NIT – Former Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney took an aggressive stance in the wake of the shooting deaths of nine African-American people in South Carolina.
Mitt Romney called for the removal of the Confederate flag from the state capitol, and his position has caused a firestorm of side-taking on the issue.
“Take down the Confederate Flag at the SC Capitol,” Romney said via social media Friday. “To many, it is a symbol of racial hatred. Remove it now to honor Charleston victims.”
The Confederate flag is locked into place at 30 feet high on a flag pole on the capitol grounds in Charleston, and only a vote by two-thirds of state lawmakers could change that. Some southerners and sympathizers with the Confederate cause say the flag honors Civil War battle heroes and is part of their “heritage”.
Should the Confederate flag be removed, and placed only in museums (as President Obama has called for) or kept in place, flying high?
http://news.yahoo.com/plea-jefferson-davis-descendant-spurred-sc-flag-vote-191100323.html?soc_src=copy
Isn’t it just amazing that it took a South Carolina Republican Governor and Republican Senate to undo all the racist harm done by Democrats.
Something that is so true and yet funny as heck
Thumbs up
This is to the one who is to dumb to come up with his own name-The Truth Hurts doesn’t it.
I would suspect that Cherokee Indians who had their land, homes, etc.taken from them in the early 1800s would love to see the Stars and Stripes removed from their sight here in Georgia where the “natives” are reminded daily of their fate. Some of the
confiscated property is now museums and their long trek to Oklahoma is “followed” by signs through Georgia with the words, “Trail of Tears”. What was the reason for their removal?…they were peaceful and integrated into the general population…to make room for the white man!
I just read Henry Bennings secession speech sounded like it was about slavery. I’m guessing it’s more about who’s version of history you want to believe.
Excellent point Savage.
Wonder how many people realize that Fort Benning Army installation in Georgia is named after that racist, Henry L Benning?
And Texas
“We hold as undeniable truths that the governments of the various States, and of the confederacy itself, were established exclusively by the white race, for themselves and their posterity; that the African race had no agency in their establishment; that they were rightfully held and regarded as an inferior and dependent race, and in that condition only could their existence in this country be rendered beneficial or tolerable.”
After reading more carefully through the 1st Amendment I’m convinced the governments in all regions in the United States including the Federal government have no right to prosecute anyone for using any words in any fashion, including threats or harassment. This may sound radical, but any attempt for government to “abridge the freedom of speech, or of the press or the right of people to peacefully assemble” is a violation of the 1st Amendment. And harassment and threats technically fall under speech, or the press, since they are merely a use of language….of which Govt. has no right to abridge.
@clean up crew…….we know you are Peter Lagios. Weren’t you banned from this site? How about you explain to these people how much of a hiprocrate you are…..that you have a Facebook page hating Matt and this site, yet you continue to come on here and post. And yes, we know it’s you using this poster name this week, as you were working as clean up crew for the carnival.
The Dixiecrats were the first to bring the stars and bars into prominence during the 1948 Democrat convention. And I’ll repeat the stars and bars was the battle flag of Northern Virginia and the final two years l963-65 of the Confederate Navy. It was never the national flag of the South.
@al-thank you for the information. Now watch the deniers try to wiggle out of it. They try to change history to suit them.
Appreciate the clarification, Al.
Its not the “stars and bars” it is the “southern Cross”
So it’s is a flag of treason. I can understand flying it now.
The Dixiecrat fallacy is a fallacy often invoked by modern Republicans &conservatives as a way of framing “GOP good, Democrats bad”.
It relies on the ignorance of its audience regarding the history of the political parties in the United States.
The States’ Rights Democratic Party was a segregationist American political party founded in 1948 to protect bigotry and oppression “states’ rights.”
The major part of its platform was to promote segregation.
And, this from a guy who can’t even come up with his own name. I told you the idiots would try to deny the truth and here you are.
deny might be the right word for it because the truth is right in front of them, they have to see it. Any person with even 1/4 a brain should be able to see it.
I have read historical documents seen over and over again pictures of the flag being used in a hateful manor. Yet the only thing any of you come up with is word of mouth. Keep preaching the history aspect. The history of the flag has been proven. It stands for treason and racism.
you must have gotten your information from the media because you are totally wrong about what the flag stands for but I guess that doesn’t matter, you have your head so far up your azz that even if you did see the truth it would still smell like shet.
