The founders certainly didn't show much respect for the perpetuity of British rule in America once they made a series of conclusions not all that different from those of the Confederacy. Since the end of the Civil War, Lincoln's successors have had their way. The Constitution is ignored and twisted in new ways everyday. As we watch the slow, creeping death of individual rights in many parts of the country, it's no surprise that the Confederate flag remains such a powerful symbol. Many conservatives regard it as tribute to heroic resistance against brutal oppression.
Most liberals scorn it as a symbol of bone-headed racism and hate.
Unfortunately, both are right.