-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
Six Flags Over Texas takes down their six flags over Texas
- Thread starter Ottaro
- Start date
CrocMother
Banned
Especially because we usually skip over that time we steamed down to Mexico city and kicked the crap out of everyone because we wanted more land. Or the Indian wars. No real mention of Quanah Parker, etc.
Razgriz-Specter
Member
They are the largest amusement park chain in the world.
I believe they filed for bankruptcy some time ago, maybe 6-7 years ago?
ThreePiMatt
Member
Didn't know Gurnee-GAF was so widespread. We should start our own OT. We can discuss important topics like "Are there enough Mattress Firm stores on Grand Ave?"
dark_chris
Gold Member
I have a season pass for six flags with my gf.
Its always too goddamn crowded and everything is overpriced food... and people buy it.
I would say they are. lol
I always go to the Gurnee location with my gf and love to go to Hurricane Harbor.
Im a sucker that i dont go to the coasters except Whizzer.
Pretty much this. The theme parks are not glorifying the awful confederate flag, just showing that they officially governed for a period of time just like Spain, France, and Mexico did before annexation.
I remember saying the Texas pledge when I was a kid too. I never actually said the God part of the pledge. If that was indeed added in 2007, that would've taken effect after I graduated high school.
I'm still bummed out that I never went on the Physics class field trip to Astroworld. Astroworld closed down the year before I was able to take the class. Serial Thriller was my favorite ride. I preferred Waterworld next door though.
truestatic
Member
May have already been said but... could they replace the flag with one designed by the native peoples of Texas? The original park was built in Arlington, which used to be Wichita territory.
Razgriz-Specter
Member
Im talking quantity(though it isn't like their parks are cheap little things)
yes but they are doing well now.
Master Of Illusion
Member
I lump theme parks in the same territory as museums; sometimes they're used as a way to teach visitors about the past and thus am personally okay with them flying it in that setting (it wasn't even the more notorious battle flag). As the original Six Flags, it was partially built as an education to the history of Texas: a historical Disneyland if you will.
Then again, part of Disney failing to build a theme park in Virginia can be linked to backlash of something a bit similar. In 1994, Eisner and co. were to build Disney's America about 20 minutes away from D.C. as an "edutaining" was to teach guests the history of America. However, it got struck with some pretty significant backlash when it was found out that one of the main areas of the park (and the entry plaza) was to be a Civil War themed land. Ironically, that's not what ended up shutting down the project: The backlash really came when it came to the site's proximity to a historic battleground. Disney finally backed off, but the hilarious part is that condos ended up being built in that very spot.
Then again, part of Disney failing to build a theme park in Virginia can be linked to backlash of something a bit similar. In 1994, Eisner and co. were to build Disney's America about 20 minutes away from D.C. as an "edutaining" was to teach guests the history of America. However, it got struck with some pretty significant backlash when it was found out that one of the main areas of the park (and the entry plaza) was to be a Civil War themed land. Ironically, that's not what ended up shutting down the project: The backlash really came when it came to the site's proximity to a historic battleground. Disney finally backed off, but the hilarious part is that condos ended up being built in that very spot.
SecretMoblin
Member
Yeah I sorta agree with this. The flag isn't a monument to glorify the CSA and isn't the battle flag several states officially fly as a statement of defiance. It's just one of the many flags Texas has been governed under, and it's odd to pick out that one of the bunch in particular given every one of the flags is associated with some degree of mess (including the U.S. one!).
It reminds me of the weird reactions to the KKK sheet music book. Acknowledging and contextualizing history isn't the same as glorifying it.
Master Of Illusion
Member
Go to Cedar Point.
Like as many coasters as Great Adventure has, the DC and Stride gum advertisement hellhole it's become leaves me a bit depressed. Hershey has a better assortment of rides honestly.
Zoe
Member
If you're gonna change the meaning of one flag, might as well take them all down.
perfectchaos007
Member
Houston losing Astroworld to some development that never manifested was such bullshit. That space is still just overflow parking for the Rodeo
Linkstrikesback
Member
See, now, despite what it represents, and taking it down is the right call, this actually seems like a half decent history-based reason to have been flying those 6 flags.
shiftplusone
Member
when I was young and found out that there were six flags in other states I thought "How the fuck can they exist, its called six flags because we had 6 nations who governed us, everyone knows this"
perfectchaos007
Member
Nerd!!
