign but I think it’s safe to state otherwise at this point. Or, is there some reason for the topic to remain live, i.e. page hits, number of comments, etc.?
FCM
November 2nd, 2012
8:45 am
I agree with Me new topic
One comment to T.S…..according to Toquville only 3 things could happen…ship the people back, intermarry, create a reservation like was done for the Native Americans…except let it become it’s own country.
Slavery had to end. The question of when is certain valid, and I would say that the Union winning the war certaily hastened the demise.
Jim C
November 2nd, 2012
8:56 am
Three of my ancestors fought for the South and none of them owned more than a few acres of hard scrabble farm land. I deeply admire their courage and fortitude. While they were legally right (show me a single line in the Constitution that says a State could not secede from the Union) I’m glad they lost, the nation is stronger as a whole than Balkanised into 50 or more pieces. Perhaps their greatest mistake was taking seriously the statements made in the Declaration if Independence. Go back and read it from the perspective of a Southerner in 1860.
As for slavery, it was a disaster for everybody (especially white Southerners) but it’s over, so get over it. If you really must obsess over it, blame the black traders who sold us the black slaves in the first place. Yes, coastal tribes in Africa raided tribes in the interior for slaves to sell to white traders, and the practice went on for centuries. Read Diary of a Slave Trader for details.
pootie tang
November 2nd, 2012
9:47 am
Next I guess you’re going to say my Klan outfit is too over the top? Go Romney.
Omg
November 2nd, 2012
10:12 am
I resent comparing the confederates to nazis! Anyone who would do that must compare progressive liberals to Stalins communists.
Logical Dad
November 2nd, 2012
10:12 am
Wow, did this go off the rails in a hurry. I guess the worst thing you can do is point out the truth to the cowards that fought the United States of America. Granted, Vietnam was not our finest hour, but the USA is still 19-1 in wars with our enemies (including the conservative-fueled Confederate States of America). I must admit to being entertained by the torturing of history being foisted upon us here by those who continue to defend the enemies of America who comprised the CSA. Losing sucks. We get that. Why can’t you just admit that you quit and lost and move on?
Logical Dad
November 2nd, 2012
10:26 am
Oh, and I see something called “aladawg” threatened my daughter. If I had a daughter, I would be offended. My two sons, however, are both quite quite capable of taking care of themselves, so, knock yourself out. You have my advance sympathies.
DB
November 2nd, 2012
11:11 am
@Logical Dad: I will point out that Southerners very rarely will bring up the Civil War — however, they will contest “the history written by the victors” version whenever a Northerner brings it up as a way of creating a mocking put-down of anyone Southerner. Northerners tend to use the Civil War as an excuse against Southerners and as a way to feel superior — although why they have to dig back 150 year for a reason to feel surperior is beyond me. For the record, I am in my mid-50’s, Southern born and bred, and have NEVER in my life brought up the Civil War in a conversation. It’s always been a Northerner who had to bring it up. Weird.
DB
November 2nd, 2012
11:12 am
Pardon the typos — new touch pad phone . . blech!
Phillip from Valdosta
November 2nd, 2012
11:16 am
I opened my door for a trick or treater on Halloween night and was greeted by a kid in a mask from the Scream movies. Kinda made me step back. Had it been a Confederate costume I probably would have saluted. The War of Northern Agression was about states rights. Whether to admit states into the Union as a slave state or free state. I firmly believe the Industrail Revolution and massive technological improvements in farming would have made slavery too expensive. Just like today with people being replaced with robots. Also, read the Gettysburg address. Ole Honest Abe only freed the slaved in the states in rebellion. Slavery existed in the north during the Civil War too. No one was innocent during that tragic war, north or south.
TB
November 2nd, 2012
11:22 am
If anyone thinks the war had only to do with slavery, explain why Confederate General Robert E. Lee never owned a slave while both Union Generals Ulysses S. Grant & William T. Sherman owned many.
Logical Dad
November 2nd, 2012
11:32 am
DB, you may be the exception (and I do believe you) but you need only read the two posts that follow yours to see the other side of that coin. Incidentally, I am Georgia born and bred and, with the exception of law school in Memphis, have never lived in any state except Georgia – nor do I intend to. I simply love my country and choose not to worship soldiers who fought against it. We can agree to disagree.
saywhat?
November 2nd, 2012
11:42 am
Why would any parent want their kid to dress up like a loser anyway?
JOESNUTZ
November 2nd, 2012
12:48 pm
joseph lowery is about as big of a racist as u can get. PERIOD !!!
