[Raider Hanks]

The Confederate Flag, as well as General Robert E. Lee is an aspect of my culture. I grew up in rural Virginia. Through my father, grandfather, and community, I have heard stories of the Civil War. I am an American. I had family on both sides of the war. I refuse to throw down my ancestors as racist traitors who deserve to never be displayed. My family did not own slaves. That is a fact. I do not know if my family fought solely to preserve slavery, or because they were against the perceived threat of a tyrannical government. That is unknown to me and I do not want anyone making assumptions, because you do not know either.

In regards to the removal of the flag due to hate crimes involving it, why do we not remove the American flag? From atrocities against the Native Americans to war-crimes during Vietnam, not to mention contemporary atrocities, we still maintain the flag? In the 1920s, the KKK launched its largest march on Washington. The flag flown was not the Confederate flag. You know what it was? The American flag. Why is the Union Jack still flown in the United Kingdom? Their colonial empire lead to many atrocities in the name of imperialism. The Japanese flag still has similar elements of its prior flag during the Japanese Empire. Why don't they remove the sun symbolism completely from their flag?


I don't very much like your association with my heritage to be only of racism. It offends me deeply. You don't even try to view this through my eyes. You stamp it down as bigotry and move on in a high and mighty attitude. Do you support the American flag? The flag attributed to tyrants? Flown by the KKK? Used while invading countless nations around the globe?