Lately, the country has been divided over the controversial opinion on whether or not it should be illegal for the Confederate flag (the flag which symbolized the southern states during the Civil war) to be sold or flown by the public. Students who are against the idea of the flag being illegal are now flying the old battle flag while driving in their cars. This is NOT in any way a racist or hateful act against the abolishment of slavery. These men and women are simply showing their knowledge and pride of American history.

Since the Ku Klux Klan used it to represent their organization, the Confederate flag has been labeled as a symbol of hate. However, the majority of students who fly the flag on their car or lawn do not use it for the same purpose. The Confederate flag to them is a symbol of separation between the federal and state government. It resembles a time in our history when our nation was divided by war because of the unfair treatment the federal government gave to the rest of the country. A common mistake people make is they believe the southern rebels were all rich slave owners, when in fact the majority of Confederate soldiers were actually quite poor. Many of these soldiers were Black, Native American, and Hispanic volunteers who shared the same views as the southern states. These men were also paid the same wages as the white soldiers with the same job, which was not a privilege shared by the Union Army.

Well if the students wish to represent fairness of government, why do they use a flag which was used in battle by a bunch of slave owning racists? Yes, slavery was wrong and inhumane, but it not every slave was a black person. In the sixteen through the eighteen hundreds, people of almost all races were brought to the Americas against their will. For a short time, England sold Irish men, women and children to developing countries. A popular book named “White Cargo” was written about these forgotten slaves. In some cases, men and women of all races would sell themselves to slave owners in hopes to have a better life in America.

The students who support the true meaning of Confederate flag are NOT supporting racism or hate. They are simply showing the federal government their pride for the south, and what they stand for. Which is no matter how much the government takes away from these brave students, they will never take down their southern pride.