Dear Editor,

I would like to compliment those elected officials, many of whom conversely happen to be Republican by party affiliation, for advocating for the removal of the battle flag of what may have been the Confederate States of America from flying on governmental/public property in a number of states that were in rebellion against the United States of America from 1861 to 1865 in what has been termed as The American Civil War or The War Between the States.

The Confederate battle flag is an overt symbol of treason and secession against our beloved nation, the United States of America, and, I feel, should be displayed exclusively at museums and other pertinent historic sites, as it is part of our history, but not of our present.

We, as Americans, should ultimately pledge our loyalty to “Old Glory” the Flag of the United States of America.

Factually, the issues of slavery and “white supremacy” were always at the forefront of the Confederacy and that its President, Jefferson Davis, and Vice-President, Alexander Stephens, who initially opposed southern secession, but later became strong supporters of separation as a result of President Abraham Lincoln stating upon his election that “he would not tolerate the spread of slavery into new territories, with Vice-President Stephens, upon the formation of the Confederate States of America, stated: “Our new government is founded upon the great truth that the Negro is not equal to white man.

Therefore, for some of today who choose to believe that racism did not play a decisive role in the formation of the Confederacy is simply ignoring history.

Also the flying of the Confederate Battle Flag was essentially not done for nearly a century following the end of the Civil War, when it was raised outside government buildings in the south in order to protest racial desegregation which had become the law of the land.

I am a bit surprised that the flag that once represented those who waged war, and lost, against our great nation would somehow be resurrected as a symbol of American “Patriotism” on some level by its advocates, when there should only be one flag, the American Flag, to which we, as citizens of this great country are loyal.

Thank you.

Respectfully,

Richard Hord

Martins Ferry