As a Confederate-American, I feel qualified to weigh in on the Confederate Flag issue, though I am not from nor do I live in South Carolina. First, a symbol is not responsible for all of those who use it. But that doesn't mean that everyone who displays the symbol adheres to KKK or Nazi dogma. The KKK also uses the Christian cross as a symbol - but that hardly makes the cross a symbol of racism and hate. It cannot be forced away.
Force turns cultural differences into hateful differences.
That applies as surely to forced removal of a revered symbol of heritage as it does to forced seating at the back of the bus. The Flag is my contribution to cultural diversity. Deal with it. News and Events in Charleston Harmony outweighs symbol of heritage As a Southern white man, I understand the tragedy and pain of defeat in the Civil War and subsequent changes in one community's way of life. The tragedy and pain of multiple generations of slavery for the Southern black community is beyond my understanding.