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“We have removed apps from the App Store that use the Confederate flag in offensive or mean-spirited ways, which is in violation of our guidelines,” Apple told the site in a statement.

[...]Other major retailers like Amazon and Walmart have too ceased all selling of merchandise featuring the Confederate flag. Apple’s response to the issue brings to memory its reaction to games with violent imagery, which resulted in the removal of number of screenshots for some games.

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OK folks, tell you what, I am quite unfamiliar with the american background and and type of it's mumbo-jumbo, but this is pretty ridiculous. I know the Confederacy flag is associated with racism nowadays, but hell it's a part of your history. And in historically related games, films, books and so on, you cannot just censor it, the same way pretty much nobody can actually censor the Nazi flag from games like Wolfenstein or Sniper Elite. True it my be offensive or disturbing for some, but you cannot deny the past, nor censor history.

Also as far as I know, the official flag of Mississipi state actually has the Confederacy Battle Flag in the corner, are they going to censor it too?
Anyway, what do you guys think?

Huh. I'm not affected by this because I use android, but you're right, it is a part of history, they can't just shaft it out.

“The historical “Gettysburg” movie (1993) is still on iTunes. We believe that all historical art forms: books, movies, or games such as ours, help to learn and understand history, depicting events as they were,” says Game Labs’ Maxim Zasov.

They're not removing everything, which I'm glad for in that respect, but I'm not sure what their definition of using the Confederate flag "in offensive or mean-spirited ways" is.

I don't think the Confederate flag is offensive. It was just a flag used to represent the Confederation during the Civil War. Sure it may have also stood for some of their ideals, but anyone with basic US History knowledge would know that racial equality was not the only reason they split from the Union.

No, the reason they're removing it is because there is a significant portion of the population of the south that has never let go of the civil war, and still, to this day, chants "The South will rise again!" while driving around in their rusted out pickup truck with a 4 foot by 8 foot confederate flag flapping from a pole duck-taped to the back of their truck. (It is usually followed by some invectives about "Putting those n*****s back in their place!" as well.) If I hadn't seen this stuff with my own eyes, I'd think I was racist or making ♥♥♥♥ up, but no. These people are still out there. Same way there are still Neo-Nazis out there saying that the Holocaust never happened...

Doram sighs, and shakes his head as he walks away.

I know there are a lot of people who still want to revive the old Confederacy in America's case and in their mind is nothing but pure racism and stereotypes, but still it's a pretty silly measure to remove the games, especially when they aren't actively supporting any group/faction/etc.

Well, ultimately, this is only the first flush of reaction to a problem, which is usually overboard. After this, we will all be reminded of the futility of censorship, and then we can actually have the conversation.

Oh hey, a topic I missed out on that I would have loved to be a part of. Yay.

What Doram says is right, there are portions of the south that do indeed retain racism and a rebellious mindset against the "yankee yuppies". Hell, I live in it. I'm living in a state that's preparing for secession, for crying out loud.....

It's also been brought to my attention that the rebel flag is not the flag of the Confederate south, but really the Battle Flag of Virginia. That said, though, it is commonly accepted that it is confederate. Seriously, if its not the actual flag, why fly it?

My argument I have repeatedly brought up is rather simple. If you ban a flag that has ties to evil, why must you allow a flag that brings about insensitive thought?

So yes, it is indeed the fact that people here cannot let things go. The fact that I heard noose jokes and "n*gger lover" lists being drawn up by redneck students only supports this idea.

Never touch a redneck's culture, they might drive a truck down your street or threaten to leave.

Also, I have heard the claim "it is in remembrance of my ancestors who fought"

I have blood dating back to Germany, England, and native Americans, but I still respect that symbols trigger culture.

It's typical insensitive people crying censorship. Don't worry too much about it until they start making threats(like the countless ones to blow up the statue of Baphomet)

And, yes, you've now hit the crux of the real issue. Banning the confederate flag is still sinking to their level. Censorship is NEVER a good idea. Ultimately, that will have to be rolled back and allow that flag to be flown again, but right now they are trying to make a statement, and this is the best way that they have figured out how to do so. Just because it's a bad solution doesn't mean the "good guys" aren't trying, and now, as I said, we must have the real conversation. Prejudice of ANY kind is bad - both the prejudice that caused the creation of that flag, and the prejudice that has now removed it. And we all need to understand it, so that we can deal with it, if we have any hope of moving past it. Frankly, the major malfunction here is a matter of boundaries. You get to be who you are, but you do not get to force that on anyone else. Plain and simple. Pride is sacred, but oppression is a sin. There's the line, people. Learn that, and SO many problems just disappear.

Why ban the Confederate Flag? I live in Mississippi, and this is making me a bit disappointed. Oh, and Doram, my dad/younger brother is like you described.