Rebel Yelling

The Sons of Confederate Veterans are flying a 50-by-30 foot flag near a major interstate in the Tampa, Florida area. Oh boy. I am a fan of military history. I don’t find a problem with people studying, or collecting relics of notorious groups from history. I also realize that many people can trace their ancestry to folks that fought for the Confederate side in the Civil War. I understand that studying, and honoring your family history, does not mean you are racist or supported slavery. But I wish this group would realize two fundamental issues. First, their ancestors tried to dissolve the United States. They took up arms to destroy this country. Because if it had been split, the country as we know it would have been destroyed. Two, while not every Southern owned slaves, slavery was a fundamental part of the economy of the South. The main reason for the war was the issue of slavery. Yes there were some other issues. But that’s a bit like asking Mrs. Lincoln what she thought about the play. The Confederate flag is the symbol of an enemy that tried to destroy the United States. And the best part, the damn flag was made in China.