What makes me believe that this is nothing but a contrived argument for political gain is that it's never been an issue until the last four or five years. I grew up in Kentucky, Georgia and North Carolina. My friends were of all colors, and never...NOT ONCE did anyone say the Confederate battle flag was a symbol of racism, slavery, bad personal hygeine, or whatever they're saying about it now. The likes of Jesse Jackass, Al Sharpton, the NAACP, and their dunderheaded liberal white sycophants realize they can score political points, and keep themselves in the political spotlight a while longer by attacking a symbol that Southerners hold near and dear. After all, even in this era of PC, Southerners are fair game to villify.
Now, as to what the flag stands for, I'm sorry if anyone TRULY sees it as a symbol of hate, slavery, etc. To me, it symbolizes many things about the South, some of which I outlined in an earlier response. No mater where I travel in this beautiful nation of ours, if I see the Confederate flag on a sticker, a shirt, hat or wherever, I feel a bit closer to home. To look at it no more fills me with hate for my fellow man than does looking at bumper sticker bearing the Congolese, Mexican, or any other flag. To use the same illogic of the flag-banners, I should feel threatened by black people wearing shirts, hats or jewelry showing their pride in their African ancestry. Using the same illogic, I should see these things as a warning that blacks are going to take over and submit all whites to their African-style rule. But I don't because I have a brain, know how to use it, and do so on a daily basis.
If you'll indulge me just a bit longer, let me say again that if anyone TRULY feels threatened by MY Confederate flag, I'm sorry. I'm sorry because they don't see it as a symbol of a beautiful region of the country, with strong traditions of family, God, individualism, hard work, love of country, great cooking, beautiful women, great football, Mardi Gras, the Kentucky Derby, etc. They choose to see it as a symbol of a horrible mistake which was rectified over a hundred years ago. I'm sorry because these brain stems choose to live in the past instead of seeing what the South is today. I will not take down my flag because they have their heads up their fourth point of contact (ask an Army guy if you don't know what that means). If they hate the South so much, I invite them to visit another wonderful part of our nation and settle there. I'll enjoy fishing in the Tampa Bay in January while wearing a T-shirt and shorts!
Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!