Forget hell
November 2nd, 2012
1:08 pm
Boston – Racist parents yelling at buses vs the south where governors and the law stood blocking the doors of the schools to keep blacks out. Big difference, so learn your history.
Typical yankee, its OK if we do it.Just like the fact at one time the KKK was bigger in the North than it was in the South.
Forget hell
November 2nd, 2012
1:11 pm
Why would any parent want their kid to dress up like a loser anyway?
Don’t the Washington Redskins,Atlanta Braves,Cleveland Indians,KC Chiefs,Chicago Blackhawks
do it everyweek?
Forget hell
November 2nd, 2012
1:18 pm
The only thing the Yankee’s have to glory in the War between the States is the fact that they better be glad the South ran out of bullets.A resupplied Robert E. Lee would have eventually found a way to win the war.
Warrior Woman
November 2nd, 2012
3:08 pm
No, the costume is not out of bounds.
Ralph
November 2nd, 2012
3:28 pm
Good grief! I spent half my childhood as a Civil War buff wearing a Rebel cap and with a Rebel battle flag on my bedroom wall. I certainly did not turn out to be a racist. When it became an issue later, I fully supported removing the Confederate battle flag from the Georgia flag out of consideration to my African American friends.
Rudolph
November 2nd, 2012
3:33 pm
One of the great tragedies in American history is that the effort in the 1820s to compensate slaveholders and colonize all the freed slaves in Africa failed. The partial effort did result in the nation of Liberia and to a lesser extent colonization in Sierra Leone. But for the failure of political will to complete that emancipation and colonization effort, we would not have had a Civil War or a long history of racial conflict, oppression and polarization that has warped nearly every aspect of our national history. It is America’s curse.
Chip Jones
November 2nd, 2012
4:53 pm
Much ado about NOTHING. Get a life maggots.
Denise
November 2nd, 2012
4:57 pm
@Ralph, you sound so sensible compared to some of these nuts responding to this simple question. :-) Of course not everyone that is a Civil War buff is a racist. I think there is a lot to be said about the fact that one of the major symbols of the Confederacy – the flag – no longer has the meaning of pride in the South, but has turned into a symbol of hatred and racism. I have no issue with the Confederat uniform – clearly that is historical and has NO implications today (please get over the Civil War people…it’s over and you didn’t fight in it) – but I would take much issue with a kid wrapped in the Confederate flag. Parents know better and know what that flag symbolizes now. All that “our history” talk goes in one ear and out the other for me when it comes to the Confederate flag. Call it what you want.
Xay
November 2nd, 2012
5:27 pm
I’m black and Southern born and bred and I have no problem with children dressing up as Confederate soldiers. I’m not sure why you would want to dress up your child as a treasonous traitor to the United States of America, but that is your right. Personally, I like to know who the people are behind the hateful and delusional comments that they post anonymously on topics like this one.
Tiffany
November 2nd, 2012
6:04 pm
NEW TOPIC, PLEASE! Let’s all agree to disagree and move on!
Meme
November 2nd, 2012
7:44 pm
Confederate soldiers fought to save their homes and farms. The Nazis exterminated people by the thousands. Not really a comparison.
DANIELLE
November 2nd, 2012
7:48 pm
Give me a break. Who CARES that the little boy had a “rebel flag” and costume? I saw a little girl dressed up like a gypsy. Is THAT out of bounds, as well? A neighbor child was wearing oversized glasses and dressed like Waldo. Is that insulting people who need glasses to see? What about the child wearing a police uniform? Does that belittle the law enforcement community? I am just sick of all the petty, nit-picking whiners. lEAVE PEOPLE ALONE!!
ReaderRick
November 2nd, 2012
7:52 pm
If is offensive if you apply a misguide understanding of the “Civil War”. Lincoln did not fight the war over slavery, he fought it to keep us one Nation. A civil war is a war between two groups to have control over one country. The Southern states had left the union, proven by the fact that they were required to rejoin under the rules of the north. The South fired the first shots after the Northern troop moved from one fort to Fort Sumtner. All wars are bad, but some are needed. Do not blame the individual for what the group does. The Southern soliders were fighting for their homes, what the the northern soilders fighting for? Their homes were not threatened. The President believed that whites were genetically better than blacks and wanted the blacks shipped back to Africa. Not a good role model. If people learned the facts, they would not be so quick to judge. We are all better off as one nation, lets stay that way without attacking what others believe.
