TIME TO PUT AWAY THE “STARS AND BARS”

In the wake of the shooting of nine people by a 21 year old racist who specifically stated that he wanted to start a race war, we have to ask ourselves what is more important to us; doing anything we’re allowed to do, or doing the right thing?

There has been much comment, for and against flying the Confederate Battle Flag outside of a government building in Charleston, S.C. Proponents say it’s simply commemorating a time in our nation’s history when we were at war, and honoring those who gave their live sincerely believing in secession.  Opponents argue that it is the most visible and widespread sign of hate in this country, and that even if some people really believe it is merely commemorative, it sparks hate in many and anger in any African-American who sees it. In short, its presence would inevitably lead to hatred and violence at some point, by some people.

Perhaps there is a more demonstrative way for both sides to see the truth. Just as private individuals have a constitutionally protected right to fly or wear the Confederate Battle Flag, so they also have the right to fly the flag of NAZI Germany (and some do). Imagine how someone of Jewish descent would feel seeing the Swastika flying over a government building in this country. Think about the “other” six million non-Jews whom Hitler slaughtered in death camps in addition to the Jews and how their descendants would feel watching it flutter day after day. Imagine the reaction of the descendants of the millions of people killed fighting in World War II, including more than twenty million Russians if they had to walk past it to work every day. That’s the way black people feel when they are forced to walk past the Stars and Bars.

Should it be illegal for people to fly it? No. One of our most sacred rights in the United States is freedom of speech, even if that speech is hate speech. On the other hand, is it right to continue flying the Confederate Battle Flag in public? No! Not because it is illegal, or even because some feel it to be immoral, but because it incites hatred in some and anger in others while accomplishing nothing else. This is the 21^st Century. Let’s relegate the Confederacy to museums and annual reenactments where it belongs along with other pieces of our history and go forward as one nation, learning from our past, but not repeating its mistakes.