There has been a lot of news lately about flying the Confederate flag. This has led to other complaints about Confederate statues and monuments. Everyone has an opinion about this and I am no different. Finally South Carolina has removed the flag from the front of the state house. That flag never should have flown there anyway, it was totally wrong. The Civil War has been over for a long time and it is time that the only flag that should be flown is the Stars and Stripes, the flag of the United States of America.
Many people, especially people from the southern US claims that they display the Confederate flag to show heritage to their ancestors. I can see their point and I know it is a touchy subject. However it is time to make the United States of America united. I have no problem with anyone owning a Confederate flag as long as they keep it in their home out of sight of the public. There is a line between showing heritage and showing hate. There is a man in North Carolina that has about 150 Confederate flags on his property, in a mostly black neighborhood. This is not heritage, it is hate. There was recently a parade of trucks also in North Carolina that was driving around displaying the Confederate flag. This is a symbol of hate and I am ashamed of the people that do such things.
There are other people that have been vandalizing tomb stones on Confederate soldiers. This is wrong, these people fought and died for what they believed in. A grave marker should never under any circumstances be vandalized.
Other people are suggesting that all Confederate statues and memorials should be removed from public places. I am also against such actions. Approximately 620,000 people died in the Civil War. The Civil War is history of the United States. That can't be changed. Memorials and statues will keep the memory of the Civil War alive. We can't and shouldn't try to wipe the Civil War from our memory. These statues and memorials are the symbol of a terrible time in our history.
No one should hate someone because of the color of their skin. I am ashamed to admit that there is still much racism in my country. People aren't born to hate, they are taught it. If parents keep teaching their children racism it will never disappear. I have many friends that are black and they are the nicest people. Where I live there are some black men married to white women and some white men married to black women. I see nothing wrong with it. I often chat with these couples and I am proud to know them.
There is a line between heritage and hate. We just have to remember where that line is. Everyone has a right to remember and respect their heritage, but no one has the right to hate. People that hate need to be stopped. Hate does not belong in the United States of America.
Copyright Larry W. Fish 2015
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