@maybe-once again Savage is making up his own history. As usual it is pure nonsense.
then show the proof of hertiage. Jefferson Davis own descendant gave the speech to remove it. Don’t get much more hertiage than that. The two of you are so far removed from reality that I expect your weak name calling responses because that’s all you have.
Just more nonsense from the king of nonsense.
Savage, attempting to have a civil & intelligent discussion with those two is an effort in futility.
They ignore facts, refuse to accept reality and live in their own little narrow-minded world.
Comedian Ron White has a tagline “You can’t fix stupid”.
He came up with that one right after meeting LVS & maybe.
http://i.imgur.com/n26nikg.jpg
In America no symbol, color scheme, words or artistic representation should be banned, but that also includes being used or commemorated by the Official Government as many Southern States have done and continue to do. As disgusting as that image you provided is…it is the white power’s prerogative to use it. The government of the United States of America should have only one flag flying anywhere and that is the Stars and Stripes in its Congressionally ratified present form.
Take that flag to the bathroom with you and wipe your ass with it.
So now that the “Confederate” flag is gone, what are we going to blame the next mass shooting spree on?
hmmmmmm?
@Watchdog-Yep, the fools think that taking down a piece of cloth will prevent a crazy person from shooting people. What a bunch of idiots.
So do you consider a Nazi Germany flag with the swastika “just a piece of cloth”?
The confederate “battle flag” not only represents a group that espoused slavery & racism, but also a group of treasonous people to the United States of America.
total and complete ignorance
It’s TRUTH! The South lost. They need to get over themselves. We are ONE nation honoring ONE flag.
So for all you who think that piece of crap “battle” flag doesn’t have anything to do with slavery or division…..THINK AGAON. And go back to school and get a decent education. Instead of packing your brain with drugs and talking against our UNITED nations flag. NIO Confederate flag or any other flag other than our national flag should fly on any gov. building PERIOD! Carls ignorant write up in the GG is spitting on our veterans who fought and fight to keep us UNITED. The Con flag represents “ownership ” of people. Are you all proud of that? Sickening. and shameful. And you call yourself American…
Your comment is pure nonsense!
@Anonymous-Anonymous is right. Your comment as all your comments are pure nonsense. Grow up and quit acting so childish. Beastiality will be the next thing you will want so you can make it with your dog and the insurance will have to pay the vet. Then you will have to burn the rainbow flag.
Exactly!
It’s a symbol of history. The problem is the crazy left can’t stand the fact that about 10 white men made this country what it got to be. The greatest power in the world. Washington, Jefferson, Franklin, Adams, Rockefeller, Vanderbilt, Carnage, and Ford to name a few.
A few questions for you:
1. Do you hand wash or dry-clean your white hood?
2. What is your preferred flammable propellant for setting crosses on fire?
3. Are your parents brother & sister or just first cousins?
I just realized why there is such an outcry about the confederate flag, it was a diversion. The house and senate just handed obama dictatorial powers over all laws and treaties. Soon we will see democrats killing themselves for voting for him,
This could answer a few questions. http://www.rulen.com/myths/
Fact vs your fiction
Civil War not about Slavery & Racism?
Texas Ordinance of Secession 1861
“Texas was received into the commonwealth, maintaining and protecting the institution known as negro slavery–the servitude of the African to the white race within her limits–a relation that had existed from the first settlement of her wilderness by the white race, and which her people intended should exist in all future time.”
http://www.lsjunction.com/docs/secesson.htm
This entire nation was founded on lies, and liberty depriving circumstances. It won’t be able to sustain itself much longer. Like Germany, it will be crumbling soon. From its ashes a new righteous nation will develop.
Gotta watch the boards. Pete is using aliases to post. Like may 2.0. Does he think readers are stupid? His style of writing gives him away.
Good LVS. I do the same thing.
Not that it is any of your business what I do, Matt asked for people to help him out and delete anything from Philosphus. So, I did. I hope he is working on doing away with anonymous too. Now, mind your own damn business and take care of yourself. You have enough problems doing that TROLL>
Just asked a simple 2 questions there LVS and you go all ballistic.
Must be a side-effect of all that butt-kissing, boot-licking and ignorant commenting that you do.
*maybe 2.0
Looks like someone didn’t like maybe 2.0
maybe it was maybe
maybe not
I saw it but didn’t even get a chance to see what it said.
