More Examples:

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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.

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.

  • Throwaway@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    Its an American flag, it looks cool, and it matches most truck colors.

      • betterdeadthanreddit@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        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).

      • Throwaway@lemm.ee
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        1 year ago

        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.

        • adroit balloon@lemmy.ml
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          1 year ago

          you really think the Deputy Director of the FL ACLU is full of it and doesn’t know what he’s talking about?

          • betterdeadthanreddit@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            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.

            • adroit balloon@lemmy.ml
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              1 year ago

              there are a surprising amount of racist/racism apologists here.

              also, re: your example:

              nice false equivalence.

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

              • betterdeadthanreddit@lemmy.world
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                1 year ago

                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.

                • adroit balloon@lemmy.ml
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                  1 year ago

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

                  • betterdeadthanreddit@lemmy.world
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                    1 year ago

                    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.

              • Throwaway@lemm.ee
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                1 year ago

                Because he thinks he can read minds and that everyone is as obsessed with race wars as he is?

                • adroit balloon@lemmy.ml
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                  1 year ago

                  because he can read a history book and see racists waving the flag. it doesn’t take a genius to put 2 and 2 together, even if it’s beyond your abilities. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

                  • Throwaway@lemm.ee
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                    1 year ago

                    And those who buy them don’t bother learning the history of the symbol.

              • kmkz_ninja@lemmy.world
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                1 year ago

                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.

      • Throwaway@lemm.ee
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        1 year ago

        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?

        • FlexibleToast@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          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.