I’m pure yankee and the flag doesn’t bother me a bit.
Hey I'm pure Yankee too. When I was growing up however many kids I knew adopted the confederate flag (wore it on hats, put it on their cars, etc.). To them it had nothing to do with racism but instead was a mere symbol of just being a "rebel" or being independent, etc. Nobody thought about it any deeper than that.
On the other hand, when I see a bunch of people waving the confederate battle flag I get the urge to buy a Dodge Charger, paint it dark blue with a 35 star Union flag on the top, and wire it's horn to play the Battle Hymm of the Republic. I'll name it the General Grant.
I grew up in a northern, industrial city. Some time in the early fifties, the hats worn by Civil War soldiers became popular, and you saw the rebel gray at least as much as the union blue. (In fact, that was my own choice.) No one attached any social significance to this at all.
Same here. And, my ancestors wore blue.
I recently visited a battle field in Virginia where soldiers from both sides and their families would gather for annual picnics. If they could get over things then, how can anyone be holding a grudge now?
I find Southerners funny and affable. I am not in the least threatened or offended by this flag.