zelifcamAug 10, 2023

What is the message behind this?

https://electricpaper.love/post/38763

What is the message behind this? - Electric Paper

I see this everywhere. Hidden or transparent monochrome American black flags on large trucks or 4-Runners. Usually speeding or driving aggressively on the highway. Honestly I learned to just avoid being near these people for my own safety on the road. I’m not saying everyone with these flags behaves this way, but it sure seems like it. I found this: > The black and white American flag originated during the American Civil War between 1861 and 1865. It was created as an opposing symbol to the white flag, which symbolizes surrender. Confederate army soldiers flew the black flag to demonstrate they would not give in or surrender to the enemy. It showed that they would rather be killed than taken in as prisoner. And this: > Sometimes soldiers show respect for their country by using the black version on their vehicles My question is for the people doing this. What message are you trying to send? Are you openly telling your coworkers and neighbors that you are still supporting the South in a war that ended long ago? Are you low key showing your support for Trump? Are you ex military showing support for your country? I ask because at least for me, the message is unclear and associated to someone being an asshole.

Show threadThrowaway
Its an American flag, it looks cool, and it matches most truck colors.
Aug 10, 2023 at 7:18pmWeb
Show threaddb2Aug 10, 2023

Its an American flag

Is it though?

Show threadThrowawayAug 10, 2023
Okay, it represents one, its like a motif or something.
Show threadadroit balloonAug 10, 2023

it’s not, though. it was used by Confederate traitors to signal that they’d rather be killed than br taken prisoner, and it’s used today by traitors to say the same thing.

biscaynetimes.com/…/the-‘no-quarter’-flag-and-its…

The ‘No Quarter’ Flag and its Threat to America

There has been a rise in sightings of all-black American flags in Florida and across the country. While not only sinister in appearance, their meaning is even more so: “no quarter.”

Biscayne Times
Show threadThrowawayAug 10, 2023

With a reach like that, he should try out for the NBA!

Seriously, has he talked to literally anyone with one of those flags? He never mentions talking or even a source, he just makes an assertion and rolls with it.

Show threadadroit balloonAug 10, 2023
you really think the Deputy Director of the FL ACLU is full of it and doesn’t know what he’s talking about?
Show threadThrowawayAug 10, 2023
Yes. That or hes actively malicious.
Show threadbauhausAug 10, 2023
being you must be very confusing and scary
Show threadadroit balloonAug 10, 2023
because he knows history and sees racist Trumpublicans hanging this flag?
Show threadAesthesiaphiliaAug 10, 2023
You think racist Trumpublicans know history??
Show threadadroit balloonAug 10, 2023
they certainly know racism and like racist symbolism
Show threadThrowawayAug 10, 2023
No they don’t.
Show threadadroit balloonAug 10, 2023

No they don’t.

Show threadkmkz_ninjaAug 10, 2023
I think he’s making a stretch. He might as well just as confidently claim that the OK symbol is actually a white power symbol and that everyone who uses it is looking for a white ethnostate.
Show threadThrowawayAug 10, 2023
Because he thinks he can read minds and that everyone is as obsessed with race wars as he is?
Show threadadroit balloonAug 10, 2023
because he can read a history book.
Show threadThrowawayAug 10, 2023
And those who buy them don’t bother learning the history of the symbol.
Show threadadroit balloonAug 10, 2023

so, you’re argument is they’re not racist, they’re just stupid?

got any proof of that?

Show threadThrowawayAug 10, 2023

More like there’s better things to worry about than the psuedo-history of a cool symbol. Can’t spend your life worrying about what randoms might think, because there will always be someone upset.

Also I did some googling. Nothing came up for the American monochrome “no quarter” flag. What did come up was old pirate flags. I honestly think he just made it up for the article.

Show threadbauhausAug 10, 2023

you sure seem upset what people here think about this racist flag you seem to eager to defend. why don’t you practice what you preach?

Show threadThrowawayAug 10, 2023
Ah, I see. You redefined racist to mean “I don’t like this”
Show threadWhiskey PickleAug 10, 2023
that’s your definition. just because you think that way doesn’t mean I do.
Show threadbauhausAug 10, 2023
now who’s seeing things that aren’t there? lmao.
Show threadThrowawayAug 10, 2023
And you didn’t anwser my questions about the sports teams
Show threadbauhausAug 10, 2023

because it’s a

I can google memes, too

Show threadadroit balloonAug 10, 2023

Edit: heres the wikipedia article: en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_quarter

funny how the flag under discussion isn’t shown or mentioned on this page.

No quarter - Wikipedia

Show threadThrowawayAug 10, 2023
Exactly my point. I think the dude made it up.
Show threadbauhausAug 10, 2023

no that’s you cherry-picking your sources.

got this fun meme from another comment!

Show threadThrowawayAug 10, 2023
Its literally the wikipedia article for no-quarter flags. What more do you want?
Show threadbauhausAug 10, 2023
less defending racism and racist symbols, but I think that’s asking too much from you.
Show threadThrowawayAug 10, 2023
Just because some asshat called it racist doesn’t mean its racist.
Show threadbauhausAug 10, 2023
you’re welcome to keep defending racism and racist symbols while claiming that. I’m sure other racists will believe you.
Show threadThrowawayAug 10, 2023
Also, he called it a no-quarter flag, said it’s racist because it’s a no-quarter flag. And then I showed the wikipedia article for no-quarter flags, and nothing on that page shows a monochrome american flag. And when shown you were wrong, you claimed wikipedia is cherry picking. this is a waste of time.
Show threadbauhausAug 10, 2023

lol, you cherry-picked a dubious source that happened to agree with you. that doesn’t doesn’t prove you right or hm wrong, especially since he’s far more credible that some internet rando, and there’s mountains of evidence working against you. lmao.

