Or he could just tell the truth that it is a Southern symbol of pride that honors Civil War Veterans and their bravery.
Your truth is the lie democrats used between 1865 to 1985.
When faced with Reagan's capture of southern hearts and minds, The democrats turned on their own symbol and quickly turned it into "The symbol of racism" to get the votes they lost to Reagan (and to a smaller extent Bush the elder).The success they achieved in doing so put Bill Clinton in office twice and has done more harm to this country then you and your kind will ever admit to.
If you want to honor those that died for the democrat's rebellion, then honor them as those americans lost for the causes of the democrats against the laws of this country. Be honest in your honors, admit why they died, they died because democrats rebeled against the government of the United States and the power of constitution.
Is that really so hard to admit?