OpinionatedCyborg
Member
Perhaps a flag to represent the Indigenous people who've lived in that area for thousands of years.
This is one of the few applications where flying the Confederate flag actually made sense I think*, though I suppose if they were flying Lee's flag that wouldn't make sense, should've been flying the official CSA flag. The park was simply displaying what countries ruled over Texas during it's history, wasn't necessarily taking pride in it. Still no major loss taking it down though.
*The other major instance in our culture where the application makes sense is the General Lee Dodge Charger from The Dukes of Hazzard. The car is literally named after General Robert E. Lee, why not feature hie battle flag on the top of it? Now, if you want to argue whether or not it was good to name a car after Lee and feature it on television for decades...
*The other major instance in our culture where the application makes sense is the General Lee Dodge Charger from The Dukes of Hazzard. The car is literally named after General Robert E. Lee, why not feature hie battle flag on the top of it? Now, if you want to argue whether or not it was good to name a car after Lee and feature it on television for decades...
This seems like a rare case where the confederate flag isn't being displayed in any sort of reverence but as historical fact over how many governments have ruled Texas. That being said, just going by this thread, seeing how many people don't know this means this decision makes sense.
bender
What time is it?
My thoughts as well. I'm surprised more people didn't know what Six Flags stood for but that's probably my bias of growing up in Texas. Speaking of that, was never exposed to the Texas Pledge of Allegiance and attended public schools through the 80s and into the early 90s.
MindCollizion
Member
It's ridiculous how much offence people take to things like this, or that there was even controversy behind it. It's part of the founding history of the park, the name even. Shit, I just went to One Flag Magic Mountain yesterday, too. This isn't right.
DC1
Member
Really.
You want to go down this road of education?
These are flags at theme parks. I think you are taking this a little too hard.
They are just flags at the end of the day, hell look no further than this thread for people who didn't even know the significance of the "Six Flags" name, much less people in the general public. It's not a big loss.
Lol. This was my thought. We aren't even sure how offended people were or if they were just raising concern over others being offended or even worse others rallying behind....a theme park
BlastProcessing
Member
The Park was originally structured to have 6 lands, one for each flag. When I was a kid, Confederacy land was pretty intense.
They toned it down over the years. First they renamed it "Old South" then they just sort of merged it with France. The whole park hasn't been themed around the 6 Nations for a long time. It was time for it to go.
BlastProcessing
Member
"White only" lunch counters where part of the founding history of Woolworth's, but we somehow got over that.
You are talking about preserving history here, but you seem entirely ignorant of the history of the park.
The Park was originally structured to have 6 lands, one for each flag. When I was a kid, Confederacy land was pretty intense.
They toned it down over the years. First they renamed it "Old South" then they just sort of merged it with France. The whole park hasn't been themed around the 6 Nations for a long time. It was time for it to go.
Oh wow! I mean, seems like they learned a while back that needed to change. But wow. Also, lol at merging with France.
MindCollizion
Member
I'm sure the founders of the parks (whom all had the same rights we share as Americans) would be happy to know that their freedoms and their history were denounced in the year 2017.
Forerunner
Member
Six Flags: Great America in Illinois, to my knowledge, has always just flown six American Flags:
MERICA
"their freedoms" lol. The flag being removed was a decision by the company, Six Flags wasn't forced to remove it by a government office. Six Flags had a choice to remove it, even if it was at the behest of protests.
DC1
Member
Oh boy... You do want to go through this education.
Their freedom and preferred history was denounced on May 9th 1865. It's very fortunate that the war ended with some degree of acrimonious concent for a number of reasons; Lee was a major player to making this a reality for the South and North agreeable.
Take this quick read from a neutral fact based publication:
https://www.theatlantic.com/amp/article/536727/
GifGafIsTheBestGaf
Member
wow, the more you know. honest to god never crossed my mind their name meeant that
Quite frankly, who cares? They're dead and anyway the history of the Confederacy should be denounced. Second of all what does their freedoms have to do with this?
acknowledging that it exists isn't promoting it or glorifying it.
as has been stated it was 6 flags because of the 6 governments texas has belonged to.
do you think the mexican flag or french flag are glorifying those countries, while inside the USA?
RichiRamjag
Member
His ass shouldn't be going on about it in the workplace.