A flag does not hate. People do.

The War of the Rebellion was horrible and both sides were no angels. Til this day, no one can tell you, without a doubt, what the war was about. Tariffs, states rights, slavery, politics etc. This is why it still divides us today.

However, either way you want to view the war, the battle flag is an object, it has no feelings. The battle flag was a flag to identify Southern soldiers in “battle.”

People forget the war started in 1861 and secession wasn’t illegal, nor was anyone in the south ever convicted of treason. Confederate President Jefferson Davis was released May 13, 1867. U.S. Chief Justice Salmon P. Chase found there was nothing in the U. S. Constitution that prohibited the secession of states.

In 1905 and 1906, acts were passed to return all Confederate flags to the South as a sign of unity from the North. During and after the war, the battle flag draped Confederate soldiers coffins at funerals; it was used for reunions (Union and Confederate together) and memorial ceremonies. The battle flag is a symbol of honor and respect for the fallen southern soldiers.

Then the battle flag was stolen from the Southern people and put in the hands of hatred. The KKK never adopted the battle flag until 1939. The Dixiecrats (Democrats) didn’t use the battle flag until 1948. Since then, the flag has gravitated to people of hate. The Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV) have fought against hate groups. They even tried to patent their flag. It is the official policy of the SCV to renounce hate groups. The SCV have always released statements that they oppose racist groups. Somehow that gets overlooked. If you think those media pictures are the SCV protesting, they are not. Somehow our media plays right into the hands of people that hate. Where’s the media when the SCV finds and cleans cemeteries or makes arrangements to dedicate a tombstone for a colored Civil War union or Confederate veteran?

Re-enactors, of any war, are professors, teachers, businessmen, politicians and a diversity of professions that study history for years. The Private Wallace Bowling Camp has set up their camp at the fair for over 30 years. There is no hatred in those men. They are your neighbors. Geographically, our area is rich in history; people don’t know the history in their own counties. The Bowling Camp has never promoted racism or hatred at the fair or any other place and never will. After all these years, have you come to their camp, found out what they do or did you already prejudge them because of a flag? If you came, you know these gentlemen have done many things for the colored union and Confederate soldiers. They have artifacts and items children can touch and see what soldiers used during the war.

It is so easy to take away the battle flag from people that do not hate. However, it is harder to take the flag away from people that use it for hate.

So, if the Pvt. Wallace Bowling Camp never accepted or believes the battle flag is a hate symbol and do not believe Confederate soldiers fought to preserve slavery, then how can anyone say they are a racist hate group. You actually took the flag away from gentlemen this year that try to teach people not to hate. Now, try and take the battle flag away from people that use it for hate.

Hate is in a person’s heart, not in a flag. Christina Dunbar, La Plata