Black University of South Carolina student hangs Confederate flag in window

The question is… Does a student, no matter his race or nationality, have the right to hang what has long been considered to be an offensive symbol in a public place such as a dorm room window? Young people, especially teenagers, tend to push the limits sometimes and this time a 19 year old student at USC Beaufort is evidently pushing his beliefs to a point that school officials have insisted he remove the offensive symbol. The item in question is a huge Confederate flag that Byron Thomas hung up covering a window in his college dorm room. The flag is visible from the outside and those who walk by see it every day. Many have voiced their opinion, stating that particular flag symbolizes a time of racism and disgrace for the United States.

Video on CNN is the place to see freedom of speech boundaries stretched

A popular site for video posting, CNN’s iReport, acknowledges Byron Thomas to be a 19 year old black man who feels that controversial flag is not symbolic of what so many think it represents. He does not see it as a racist issue at all but rather a matter of Southern pride. The site has logged in nearly 70,000 views of the story thus far. The college freshman states he realizes it is rather weird to display the flag because he is black but that the meaning behind it has become “hijacked”. He sees Southern pride in the flag and not the racial symbolism that has become part of the visual. The Confederate flag has long been a token of “redneck” pride that took away from the original meaning of an emblem of war that, according to Thomas, was a communication symbol used during the Civil War in this country.

Research during class project spurred interest in the Southern Cross

When Byron Thomas hung the Confederate flag, also known as the Southern Cross or St. Andrew’s cross, up over a window in his dorm room it was visible to anyone walking about on campus and many did take offense at the sight. When asked to take down the flag before Thanksgiving he complied but since has been told he can put it back up. Studying the history of this representation of dark times in the history of this country brought Thomas to the conclusion the flag has gotten a bad rap and the true meaning if it actually symbolizes pride rather than prejudice.

Thomas’ parents hate the flag and what it represents to their generation

While Byron Thomas worries that his actions may anger his parents, who are the ones paying his bills while in college, he is confident his generation realizes that freedom of speech will prevail and that the controversial flag will be treated fairly and no longer be seen as a hated racist symbol. When referred to as an “African American” Thomas stated he was not born in Africa and that reference made him feel as if he was only “a half citizen” and does not appreciate labels.

Thomas roommate agrees it’s “just a flag”

Blane Reed is a roommate of Bryron Thomas who just happens to be white and agrees that all this has been blown out of proportion since the video went “viral”. The flag is, after all, just a flag and symbol of Southern pride and should not be considered a racial issue. Reed stated his roommate is a hard working student who would give you the shirt from his back. Now it’s up to Thomas as to whether he puts the flag back up or not.