The Confederate flag DOES represent hate!

On Saturday (7/18/15), white-supremacists (including the Ku Klux Klan) and African-Americans clashed, in Columbia, South Carolina. The "oxymorons" (otherwise known as white-supremacists) thought it was okay to defend the Confederate flag. And...big surprise...a large group of African-Americans were justifiably against such a demonstration. It is not exactly news that the American Civil War began because certain southern states opposed the government's intent to abolish slavery. It was not a war caused by certain factions wanting to take over territory that didn't belong to them...though that does sound familiar...or conflict because of religious beliefs. The war took place because of the threat to end the slavery of African-Americans! The slaves were treated like animals right from the beginning when they were forcefully brought, in chains (or other forms of restraint), to this country, for the sole purpose of providing slave labor.

Therefore, the Confederate flag should be nothing more than an example of absolute embarrassment! The fact that slavery existed at all, in this country, is appalling at best. The fact that slavery existed for approximately 250 years is just disgustingly ludicrous! Therefore, any symbol that represents that horrible period, in our country's history, should have been ceremoniously dismissed decades ago. Not just a few days ago!

It is true that there was horrendous loss of life during that Civil War. And such a battle flag might be a decent representation for such valor. However, if slavery had never existed then there would have (probably) been no reason for such a war, in the first place. I guess few people want to look at it that way. And just try to find any of those "oxymorons" who would ever think of it that way. All of this turmoil began nearly 400 years ago when slavery of Africans was introduced to this country, in 1619. Jump ahead to today and I can almost guarantee that many problems that harm this country, on a daily basis, can be traced right back to that horrible period in...not just yours, not just mine but...our history.