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As an African-American woman who grew up in the South, I've seen firsthand the passions that arise from just the sight of the Confederate Flag. For some people, it is a sign of their heritage. For others, it is a sign of the suffering and pain felt by their ancestors. While I was an undergraduate attending Louisiana State University, I saw the full explosion of emotions in people on both sides of the issue when tailgaters flew Confederate Flags in our University colors, purple and gold. I was a journalism student at the time and actually did research on the different flags of the Confederacy. My research had me torn between the symbolic meanings represented by the flag as opposed to First Amendment rights under the Constitution.

On one hand, the flag is a symbol of Old South heritage, a time when the South was a place of prosperity and lived according to the chivalrous writings of Sir Walter Scott. When the Civil War ensued, it tore this life of charm apart, making many places in the South dens of poverty and desperation. Some places in the South still suffer from economic disadvantages, even though the Civil War was almost 150 years ago. For these individuals, Confederate Flag Day has special meaning for them.

Confederate Flag Day represents the time when the South stood up to the North and said that they were going to fight for the preservation of their lifestyle. It represents the blood of those who lost their lives fighting for a cause, an ideology of autonomy and self-determination. It represents a time when their ancestors said that they were not going to be pushed around. Thus, they feel that it is their constitutional right to commemorate their war heroes just like everyone else.

On the other hand, many individuals don't have such warm feeling for the flag. They feel that the flag represents a time in America when people were enslaved and treated like property. The lifestyle that many fought so hard to preserve depended heavily on the sweat, blood and tears of their ancestors. Instead of seeing as a time of chivalry and charm, they see it as a time of sadness and pain. These individuals don't see the years before the Civil War as the "good ole days."

Thus, Confederate Flag Day represents racism and prejudice, and those who want to uphold this lifestyle as people who see African Americans as inferior. They feel these people don't sympathize with people who suffered under the grips of slavery. The Confederate Flag is the ultimate sign of disrespect. Instead of being a right, it represents hate speech and is offensive to a large group of people.

Confederate Flag Day and the controversy behind it will continue to exist and will resurface every spring when the celebrations happen in the South. However, as long as the Constitution allows free speech, the celebrants will have the right to commemorate this time in American history.

Learn more about this author, Cicely Richard.
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