Dukes of Hazzard is a "satire" of rednecks done by one of the most sarcastic guys in America. The car's name is deliberately that of somebody who believed that white supremacy was God given. And there is even a scene in where they end up in a black neighborhood and the flag is not welcome. It's not about redneck pride, it's about redneck idiocy.

Also, just because an offensive symbol is used for sarcasm in a movie does not strip its meaning away and legitimizes it. If that were the case, dressing up similar to Hitler would not offend anybody because Chaplin made a movie called The Great Dictator - which is also funny. But hey, his name was Adenoid Hynkel, so it must be me who is offended by it and it is the racist in me that must see a resemblance to Hitler.

Or we can dress up as ghosts for Halloween and put pointy hats on. After all, Don Johnson was so funny in that costume in Django Unchained.

This "if you're offended it's your own weakness" argument is one of the most immature things I have ever heard. Then let's all wear Swastikas and walk in Tel Aviv. If they're offended, peh.

It's not semantics. It's the remembrance of a very bitter history not so long ago and pains that are still very much alive for many people. Symbol of heritage my a*s. It is heritage for Texas, heritage for Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina, where black people are still considered inferior. I've been in all of these states and lived in some. I know what I am talking about and I have seen the people who carry these "symbol of state rights" on their trucks.

If you had a close black American friend, I don't think you would be waving that flag around in his face.

I think whoever made that flag had absolutely no intent of racism, but I also believe it is not right to wave it when millions are watching in the US.

Who says? Opinion is divided on here and there's no reason to believe that would not be the same generally. That may be through a lack of knowledge, it may be through own beliefs but one thing is clear from this discussion, it is far from a clear cut issue whatever an individuals personal opinion is.

Quite.

The flag has also been adopted by racist scum like the BNP.

Are the liberal bed-wetters pushing for this flag to be dropped?

I'm tough. I'm ambitious. I know exactly what I want. If that makes me a bitch, I'm OK with that.

Calling the Dukes of Hazard a 'satire' is stretching things so far as to be risible.

Are you suggesting the main characters in that show are meant to be racists? I don't think you are, but they represent many Americans who identify with that flag for various reasons. They aren't all racists by any means and it's people like you regressing it back to racism all the time that are part of the problem.

I'll say it again, it represents different things to different people.

I couldn't give a monkey's uncle about the flag myself but I bulk at people like yourself telling others what symbol you think they can or can't wave.

If some idiot wants to wave the confederate flat in Harlem or the swastika amongst Jews that's their own stupid decision.

I support the freedom to express yourself.....If you are waving the flag as a symbol of oppression then that's a different issue...People have a right to confront you for it.......But if it's for dixie land or you're anti government then anyone telling you that it can't be waved are oppressing you....Not the other way around.

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Edited by Stirlingsays (14 Jul 2014 10.21pm)

'Who are you and how did you get in here? I'm a locksmith. And, I'm a locksmith.' (Leslie Nielsen)

What about the flag with the skull and crossbones displayed at Selhurst, This could be deemed as promoting Pirates. You have more chance of bumping into a pirate than a slave these days. People are far to quick to worry themselves silly about other people being offended by something that in truth they probably don't give a rats arse about.

Wouldn't stopping people from waving a flag be illiberal and a restriction of freedom and expression?

The right do care.

'Who are you and how did you get in here? I'm a locksmith. And, I'm a locksmith.' (Leslie Nielsen)