@Maybe-I didn’t see it either. Possibly someone thought it was Philly sneaking in under a different name again. Here is a little history for you. Did you know it was the Democrats that resurrected the stars and bars back in the 60’s. Now they want to undo what they did. They were also the ones who started the KKK who designed and implemented the first stars and bars. Isn’t that interesting?
Yes I knew that, did you know that it was the republicans that passed the bill to set the slaves free and the democrats that was against it? If you think about it, the colors of each party, red was for the blood sweat and tears of the working class and blue was for the blue color of the elite.
Oh LVS, I could have gone into a lengthy dissertation as to your many faults and failures, but there is simply not enough room in cyberspace for that.
So sometimes a simple statement must suffice and the fact that you’re an idiot with a limited vocabulary will do…for now.
Well what folks need to understand is that the Boggy Creek creature could careless about some flag. Oh he knocks over an outhouse now and then, but so what, he can’t read anyway.
@Anonymous-was it to hard for you to understand. I could type real slow and maybe that would help a weak brained dummy like you.
Well lvs you can type slow but you won’t be able to type as slow as Richard Dicks, he issued a challenge to all if anyone can type as slow as him, he will retire from goose hunting for good.
Well look here Phillo just can’t resist posting on N.I.T. Of course just like everywhere else in his life he has been banned. He is just a leech and sponge with no life, no hope, no friends and even no relatives that will claim him. What a complete waste of a good bowel movement he has turned out to be.
It wasn’t maybe, it was me. If the publisher wants the comment back on, he will add it back.
I understand that you want to be like me, you have big shoes to fill.
2.0 refers to a much improved version of the original.
Many of the flaws & biases are removed, the content is much more intelligent and factually based.
This corrects the many failures & weaknesses of the original version which is outdated and sorely in need of vast improvement.
I grew up in the 60’s, 70’s, and the 80’s. The muscle cars of the 60’s and 70’s were totally badass. The new and improved versions of those same muscle cars look awesome and run awesome but they can never hold a candle to the originals.
So that would make you a Ford Pinto or perhaps a Chevy Vega.
don’t knock it, I had a charger but a friend had a pinto with a 289 and another friend had a vega with a 327.
@Anonymous-Well Philly just posted under the Name “Southern Ghost” He is just as dumb as he always was. Deleted him again.
This is much bigger than 1 political party. We as a country have become to PC. Nobody wants to say what needs to be said and nobody wants to hear it for that matter. If they were so concerned about the history of the flag, maybe they should have tried to stop the KKK and the other hate groups from using it. But that would take away from their rights as Americans, or maybe a larger group of people share the same views as these groups.
It’s also about the blame game.It;s not the persons fault, it is the fault of the flag or the gun or the car or the hammer ect. If it offends 1 person it is wrong, we are becoming a nation of wussies.
I blame liberals for the rise in mass shootings and their lack of respect for human life.
Over the last 60 years Communists have taken over the Democratic Party and spread liberalism and it’s policies into every element of our society.
I quit the Democratic Party and stopped voting for progressive causes many years ago once I realized where the liberals were taking our country.
My worst fears have come to fruition. This flag BS is just a diversion from the real cause of the mass shootings!
Check this out:
https://www.judicialwatch.org/blog/2015/06/communism-in-jarretts-family/
We have been under attack from Socialist/Progressives, aka Liberals for years and years!
@Watchdog-Great comment. I too quit the Democratic Party for the same reasons and I will be damned if I would every vote for Hillary and really don’t understand how anyone else can vote for a proven liar and cheat. The woman has never accomplished any thing in her life. Surely the Democratic Party is better than her or the communist that is running against her.
What about good old southern rock music – will there be a movement to ban it?
The Dukes of Hazzard shows have been banned from viewing. SO There !
Yep Dukes of Hazard rules!
Roscoe and his dog Flash were the best!
Daisey
What about Cooter?
enis was the unsung hero
Maybe if we all watched The Dukes we could get rid of all this anger!! It’s a good family show!!
I don’t care if a governor takes the flag down from the state house but banning a flag is just simple minded. Any governor can take the flag down on their own they do not need a law.
The flag everyone is all upset about was never the official flag of the South. It was the battle flag of the state of Virginia and the Confederate Navy. The south had three different flags, the first was a circle star in a field of blue upper left corner with red and while stripes. It caused confusion on the battlefield so they went to other designs until in the last months placing the stars and bars in the upper left corner and a white stripe and a red strip vertically.