it’s hilarious how upset and offended you are that your ridiculous and terrible argument full of bs and logical fallacies isn’t working on someone with a working brain, lmao

Show threadThrowawayAug 10, 2023
Dammit, forgot to block you too, ya disingenuous scum. Fuck off and never return.
Show threadbauhausAug 10, 2023
aren’t you the one who said you didn’t want to waste your time with this, then wound’t leave? lmao
Show threadbetterdeadthanredditAug 10, 2023

I think she’s probably seen it used by loud, shitty people and the article’s use of the monochrome flag without the “No Quarter” text (or “No .25”, etc.) is making an association that doesn’t exist. It’s the difference between what’s shown below on the left and right:

(Image description: The right side has a black and white symbol where a mid-step human shape is circled and has a diagonal slash going across to indicate “don’t walk”. The left side shows the same symbol on a picket sign with the text “No Black People!” underneath as an example made for this post.)

If this sign had been real and was used by certain tiki-torch-carrying shitheads, it would not make the “don’t walk” symbol itself into a racist message.

Show threadadroit balloonAug 10, 2023
Show threadbetterdeadthanredditAug 10, 2023

That image is a useful counter to what’s being shown in the article you posted earlier, glad you found it. Good to know we agree on something.

[Edit: The image was changed]

Your later edit is missing the point as well. I have not said that the no crossing sign is racist. The example shows that a symbol plus an additional message conveys a meaning that the symbol alone does not.

Show threadadroit balloonAug 10, 2023

except you can’t explain how without making a false equivalence, which is why your argument makes no sense at all.

Show threadbetterdeadthanredditAug 10, 2023

I guess I don’t see what you see in my words then. If you look up “No Quarter flag”, you’ll find image results showing the black and gray one linking to the article as well as some more pirate-themed ones. There are also images showing the monochrome flag in various forms. It’s worth noting that these include the text “No Quarter” (or equivalent representation of that phrase). I won’t hold that up as a particularly rigorous way of examining the meaning of a symbol but you can find the US Army guide to wearing flag patches here ^PDF^ in section 21-19, paragraph a on page marked 234 (though it’s 251 of 367 in the PDF). It mentions a green and black flag specifically though other color schemes (including gray and black) are commonly available.

I think painting all who wear or display a subdued flag as racists / racist apologists / etc. would be using too broad of a brush. Some are legitimately shitheads for one reason or another (including racism) but a monochrome flag alone isn’t a strong enough indicator and you risk finding enemies that don’t exist.

Show threadadroit balloonAug 10, 2023

I guess I don’t see what you see in my words then

probably because I’m not trying t twist myself into knots to defend racism and racist symbology ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Show threadbetterdeadthanredditAug 10, 2023
You’ve found a nice listicle or something with those images (call me out for ad hominem next) but I think we’re not going to see eye to eye on this. I haven’t had to “twist myself into knots” and am certainly not defending racists and their symbols. You’re rejecting explanations for common and benign use of a monochrome flag that doesn’t support the outrage you feel.
Show threadadroit balloonAug 10, 2023

were not going to see eye to eye because I’m not defending racists and racist symbolism using a bunch of logical fallacies. I reject your explanations for the reasons I explained: they’re logically fallacious and not based on fact.

and your stubborn insistence and denials don’t change that.

Show threadWhiskey PickleAug 10, 2023

edit: also, nobody is arguing what that the no crossing sign is racist. that’s a

Show threadbauhausAug 10, 2023
lmao wow
Show threadbetterdeadthanredditAug 10, 2023

As mentioned by a few other posters in this comment section, that’s not the only explanation for the use of that color scheme. In my opinion, it’s also not the most likely explanation. I believe this is a case of veterans who saw and wore the monochrome flag due to it being a uniform item for situations where full color would not be appropriate. This is why you’ll find brown or black versions of the shiny metal insignia that an officer might wear in the field: a sniper picking targets would be smart to seek out people in leadership roles to maximize the chaos following an attack and shiny metal stands out. Also why you don’t salute officers in those situations (unless you don’t like them and want to see if there’s a good marksman on the other side paying attention).

Once back in the real world, some of those uniform items might end up as a decorative touch on bags or around their homes where they’ll be seen by friends, family, coworkers, etc. and might make their way into general use. For most people, that’s going to be how they’ve come to know things like the flags highlighted by the OP here and it’d be a mistake to read into it much deeper than that without other indications (e.g. southern traitor flag).

Show threadWookieMunsterAug 10, 2023
It’s the flag of traitors, FTFY
Show threadThrowawayAug 11, 2023

I mean yeah, I guess technically America betrayed Britain, but thats the first time Ive seen anyone refer to the American flag as the flag of traitors.

Its not the confederate flag. Honestly, Im kinda confused. Are you a bot or something?

Show threadFlexibleToastAug 11, 2023
No, the American flag in all black is literally a flag of traitors. The south used it as a symbol that they would rather die than surrender during the Civil War. Now whether or not somebody is actually intending to have that message or just wants a “cool” subdued flag is the questionable part.
Show threadThrowawayAug 11, 2023
They wanted a cool subdued flag. Like honestly, do you read your own comments?
Show threadFlexibleToastAug 11, 2023
I agree with you. I think that they think they’re being “cool” and patriotic while actually being completely ignorant to flag code and about the no quarter flag.
Show threadThrowawayAug 11, 2023

  • Flag code only applies to actual flags. Not badges, shirts or any other examples you can come up with.

  • Not a no-quarter flag. Look at the examples here. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_quarter

    • No quarter - Wikipedia