Trey
November 2nd, 2012
8:03 pm
If the biggest hing you get offended over is a Confederate Soldier Halloween costume, you need to get a grip.
Michael
November 2nd, 2012
8:33 pm
STUPID conversation with STUPID people! April 1865 was the month and year that doomed the United States. Just look at where we are! Tremendous debt, an out of control government, insurmountable problems. We (We The People) put absolutely ignorant, self centered morons in office and don’t demand that they behave and represent the people …. Why ….because we gave ignorant people the right to vote!!!!! And we have a discussion about wearing a Confederate Uniform? Would this discussion happen if the child was wearing a Union uniform? I don’t think so …. Most of you have no idea about the history of the South, or the North or the United States so shut the “F” up and go try educating yourself and your children about a section of the country that fought and died for what was right .. States Rights! God Save The South!!
Bob
November 2nd, 2012
8:36 pm
Such a question is out of bounds. Are you people freaking idiots? In our time of expanding tyranny and restriction liberty by an oppressive central government, we ought to all don our confederate uniforms and wave our stars and bars and bonnie blues with pride as we take a stand against usurpers once more. Keep your powder dry and put your trust in God! The South Will Rise Again!
This nonsense is so ignorant of historical truth you should be ashamed. Try reading and learning something other than what your government school indoctrinator spoon fed you, and you might learn what the War was really all about.
Deo vindice!
x
November 2nd, 2012
8:39 pm
The author of this is a buck toothed hack and you are all a bunch of entertaining asshats to watch arguing.
x
November 2nd, 2012
8:40 pm
Mediate my comments to stop my blog but my nuts will be back cause Im the big dog.
Michael
November 2nd, 2012
8:43 pm
Thank you Bob … Deo Vindice! (willing to bet that most of these folks have no idea of the meaning).
The Truth
November 2nd, 2012
9:34 pm
Do some historical research before you open your mouths and make fools of yourselves. It’s history – and it’s definitely not about hate (hate is for people like Joesph Lowery). By many of y’alls crackhead logic, we should ban kids from dressing as army soldiers because of war atrocities…biblical figures, knights, etc. because of the “ethnic cleansing” during the crusades…devils because Christians are kinda nuts (have you seen their version of a haunted house??)…wild animals because they bite people and crap in the woods…you see, this whole conversation is nonsense. It’s not like kids are out dressing as klansmen and black panthers (not the animal) – can’t y’all leave anything alone without having to wine, cry & protest? Get over yourselves!
WAR EAGLE
November 2nd, 2012
9:47 pm
There is nothing wrong with a confederate uniform. They have re enactments all the time. Just another idiot person with a chip on their shoulder trying to impose his blackness upon the rest of us.This has got to stop or they will want more and more. Time we made a stand people. No more affirmative action/NAACP. No more Joseph Lowery. Arrest him for his statements of incitement. Had david duke made that statement- the entire african nation would be up in arms.Maybe they need to remember where they came from. Let’s start with the removal of Ayatollah Obama and his Muslim faction.
TomTom
November 2nd, 2012
9:50 pm
a large monkey eating a banana? Sounds racist.
Cracker
November 2nd, 2012
10:04 pm
I’m an heir to the Confederacy! I hates the yankee nation! I hates the yankee flag!!! I’m glad I fought against her! 300,000 dead yankees lay stiff in Southern dust! You people thought that you had a victory in South Carolina and Georgia a few years back over the Confederate flag! You didn’t. The current Georgia flag is the Original Confederate Flag and the flag in South Carolina was moved on down on the lawn so now it’s in your face more! Did you really think that proud White Southerners would just fold up like a three dollar lawn chair because of a boycott from the united negro fund?
Great Debate
November 2nd, 2012
10:07 pm
It’s hard to believe what motivates most of these PC idiots. GFY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jezebel
November 2nd, 2012
10:08 pm
Lots of historical ignorance here. Our schools at work.
The Truth
November 2nd, 2012
10:09 pm
How about a Rebel uniform in “white face”? Pretty funny..[’;}\
freedom lover
November 2nd, 2012
10:26 pm
Dressing up as a war criminal (Bush, Obama, Clinton, Johnson, Nixon, Lincoln, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Allbright) or future war criminal wannabee (Romney, Guliani) should be out of bounds. Confederate soldier? Why should dressing up as a freedom fighter be out of bounds. Most weren’t fighting to preserve slavery, they were fighting a tyrranical central goveernment that had violated the constitution.