Rebel Flags For Sale
The threat of rebel flags for sale leads to a run on items, like guns that shoot up in sales when there’s talk of tightening regulations after mass shootings. That’s certainly true for rebel flags, which have been a staple on everything from bikinis to shower curtains to ceramic coasters after images of Charleston church shooter Dylann Roof emerged showing him with the Confederate flag and white supremacy symbols. While retailers have vowed to stop selling them, individual sellers are still making a quick buck.
In North Alabama, a small shop may be the only flag manufacturer in America that is meeting the increased demand. Located in a small strip near Huntsville, Alabama Flag & Banner has been producing the Confederate battle flag for two years now. Owner Belinda Kennedy says sales skyrocketed after several retailers pulled their rebel flag merchandise following the deadly Charlottesville rally and the 2015 church shooting that killed nine African-American worshippers.
Exploring Heritage: Rebel Flags for Sale and Their Place in Society
She said she hopes to keep her business afloat by continuing to manufacture the Confederate flag, also known as the Dixie or Southern Cross. “I hope that we can be the voice for those that want to have this flag as part of their heritage, or as part of their family history,” she said.
For Des Moines resident Marvin DeJear, the Confederate battle flag is an emblem of the CSA, which was created in 1861 when 11 states seceded from the Union over a desire for self-rule and to protect slavery in new territories the United States was annexing in the west. It has long been seen as a symbol of segregation and white supremacy, which many equate with racism.