Guest Writer: Braxton Gately

The recent act of terrorism in Charleston, South Carolina, has re-ignited a national debate that has been simmering on and off for the past few decades, that is, the question of whether or not the Confederate battle flag should be flown above South Carolina’s State House. Proponents of keeping the flag argue that it symbolizes “Southern heritage,” and it should not be taken down. Their opponents argue that the flag is offensive to many, and, as such, should be removed. Some of the things I’m going to say won’t apply to the South at large - only Texas, but most of what I say will be applicable to the South as a whole.

            Many people in the South - and some in the North - remain fascinated with the Confederate General Robert E. Lee. Certainly, there were some large downsides to his legacy. He was a slaveholder who, on at least one occasion, supervised the horrendous whipping of runaway slaves. However, there is considerable evidence that he changed his mind about slavery, and, by the time of his death, he was utterly opposed to the practice. I suspect that many of the people seeking to keep the Confederate flag flying from the state capitol in South Carolina are fans of General Lee. How striking it is, then, that they fail to follow his advice regarding the usage of Confederate symbolism following the Civil War. When a woman wrote him a letter asking what she should do with her flag, his reply was short and to the point: “Fold it up and put it away.”

            Lee recognized that healing from the war and from the atrocity of slavery could only come through a swift and amicable reunification of the states. In another letter, speaking of how Southerners should treat Yankees after the war, he stated, “It should be the object of all to avoid controversy, to allay passion, give full scope to reason and to every kindly feeling. By doing this and encouraging our citizens to engage in the duties of life with all their heart and mind, with a determination not to be turned aside by thoughts of the past and fears of the future, our country will not only be restored in material prosperity, but will be advanced in science, in virtue and in religion.” Healing will not come as long as there is division. At the end of the day, given the fractured history of race relations in this nation, a piece of cloth is not worth it.

            For my fellow Texans - I understand the desire to celebrate (predominantly white) “Southern heritage.” I get it. It’s in our DNA. The ideals of honor, chivalry, politeness, friendliness, and graciousness are to be applauded, and are all part of the heritage of a proper Southerner. That being said, we do not need a divisive symbol such as the Confederate flag to symbolize these noble traits, or our “heritage.” We have our own symbols of our rich history, the most predominant being the Lone Star flag, the state flag of Texas, which, last time I checked, was not offensive to a large group of people. The single star on the flag is said to represent the unity of all Texans - regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, gender, etc. Our heritage would be better served by choosing to use the Lone Star flag, the state flag of Texas, as a way to remind us of our roots.

            A final point before I end this post: no one is saying that private people cannot fly the Confederate flag on their own private property (I, personally, think that people ought to make a rule of avoiding that practice), and no one is suggesting we simply forget the South’s role in the Civil War. Rather, the argument is over whether or not a divisive symbol ought to be flown over a government building. The purpose of the government should never be to divide; it should be, primarily, to unify. We are reaching a dangerous tipping point in this country, a fork in the road, as it were. One fork leads to unity and equality for all; the other leads to a country that will be divided, once again, along racial lines. Given some of the recent tragedies involving the shootings/strangling/otherwise killings of African Americans in the US, the time for the removal of the flag has come, and, frankly, it should have been folded up and put away long ago. Keeping the flag up serves no purpose other than to divide the nation - that’s what the shooter in Charleston (who I will not dignify by mentioning his name) wanted. We cannot let him win. A multicolored scrap of cloth is not worth it.