Thanks Al. There you are. The real history and the truth. What are you flag haters going to do now?
Good information. Thanks Al!
So what?! Color and stripes don’t make it any less a flag that represents ownership of people and a nation divided. NO other flag than the US flag we pay allegence to should fly on any government building. Who with a heart would fly a flag that represents OWNING people. To think it doesn’t means you’re in denial for your racism.
@Anonymous-Didn’t you read what Al posted. It was not about owning slaves at all. It was a battle flag and that was it. Just a piece of cloth. If I was in the south I would fly it just because they are violating the first amendment with their P.C. crap.
Why don’t you fly it here if you believe in that so much?
Show everyone your support of southern rights by flying that flag at your home!
OK, so it was a battle flag. Wasn’t the battle about owning slaves? I think it was.
I guess we can’t blame everybody for their ignorance, after all thats what they have been taught for years as wrong as it is. The flag was a symbol for the resistance against northern aggression. The north attacked the south because the south wanted to succeed from the union because of taxes. Thats the reason the south wanted out but the north said they were attacking to set the slaves free, even though the north had slaves too.
Maybe
http://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/five-myths-about-why-the-south-seceded/2011/01/03/ABHr6jD_story.html
@Anonymous-Washington Post???? You have got to be kidding. Anyone who believes that liberal rag needs their head examined.
And again, read this. Actual succession documents from the southern states
http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/primarysources/declarationofcauses.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/
What we need to address is all the mass shootings and the WHY? This did not happen 50 years ago in this country. All this crap about the flag is distracting us from a very serious problem.
Moral Decay!
There have been 21 mass shootings since 2008, not saying it has anything to do with obama just that it’s a coincidence.
@Anonymous-You didn’t have much to start with and are deteriorating fast due to age.
maybe, george bush was president on September 11, 2001. Not saying it has anything to do with Bush, it’s just a coincidence.
That was a terrorist attack and wasn’t included in the stats besides they didn’t say there wasn’t any mass shootings before 2008, there was, quite a few. What they said was there was 21 since obama took office.
What I find interesting is that all the liberal websites and news channels are losing viewers fast yet there still are some out there that refuse to see the truth. You say your IQ goes down every time you read one of my posts. I say your IQ is going down period because of these liberal sites and just think it’s because of me. It is a known fact that hardcore liberals are mentally challenged..
When you get all worked up over a silly flag you can’t focus on the real problem. America’s moral compass is way off base. I doubt there are a lot of people that can even recite the “golden rule”.
You are correct it is a stupid thing to get worked up about. But so is a no parking sign in front of an office. I agree with the fact that at the conception of the flag that it was hertiage that drove thinking behind it. But a growing number of groups are perverting its message.
Since satan doesn’t have his own bible the only way he can deceive people is by distorting what already has been written.
Satan isn’t real. Neither is the man in the sky. It’s all made up crap for feeble minded people like yourself.
famous last words
http://www.adl.org/combating-hate/hate-on-display/c/confederate-flag-2.jpg
Here we see a picture of a buffoon with a gun that thinks the confederacy has something to do with his distorted view of the world.
Why is so hard for you to see a sic individual that uses what he can for evil purposes.
Quit trying to read something into this idiot’s murdering spree to stir up more trouble.
http://i.imgur.com/n26nikg.jpg
All the left is trying to do is cause division, they will use anything and any person to do it. It is obvious that this person is a sick individual so the left will use it to push all their agendas, and they say the Kock brothers are bad for america and the democrats are good for it. It is a proven fact that every democrat is mentally challenged.
@maybe-WoW, I wish I had said that.
Better ban all the middle east flags too. This is where a lot of terrorist come from and some stupid americans are going over there to rage there stupidity over a so called religious beliefs,
If they want to fly them over the state capital. I would think people would stand up against it.
http://i.imgur.com/n26nikg.jpg
It should be up to the state of South Carolina. As far as I’m concerned grey should keep it and not pander to knew heel reactions …..
http://i.imgur.com/n26nikg.jpg
A flag did not do this hateful crime it was a screwed up person. Just like the ones rioting in Missouri and Maryland. There is stupid people of all colors and banning a flag will not help that.
