A bunch of redneck high schoolers from the backwoods of Colorado caused controversy when they posted a racist photo of themselves on Facebook, reported The Huffington Post.
Eight students from Chaparral High School in Parker, Colorado posed with high-powered rifles and the Confederate flag while the unarmed girls used their hands to mimic guns. The picture was supposed to be their prom photo.
In the wake of the controversy, one student has come forth and apologized for the photo’s violent and racist content.
“It’s hard to say sorry when that’s the only thing that can come out of my mouth right now,” said the student who chose to remain anonymous. “I feel like there should be a better word for it.”
“I was very uncomfortable with this whole situation and didn’t know what to say or what to do,” she said. “I don’t condone any of the actions that were in the picture and I don’t condone anything that has to do with the flag. I feel everyone struggles with trying to do the right thing at the right time. It was just difficult for me to voice that and stop what was going on.”
Because a lot of ignorant southerners like to parade the Confederate flag as a hallmark of “southern pride,” it’s odd that a bunch of Colorado students would do this because Colorado isn’t in the South. It’s probably a bunch of wannabe rednecks who want to look cool. What’s so ignorant on their part is that those who celebrate the flag say it’s about “heritage, not hate.”
The problem with pro-Confederate logic is that’s what the Southern, Civil War heritage stood for: hate and segregation. It’s a symbol of racism, tragedy and a reminder of a time when Southerners fought for the right to keep people as property.
“The image is pretty disturbing,” said University of Boulder-Colorado ethnic studies professor Arturo Aldama. “Not to mention, the Confederate flag and its legacy of white supremacy, Klan violence and the Jim Crow South.”
Granted, these kids will probably be given a pass because they’re teenagers and teenagers generally do stupid things anyway. However, let’s just hope they realize such things are not funny and shouldn’t be taken lightly.
Watch the news report of the incident below.
