Do you believe that your great great grandfather believed the flag to represent loyalty and honor or hatred and violence toward slaves and all black people? What's just as important is maybe what your father and grandfather taught you about the CSA.The Southern heritage of the subject flag is limited to the Army of Northern Virginia. The flag was rejected as a CSA flag, and Florida never had anything remotely close to what is flying in Defuniak Springs. As many have mentioned, it came to popularity during desegregation, and is far more of a symbol of that painful portion of our past than anything that happened in the 19th century. As the great great great grandson of several CSA veterans and a lifelong Southerner, I find the flag in DS embarrassing not only for the reasons it was hijacked, but for the historical inaccuracy. If we want to remember and honor those who fought, at least get it right. Fly the Florida flag after secession or fly the Bonnie Blue, but take down the flag of the Army of Northern Virginia.
Of course it won't end racism, but is that any reason for the state to continue displaying this flag? The only ones confused as to it's meaning are the ones fighting against it's removal. Read the words of the man, William T. Thompson, who designed the flag describe it's meaning if you still have doubts. I'm not sure you would say it's the root cause, but you can say for certain that the Bible is what people like Mike Huckabee, Bobby Jindal, Ted Cruse, Rick Santorum and many others claim gives them their justification for bigotry and discrimination just it has for centuries.I believe slavery would have ended anyway but that is a different debate. This thread is about whether or not the confederate flag should continue flying at our courthouse. This debate centers on the root causes of bigotry and hatred and the opinion that somehow it all comes from Southern heritage. The issue is apparently confused enough so please do not confuse it more. Of course slavery ended with the civil war and thank god for that but racism and hatred continues on to this day. Over the last several days I have been shocked into finding out just how far from the truth we as a society have gone to cover up the reasons for the civil war, the roots of racism and the roots of violence and hatred. Apparently many people would like to sign this petition and be done with their part of finding answers.