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As a resident of Georgia, I have had a lot of time to think about this, and it makes me sad.

The problem is that no one stood up for it during the years that it was tarnished by public demonstrations of racist, ignorant, propaganda. If a large group had stood up in the 50s, 60s, 70s,... and said, “This is not a racist symbol”, then I would say that this whole controversy is unfair. The sad truth is that not many people fought for its sanctity, while klansmen and skinheads made it their own.

It could have been a symbol of state’s rights and southern culture, but instead it has unfortunately turned into a hateful symbol of intolerance.

As a resident of Georgia, I have had a lot of time to think about this, and it makes me sad. I’m sad for those who remember the ugly stain of racism that this flag represents, but I’m also sad for those who see it as a symbol of heritage and are angry that no one else can understand their specific cultural view of the flag. The problem is that no one stood up for it during the years that it was tarnished by public demonstrations of racist, ignorant, propaganda. If a large group had stood up in the 50s, 60s, 70s,... and said, “This is not a racist symbol”, then I would say that this whole controversy is unfair. The sad truth is that not many people fought for its sanctity, while klansmen and skinheads made it their own. It could have been a symbol of state’s rights and southern culture, but instead it has unfortunately turned into a hateful symbol of intolerance.

Bingo. As a resident of Georgia, I came to the same conclusion. It's not simply a historical artifact or celebration of ancestry anymore.

I’m sad for those who remember the ugly stain of racism that this flag represents, but I’m also sad for those who see it as a symbol of heritage and are angry that no one else can understand their specific cultural view of the flag. The problem is that no one stood up for it during the years that it was tarnished by public demonstrations of racist, ignorant, propaganda.

What flag in America hasn't been used at some point or another as a symbol of racism?

Throughout the history of the KKK, the most commonly used flag by far has been Old Glory.

It could have been a symbol of state’s rights and southern culture....

It was and is such a symbol, but that usage does not fit the media paradigm, ergo, you never hear about it from them. Klansmen and skinheads sell papers (and ads); reasoned discussions of history and heritage do not.

That's the economic reason you never heard of those defenders. But there is an ideological reason also.

The media, in collusion with the left, have redefined all manner of terms in order to stop any discussion before it starts. The very term "states' rights" is recast in the media as a code for racism, which in its turn is recast so that a guy like me is racist by nature ("institutional" racism), whereas Rev. Jeremiah Wright is incapable of it.

So even if you try to assert that display of the flag is in support of states' rights and federalism, you're still supporting racism, according to the media. And to decide if a certain speaker is supporting racism, you only need to look at his complexion. He could be reading multiplication tables, but, hey, that is racist!

I reject the very premises on which the current media/cultural climate is based. Let them bring those into the open and defend them if they will.

I could probably agree if and only IF slavery was the only reason the War of Northern Aggression was fought. But seeing as how it was fought about the right of a State's secession from the Union, I can't. History has been perverted by special interests and now a soft form of Communism is taking root - its called Political Correctness.

As a resident of Georgia,

Yep....you pretty much summed up why you have a rollover view on Southern flags and stuff by saying "resident" instead of "native born Georgian"

Let's just shite on the US flag too by your logic Enstein