Dixie Outfitters in Odum may appear like a white supremacist gift shop at first glance. Walls and tables are filled with belts, tin signs, mugs, buttons, and mouse pads featuring the Confederate flag as items for purchase.
His team has been making and selling shirts in-house, often to meet customer specifications, for 12 years – but the recent string of school bans has altered their business practices dramatically.
History On Back
Branson may be best known for country music shows and family entertainment, yet the tourist hot spot finds itself at the center of an international controversy over Confederate symbolism. Dixie Outfitters, a strip mall store offering items with flags and other Confederate symbolism designs, is now being targeted as both sides come out against its merchandise; protestors gather outside while supporters have organized multiple Facebook events in support of them.
The owners of the store have denied any connection with the KKK and promised to fight protesters who call for its closure. Their cause is being supported by the International Association for the Restoration of Confederate History, led by descendants of Jefferson Davis as well as prominent Southerner Bill Clinton (former Arkansas governor). To protect their business, this organization seeks a top-notch public relations and legal team in order to achieve maximum protection of their business, according to David Levin, who serves as their spokesperson.
Protesters allege that the store has connections to the KKK and promotes hatred towards black people. They cite an article published by News-Leader in 2015 detailing owners’ alleged ties to the KKK and other racist groups, as well as statements made during television interviews by its owners.
Dewey Barber says his company and others share an abiding interest in the Confederate battle emblem and those who fought under it but didn’t see why going after its flag in response to views expressed by one individual, like Roof, is rational. Instead, he favors taking steps towards education rather than legitimizing someone you know is crazy. Dixie Outfitters owner Dixie Walker was invited on a nationally syndicated radio show; she frequently contributes articles for The New York Times and Washington Post while hosting her long-running blog Civil War Memory, where she examines how historians interpret its interpretation – particularly how it was either ignored by some or portrayed by others during its history.
Redneck Rebel Southern Confederate T-Shirts
The history of the Confederate flag is complex, from being associated with slavery and used to protest racial integration to becoming a popular trend during the 1950s, as seen on T-shirts. Today, it remains related to Southern pride, but there have been calls to remove it from public spaces.
Many Americans believe the flag should remain on private property without being offensive, though its presence has come under increasing debate due to recent events such as George Floyd’s murder and the removal of a statue of Confederate general Stonewall Jackson from Virginia. As a result, numerous groups, such as Dixie Outfitters, are calling for boycotting all items featuring this symbol of the Confederacy flag.
Dixie Outfitters may seem like a white supremacist gift shop to some. Their merchandise, including shirts, mugs, and key chains with images of rebel flags emblazoned on them, is displayed proudly on shelves and tables throughout the mall, along with signs, dog tags, and mouse pads stacked neatly next to signs stacked by Dixie Outfitters for customers to view as souvenirs of racism sold within its walls. Customers, mall employees, and civil rights activists have voiced complaints that Dixie Outfitters sells racist merchandise within its confines.
Dixie Outfitters’ merchandise can be found both online and in physical stores throughout the South. Furthermore, newspapers and radio stations in this region regularly advertise Dixie’s products; there’s even a blog with comments from both fans and critics of its brand! Despite its reputation, however, Dixie Outfitters enjoys a strong customer following. Their merchandise can be found both online and in physical locations across this region; advertising runs in newspapers and radio stations around this region, too!
The company has defended their products as part of a rich heritage and is unfairly targeted for a boycott due to their Southern roots and conservative values; however, critics have pointed out their use of racist imagery and refusal to apologize to them.
Some city leaders in Branson have called for Dixie Outfitters to be moved from its prime tourist area. Others argue that its merchandise promotes hate speech and should not be allowed in such an all-inclusive city like Branson. This has generated heated discussions as to whether Dixie Outfitters is violating free speech.
Redneck Rebel Southern Confederate Shirts For Women
Dixie Outfitters may appear like a white supremacist gift shop to untrained New Yorkers, with its vast array of white supremacist products that bear the Confederate flag, such as belts, mugs, buttons, and signs adorning its walls and display cases – selling approximately $3,000 daily in merchandise sales according to company estimates. Established for five years and recently expanding to offer silk screening services 25,000 square foot silk screening facility
Supporters of the neo-Confederate movement view the flag as representing Southern pride, heritage, states’ rights, historical commemoration of the Civil War, and historical commemoration. However, opponents view it as glorifying slavery, racism, segregation, and white supremacy, while its civic placement fosters an environment of hate and division. As such, several school districts have banned the display of Confederate symbols; many Southerners, as well as members of the American Civil Liberties Union, have sued to overturn these bans on the grounds that they violate free speech rights.
Dixie Outfitters is fighting back through a variety of means. It has begun supporting three major neo-Confederate organizations – Southern Legal Resource Center, Sons of Confederate Veterans, and Southern Living History Foundation. Furthermore, it has launched a website with articles challenging established historians’ conclusions and the notion that slavery caused America’s Civil War.
Dixie Outfitters continues to thrive despite controversy. Since opening their new factory in Odum, Georgia, in 2012, sales have doubled each year since opening their factory doors and more than doubling staff to 120. They now boast a national distribution network, with their products being sold in over 60 stores nationwide.
No matter its success, Dixie Outfitters has become the focus of an ongoing struggle between established historians and neo-Confederates who claim most academics are biased liberals bent on tarnishing the South. This conflict has been further compounded by events like the Charleston church shooting, the Unite the Right rally, the George Floyd murder, and the proliferation of Internet websites offering pro-South histories.
Redneck Rebel Southern Confederate Shirts For Men
The Confederate battle flag evokes strong emotions and has an intricate history. Supporters associate it with pride in Southern heritage and states’ rights; its detractors see it as an iconic symbol of segregation, slavery, racism, and white supremacy. Due to this controversy surrounding its display by several governments and businesses, protests, including violent confrontations, have ensued when this symbol of violence appears on public displays.
Still, some individuals continue to display the flag as a symbol of their heritage and argue that their ancestors died nobly fighting for what they believed in, deserving to be remembered. Over the years, debate over whether or not the flag is racist has increased considerably; some even advocated its death as a means of protest.
Some schools ban the Confederate flag as an emblem of racism and hate; this belief is misinformed and inaccurate; an analysis of one textbook revealed that its author relied heavily on information found online, especially Southern heritage websites, with an agenda for exonerating the Confederacy from racist charges – such websites have an established track record in disseminating biased information.
One website claims that black soldiers fought in the Union Army without acknowledging that only about 10% of CSA slaves were black or that whites also owned slaves; many white soldiers did not support the Confederacy’s war for slavery.
People have also asserted that the Confederate flag does not represent racism because it symbolizes ideas such as southern pride and heritage – concepts that do not inherently promote racism. They argued, however, that many people use “Southern” as a synonym for white culture, thus mistaking southern pride as a signifier for racism – this argument falls apart since most populations in the South do not identify as white.
No matter what meaning people in the South assign to the flag; it should be kept in mind that all Americans don’t universally appreciate its meaning. Most do not view it as an expression of heritage but more so as a form of racism – evidenced by recent incidents like George Floyd’s arrest and the Charleston church shooting, prompting calls to remove it from public places.
