this post was submitted on 15 Oct 2023
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I used to love Avenged Sevenfold back in like 2005/2006. They used to fly confederate flags at their concerts, and even had custom guitars with the confederate flag panted on them. Back then I didn't understand the significance of that, but that's really fucked.
At least they have apologized for it and said they regret doing it. I believe people are capable of learning from their mistakes, but tbh, I haven't kept up with them so I'm not sure if they have truly become better people than they were back then.
I never knew that about them. I casually enjoyed a few songs here and there when I heard them and thought they were good but not really my genre of choice. I really respect that they apologized and changed behavior. As somebody in my mid 30s and was therefore mid teens 20 years ago, I also was unaware of the hurt and hate involved with things I saw and said and did at the time. But you're right, it's important to be capable of learning and growing and changing behavior and apologizing for the damage done. We all make mistakes, and to pretend otherwise and deny ones own mistakes is a sign of immaturity and responsibility.
As someone also in their mid 30s, I think a lot of people really misunderstand how the confederate flag was viewed so casually by many people up until recently. It was always offensive to some, but I genuinely was unaware of that as a teen growing up in the 2000s. It was just an image of being kind of edgy and rebellious but I genuinely didn't think much of it seeing any band using them. Watching Skynyrd or Guns N Roses videos of live concerts? There were "rebel flags" pretty often and I just kind of let it go. It meant nothing to me.
I was in my mid 20s, probably, when it really was explained to me how insensitive that can be. I never associated it with racism or slavery up until that point - and I'm pretty sure that's the same thought that a lot of these bands had. The absolute best thing to do is exactly as you said: own up to it, change your ways, and grow.
Yeah that's how many viewed it in Texas afaik, growing up it was more a "rebel" flag then a, "I'm a racist piece of shit who wants the south to rise again" flag.
Still probably better to leave it in the past.
There used to be tons of confederate flags in music, even Tom Petty had them on his stage.