The United States and Confederaflag are both symbols of slavery...

The United States flag is a symbol of freedom and liberty. The flag in no way, shape, or form symbolizes nor glorifies the gross oppression of individuals and groups based on race, color, religion and other fields for any reason whatsoever. The US can and always will be the melting pot. The US flag has never symbolized slavery for many reasons. Although a lot of US history incorporated the use of slavery, the US flag never symbolized it and the Confederate States had their own flag. Slavery was inexcusable. There is no excuse for such an inhumane practice. Slavery was a part of the US from its inception until the abolition of slavery in the 1860's, although border states were allowed the practice for around 20 more years. The values of the US flag are highly opposed to such inhumanity. The US flag was designed to represent "that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness"[1]. Our government fully supports this ideology. Also, "the colors of the pales (the vertical stripes) are those used in the flag of the United States of America; White signifies purity and innocence, Red, hardiness & valor, and Blue, the color of the Chief (the broad band above the stripes) signifies vigilance, perseverance & justice"[2]. These are both pieces of irrefutable evidence that shows the true intent of what the US flag was designed to represent. This flag represents us as a nation, and we as a nation support these ideologies. The Confederacy was completely separate from the US. They became their own country, the Confederate States of America. In no way can the Union be held accountable for what occurred under the confederacy. The confederate states seceded from the Union in an attempt to uphold their "right" to own slaves and be free from federal persecution. Abraham Lincoln, an open abolitionist, passed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1st, 1863 which ruled that "all persons held as slaves" in the confederacy "are, and henceforth shall be free"[3]. Abraham Lincoln passed this without any pressure from any individual nor organization. Lincoln could have chosen to be indifferent on the issue or support it, but chose to start a civil war over it. Abraham Lincoln heavily supported abolition and the US has every right to pass judgement on the disgusting organization that was the Confederacy. The confederate flag is a symbol of racial hatred because it was designed specifically for a former country that separated from the union so they could continue without persecution the human rights violation which was slavery. Dylann Roof, the murderer convicted of the Charleston shooting, was seen not only burning the US flag (which stands for racial equality) but also posing with a car with confederate plates[4]. If you watch CNN's video, "How did the Charleston shooter become radicalized?"[5] and read the article, you will see Roof posing with the confederate flag and how the confederate ideology (what the confederate flag stands for) played a role in his radical views in the name of which he committed this terrible and disgusting act. The flying of the confederate flag is not an attempt to distract the mass attention from the racist environment that currently exists in the US because it stands for the US' racist environment. The confederate flag stands for racism and the confederacy. The confederate flag supports a racist organization. How on earth would that steer people away from these issues? [1] http://www.ushistory.org... [2] http://usflag.org... [3] http://www.emancipationproclamation.org... [4] http://www.nytimes.com... [5] http://www.cnn.com...