US retailers like Walmart, Kmart and Sears have pledged to stop selling Confederate flags and related paraphernalia, but major e-commerce platforms like Amazon and eBay have yet to pull products bearing the emblem.
A church shooting in Charleston, South Carolina that left nine black Americans dead has prompted a wave of protests over the presence of the flag, especially in the south where it is considered a symbol of southern pride for some and a potent reminder of the racism inherent in the regions history for others.
South Carolina has said it will take the red banner with a blue X and stars down from its state capitol building. Lawmakers and protesters are calling for similar measures in other states.
Amazon and eBay, though, have remained silent on the issue. Neither company responded to e-mailed questions from Quartz about whether they will join the ban.
A search for Confederate flag on Amazon yields over 30,000 resultsincluding bikinis, electronics, and home decor decorated with the flag. Theres a Confederate flag mink bedspread, antique-look flag iPhone covers, and even elaborate lampshades.
A search on eBay pulls up over 1,600 listings.
While these companies remain mum, Amazon customers have taken to the platforms question and answer sections to express their thoughts. Regarding a polyester Confederate Rebel Flag sold by Rhode Island Novelty for $5.05, shoppers recently asked:
(Amazon)
Some previous patrons of Rhode Island Noveltys Confederate flags offered helpful answers:
When blacks riot and kill whites, can we call for statues of Martin Luther King to be torn down?
no ;because that isn't what MLK stood for . Now the Confederate flag ;the flag of treason and rebellion against the United States should be removed from State Capitols. However ;we are not the Taliban or the Islamic State . We don't destroy history or heritage regradless of how unpleasant and misguided and evil it was . We should instead never forget what the true reason of the rebellion was about ....slavery .
How could an amendment to the constitution be treason when the amendment becomes the constitutional law of the land ? By all means try to amend it if you don't like it . Also ;because SCOTUS has seriously misinterpreted the amendment doesn't mean the amendment is wrong. Codifying the rights of the newly-freed former slaves had to be done .
Who was charged with treason?
Yes the post-war United States had an overwhelming record of leniency concerning treason. They wanted to reunite the nation . They considered that more important than punishment .The traitor Jefferson Davis was not even tried for the crime.
We should also not forget the terms of the surrender at Appomattox . Grant allowed them to return to their homes "not to be disturbed by United States authority so long as they observe their paroles and the laws in force where they may reside." However ; Confederates like Nathan Bedford Forrest who led a post-war terrorist campaign and later was instrumental in the formation of the KKK should've been brought up on charges.
We should also not forget the terms of the surrender at Appomattox . Grant allowed them to return to their homes "not to be disturbed by United States authority so long as they observe their paroles and the laws in force where they may reside." However ; Confederates like Nathan Bedford Forrest who led a post-war terrorist campaign and later was instrumental in the formation of the KKK should've been brought up on charges.