[Louis Foxwell]

The best-known of all Confederate flags—the battle flag—is often erroneously confused with the national flag of the Confederacy. The battle flag features the cross of St. Andrew (the apostle was martyred by being crucified on an X-shaped cross), and is commonly called the "Southern Cross." A large degree of the Southern population was of Scottish and Scotch-Irish ancestry, and thus familiar with St. Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland.

Andreas; from the early 1st century – mid to late 1st century AD; known by some as Saint Andrew), called in the Orthodox tradition Prōtoklētos (Πρωτόκλητος), or the First-called, was a Christian Apostle and the brother of Saint Peter.[2]

The name "Andrew" (Greek: manly, brave, from ἀνδρεία, Andreia, "manhood, valour"), like other Greek names, appears to have been common among the Jews, Christians, and other Hellenized people of the region.

His patronage includes Scotland, Ukraine, Russia, Sicily, Greece, Cyprus, Romania, Patras, Diocese of Parañaque, City of Manila,[1] Amalfi, Luqa (Malta) and Prussia; Diocese of Victoria fishermen, fishmongers and rope-makers.

The flag was a symbol of honor and dignity, not slavery. It was never a symbol of slavery in the old South. It only became such through the slanders of northern carpet baggers and associated plunderers who sought to discredit all that was decent about the south.

Does this have any parallels to today's political and cultural environment?

[DoodleDawg]

The flag was a symbol of honor and dignity, not slavery. It was never a symbol of slavery in the old South. It only became such through the slanders of northern carpet baggers and associated plunderers who sought to discredit all that was decent about the south.

Uh huh.