Nobody is saying the flag made him do it! People are against what symbolizes. If stick up my middle finger, is it just my middle finger or does it symbolize something.
philo is the biggest racist of all. Once you get to know him he hates everyone that don’t look or think like he does.
@Anonymous-that would be no one then. Phillo has a one of a kind mental disability. He is stupid.
It symbolizes nothing in relationship to racism. If you think it does then that is a figment of your imagination. The confederate flag is just that, a symbol of the southern states and no more.
We suppose the Texas flag will be banned next . Bigots change history only when it benefits them.
they are trying to change history like common core.
Make it a federal offence to display that symbol; anywhere, anytime, anyplace.
Well old MITT just as well fold his flag and go home cause he just fd himself bigtime.
Old Honest ABE – heard he also had slaves – read he owned a freight company out ot New York – delivered supplies to the union troops and when business was slow they delivered supplies to the southern troops – geeez! sounds like what the US is doing right today in the middle east. You can’t trust these Folkers.
Government bullchit – civil war was never about saving the slaves it was about people like the NEW WORLD ORDER – the rich fat cats from the north – yes bankers and politicans started the civil war so they could steal the rich southern farmland and get rich – just BS like the Nafta Shafta and Cafta free trade deals that destroyed American and now bozo and soros want to drive another nail in the coffin with another trade deal -ironic – attached to this POS bill is a measure to pay Welfare to people who lose their jobs due the the passage of this insane bill. DC – deistrict of crooks.
Today we have two more mass shootings that have occurred since the Charleston church shootings. The focus on the flag and racism is not going to solve the problem of these mass shootings.
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/seventeen-shot-one-killed-in-us-block-parties-reports/ar-AAbTGVD
America’s moral compass has spiraled downward since the early 60’s.
At many levels I see Anarchy. I have to wonder if our slippery slope toward mass shootings got it’s start when our Supreme Court kicked God out of our schools and ruled human life was no longer important by legalizing abortion.
Long as they fly a Mexican flag over here and they do in alot of our states then CSA flag. Least them that fought for the CSA was Americans. Kids has got suspended for taking down a Mexican flag, why some folks do not even respect the USA flag what are we coming to. Then there is them mainly blacks that stomps on the USA flag, when I see that it makes me think we would of been better off if CSA would of won. Least them stomps our flag now could never do nothing like that. Same one’s says get rid of CSA flag likes keeping Illegals. Real smarty’s they are.
http://www.trainweb.org/seaboard/FLAG/confederateflag.htm
http://i.imgur.com/n26nikg.jpg
The way I see it, if you are either too lazy or too ashamed to at least come up with some kind of name here then all you are is a bigoted, ignorant blow hard that is only looking to stir up trouble just for fun. You have no clue on anything but to do a Monty python argument. You are not even worth my time.
Regardless of the history of the confederate flag, the truth is it has come to represent racist ideologies. Look at the history of the swastika, are you going to defend that symbol too? It has come to represent more than its origin. Your feeble argument makes you look like a racism defending moron. Keep on clinging to the past though.
Excellent point A & to add to it…
If you’re such a southern sympathizer maybe with that bogus obscure link from some railroad site, does that mean that you have no problem flying the Nazi flag?
After all the swastika goes back thousands of years and originally was a symbol meaning
“that which is associated with well-being”.
You don’t know what you are talking about. You come across as a race-baiter and anti-christian. People like you are always looking for a cause to bitch about. You should go to the church today in Charleston, S.C. and participate in the service where this all happened. You might just learn something if you would take the shit out of your ears and listen.
my comment is meant for Anonymous!
The KKK and skin heads fly the confederate flag as a reminder of their hate for blacks. The skin heads present the nazi flag and confederate flags together many times. No hate intended?
@ Savage, they need to get their own flag then. Whether you like it or not the Confederate Flag does represent something very different than racism or what the KKK and skinheads promote. From southern folks what I can gather, it’s about there redneck freedom and independence not about a hatred for blacks or anything else. I consider it there folklore.
That was their attempt to form a new country. And the flag chosen to represent it. Should we still be flying a British flag? Anybody that had family fight for the North should be insulted, if it’s about hertiage.
We shouldn’t fly the British flag. We actually WON that war.
