A Historical Reminder, Not a Racial Hate Symbol!

A Historical Reminder, NOT a Racial Hate Symbol!

Growing up as a young adult in a time of surging progressivism, it is not surprising to me that as many people have negative viewpoints about the "Stars & Bars" today. HOWEVER, it is quite astonishing to me that so many people are calling the flag racist and are calling for its removal. Many of the people who have written about why this isn't racist have done so in an ignorant way; I'll be the first to admit that a lot of the preceding articles on THIS side are misinformed, so I felt obligated to set both sides straight. First of all, the Civil War was not solely fought over slavery; in fact, only part of it was. In my opinion, it was more so a war between two different governments opposing each other with different politics and different economies. The south broke away to preserve their culture and way of life. Were there racists in the South? Yes. Were there nearly, if not as many racists in the North? Absolutely. Most northern soldiers would not have been fighting the war if it was over slavery; they were fighting to preserve the Union. Plain and Simple. Even the Emancipation Proclamation did not eradicate slavery. It was largely a political move to keep further union slave-holding states from seceding. To view all southerners as racists is not only ignorant, but just as offensive as if was to call an African-American the 'n-word'. I am first a Christian, whose principals speak out against racism, then a southerner in the great state of Florida. I don't personally have a Confederate Flag, but am not one bit ashamed of it. I am flabbergasted by the slanders against the flag of my ancestor's heritage, and will continue to be outraged whenever I hear for the calls of the removal of "Old Dixie" when I know how many brave men fought for the home of the southerners behind it. - Eric A. Stadtfeld