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posted by martyb on Thursday June 11 2020, @01:27PM   Printer-friendly
from the A-See-Change dept.

Many sources are reporting what we can read at ABC News,

NASCAR banned the Confederate flag from its races and properties on Wednesday, formally distancing itself from what for many is a symbol of slavery and racism that had been a familiar sight at stock car events for more than 70 years.

The move comes amid social unrest around the globe following the death in police custody of George Floyd, an unarmed black man in Minneapolis. Protests have roiled the nation for days and Confederate monuments are being taken down across the South — the tradtiional fan base for NASCAR.

[...] The issue was pushed to the fore this week as Bubba Wallace, NASCAR's lone black driver, called for the banishment of the Confederate flag and said there was "no place" for them in the sport. At long last, NASCAR obliged.

"The presence of the confederate flag at NASCAR events runs contrary to our commitment to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all fans, our competitors and our industry," NASCAR said. "Bringing people together around a love for racing and the community that it creates is what makes our fans and sport special. The display of the confederate flag will be prohibited from all NASCAR events and properties."

[...] The move was announced before Wednesday night's race at Martinsville Speedway where Wallace, an Alabama native, was driving a Chevrolet with a #BlackLivesMatter paint scheme. Wallace got a shoutout on Twitter from several athletes, including NBA star LeBron James, for using the paint scheme in the race.


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  • (Score: 4, Touché) by DeathMonkey on Thursday June 11 2020, @04:08PM (2 children)

    by DeathMonkey (1380) on Thursday June 11 2020, @04:08PM (#1006362) Journal

    A private organization deciding what flags they want to decorate a track with is the EXACT SAME as fascicm!

    Starting Score:    1  point
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    Total Score:   4  
  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday June 11 2020, @05:29PM (1 child)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday June 11 2020, @05:29PM (#1006439)

    NASCAR had already stopped putting up the Battle Flags themselves, back in 2015 when the first NASCAR official wanted to ban such flags.

    But this is them banning even the fans from flying them. For anyone who doesn't realize, it's not just fans sitting in the stands around the tracks. There are also fans in the infield area (inside the track) in some speedways, who pull in with their cars, trucks, and RVs to set up party areas. At some places they're there for days before the race. NASCAR is saying even there the Battle Flag will be banned. Which, depending on the track, may not be legal since at least some of the tracks, IIRC, are publicly owned.

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday June 11 2020, @06:19PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday June 11 2020, @06:19PM (#1006473)

      Publicly owned, but used for a private event. Doubt a judge would rule in your favor.