Anon said: “You don’t know what you are talking about. You come across as a race-baiter and anti-christian. People like you are always looking for a cause to bitch about. You should go to the church today in Charleston, S.C. and participate in the service where this all happened. You might just learn something if you would take the shit out of your ears and listen.” Boy you sound like a good kind hearted Christian! You’re right, I am anti-Christian. Let’s take you for example, spewing hate in the name of Christianity. All religions are horrible, including Christianity. Bunch of hypocrites worshipping something that isn’t real.
You folks need to think a little deeper than Mitt Romney. While this idiot used race as “his” reason to commit mass murder, that was not the case with the Columbine killer Eric Harris, ‘Batman’ shooter James Holmes and Sandy Hook gunman Adam Lanza.
I suspect thee may be something more sinister at work here.
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/south-carolina-shooting-suspect-idd-as-dylann-storm-roof-21/
http://www.infowars.com/charleston-shooter-was-on-drug-linked-to-violent-outbursts/
I can’t get all worked up over a stupid flag.
Just saying!
If southerners want to display it at their homes fine, but it has no business being on any State government facility.
It was a symbol of a rebellious & immoral cause that lost and as such should any southern state choose to display it on their capital grounds they should immediately be suspended from receiving any Federal money in any form.
South Carolina, next time a hurricane hits, you’re on your own.
Break out your “confederate money”.
I would agree, we are one country with ONE FLAG, for better or worse.
So, you’ll be pulling down Iowa’s state flag at the capital?
No DA, that is a state flag and does not represent what the confederate flag does.
the confederate flag was only a battle flag from south carolina.
Right! A battle flag from the South wanting to leave the union. And don’t be naive to all the negative things and ideas that this flag has come to represent.
SC LEFT the Union, the set up their own government. The North conquered the south forcing them back to the Union.
Who would allow the flag of a country whom we defeated in a bloody war fly over the United States? The south withdrew from the Union and fired the first shot. Time to bury the ghosts of the past that haunt us.
The confederate flag has nothing to do with slavery, the civil war was all about states rights but since alot of the southern plantations had slaves that was lumped in there but what nobody talks about was at the time there were more slave owners in the northern states than the southern states. Only out of ignorance can someone say that the flag is about hatred. Do your research before saying anything.
It is sad when someone that is truly ignorant, proclaims others to be so.
Maybe, you haven’t read the “Declaration of the Immediate Causes Which Induce and Justify the Secession of South Carolina from the Federal Union” have you?
Try reading that before pulling more misguided thoughts out of your nether regions.
An your comment about more slave owners at the time in the North is pure BS.
Slavery in the northern states had been abolished in the late 1700’s to early 1800’s.
@Anonynous-Maybe is right and you are wrong. Read your history before shooting off your Anonymous mouth. The Flag is not the problem. Peoples attitudes and beliefs are the issue and that goes for both sides. We will never get through this until we quit identifying people by the color of their skin. If people want to be equal get a job and be equal. That will generate respect.
That is why you use anonymous because you really have no clue and you don’t want anybody else to know that.
Like “maybe” is your real name, huh?
Typical response from someone that is proven wrong (once again) but won’t admit it.
Face it maybe, you just pull random opinions out of your butt and proclaim them as “facts”.
I stick with the same name so when I say something you know who said it, not some anonymous name that many people have. Besides I did my research before saying anything. Plus I used to live in the south.
Slavery was a huge issue back in the 1850’s with all the federal laws that was being passed against slavery, even though there was slaves in the north. There was a few other reasons for the civil war. The states wanted the right to pass their own laws dealing with slavery and the economy, so in a way slavery was the heart of the matter but it was the right of the states to pass their own laws. http://civilwartalk.com/threads/what-was-the-civil-war-about.71619/
Jesus Jason Priestly ur a racist. No doubt about it. Wow.
I thought you were banned philly? I do you think that the rules don’t apply to you like everything else? I hope Matt bans you PERMANTELY, FOREVER. Sick of your shit.
Didn’t those states secede from the union over the use of slaves. And by 1810 75% of the slaves north of the Mason Dixon line had been freed. Granted the flag didn’t stand for slavery, but it did represent a group of states fighting to keep them.
It’s a symbol of hate and ignorance
I think removing it is fitting. In reality, it is only a piece of cloth. But, to some, it is symbolic of a way they wish to live, and to others, it’s symbolic of a past they want to forget. Either way, it is going to piss some people off, so eliminate the cause and the problem goes away.