I come from a small northern town, where seeing a confederate flag on the back of one's truck or car is not super uncommon. Just driving past my small, old high school and taking a quick look in the parking lot, you'd see at least a few trucks proudly displaying the Confederate flag out of the back. Honestly, I just don't understand the justification for it. I've read articles, in which people have "justified" their usage of the flag with "southern heritage/pride". That reason seems kind of nonsense to me, and still does not justify how common it is to see this flag in a somewhat NORTHERN small town.

Personally, I see the usage of this flag as a symbol of hate and rebellion against your own country. This flag represented a group of people who wanted slavery to be a continued practice in our nation. A group of people who were okay with fighting against their own family members and friends, to protect their freedom to continue being racist and hateful.

To those saying "It's just a symbol of Southern Pride": Even though Southerners may be using the flag to represent their pride, that doesn't change what it originally stood for. During the civil war, when this flag was flown, it may have been a great symbol of pride– for white people, but for minorities, it's more so a symbol of oppression. There are other ways to represent Southern pride, without using a symbol of hate.

We are no longer in the 19th century, this is the 21st century and a majority of us know the difference between right and wrong. Parts of the country are still seeing separation among races, hence the beginning of the "Black Lives Matter" movement– which makes this topic relevant. Racist crimes have been (somewhat) recently committed using this flag as a symbol of pride for the crime the offender has committed. This just shows that it is simply still a symbol of hate. I don't understand how one can justify and believe that it is "okay" to fly this flag in any part of the country.

To those arguing that "The war was more about state power than slavery": Then I'd just like to present this quote, that comes directly from those that have fought the war:

Our new government is founded upon exactly the opposite idea; its foundations are laid, its corner-stone rests, upon the great truth that the negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery subordination to the superior race is his natural and normal condition. This, our new government, is the first, in the history of the world, based upon this great physical, philosophical, and moral truth ...

This country has a flag, one that represents all of the American people– not just those that fought a war fueled by hate. If you want to show "Southern Pride" or any other version of your excuse to use this flag, why not just fly a flag of a Southern state? Every state has a flag, if you want to show pride, why not use that?

Take down the flag.