I would have to say it symbolizes both. The right accepts the history of our nation and we are proud of it. There are some things that the nation participated in that were not right. We grew as a people because of our mistakes and we are better for them. We are also more civilized now and the nations of Europe were the catalyst for the Indian wars and slavery. The left and the Europeans seem to forget these facts. No nation has a clean record in the human rights department. To pretend they do is sophistry. Whether or not the world wants to acknowledge it, we lead the world in civil rights because of the spirit of freedom. Both the Union and the Confederacy are important parts of our history and there should be no shame in that.