A symbol, by definition, is “something that stands for, represents or suggests another thing.” Jack Tresidder, in “Symbols and Their Meanings,” tells us that “... symbols form a kind of visual shorthand, but one with more emotional, psychological and spiritual resonance.” Symbolism, he says, is the “emotional heightening of an object, graphic form or ritual action that may be simple in itself.”

Every day we encounter numerous symbols in the form of product logos, street signs and T-shirt decals. From the peace sign to the stop sign to the international choking signal, symbols come into our consciousness, on an almost unconscious level.

These graphic sound bites allow us to maintain our flow through time without becoming bogged down in the technicalities of describing large concepts to one another over and over. Once we collectively agree that a “V” and a “W” inside a circle is the symbol for Volkswagen, for example, we don’t have to reinvent the wheel, so to speak, every time we see a television commercial or magazine ad for the company.

By establishing and using a symbol, a company or group can then communicate other information to us under the umbrella of that common emblem. Consequently, as humans, once a symbol is widely recognized and information is conveyed around or through it, we then begin to make judgements about one another based on our relationships to the symbol.

What feelings could be conjured, for instance, upon seeing a 20-something man with a crew cut? What feelings might result from learning that the same dude with his head shaved has a swastika tattooed on his shoulder? Some individuals might admire such a person or think of him as cool or powerful, while others might be fearful of him or angry with him.

As a symbol, the swastika is an ancient, positive visual representation of creative energy. Its name, according to Tresidder, derives from Sanskrit words meaning “well” and “being.” Our most recent communal exposure to the swastika, however, comes from its use by the Nazi Party.

This kind of transformation of a symbol over time is not uncommon.

Recently, some questions have been raised by the Tri-State Unity Coalition over the displaying of a Confederate flag at a Milford business. Some visitors to TRR’s online discussion board have worried over potential first amendment violations by the coalition and chastised the business owner for supporting slavery. Others have written letters commending the individuals who fought and died under the Confederate flag. All valid points.

What remains unexplored is the evolution of the Confederate flag as a symbol.

During the American Civil War, the Confederate States of America adopted its first national flag, the stars and bars, in 1861. Soon after, a Confederate battle flag was also adopted. This battle flag is what is currently on display in Milford; but like the swastika, it, as a symbol, has transcended its original meaning, and today sits at the focal point of a growing neo-Confederate movement. This movement has ties to neo-Nazi groups, although it appears to focus on preserving southern culture.

Flags, Tresidder says, were “originally designed for identification,” but “rapidly became symbols of supremacy.”

Are we talking white supremacy under the stars and bars? Well, it’s an old accusation. But the symbol itself is also aging. Or, make that changing.

Today, as was the case during the January 2000 demonstrations for South Carolina’s right to fly the Confederate flag at the Statehouse, radical groups like the League of the South and the Council of Conservative Citizens, both identified as hate groups by the Southern Poverty Law Center, are marching alongside heritage groups such as the Sons of Confederate Veterans and the United Daughters of the Confederacy.

The Civil War is over, but the enduring Confederate battle flag is not simply an emblematic throwback to the days of Rhett and Scarlet. The issue in Milford may not be as simple as the blue versus the gray. Under today’s stars and bars stand an increasing number of hate groups feigning heritage preservationists.

Krista Gromalski, Reporter