Readers React: Flying the Confederate flag isn’t about heritage -- it’s about racism

To the editor: It’s about time the people of South Carolina did the right thing and took down the Confederate flag from their Capitol building grounds. (“South Carolina church killings foster unity over removal of Confederate flag,” June 22)

The claim by some in the South that the battle flag of the Army of Northern Virginia is about their heritage is bunk. It’s about racism, pure and simple. That flag was installed in the 1960s in response to laws getting rid of segregation.

The people who want to keep the flag are supporting ancestors who should be considered traitors to the nation. They did more damage than any terrorist could have, and all to defend a way of life that included keeping human beings in bondage.

Those who support flying the Confederate flag should shut up, and South Carolina — the first state to secede from the Union before the Civil War — should rid itself of that hateful symbol and enter the 21st century.

Nato Flores, Los Angeles

..

To the editor: I know it’s a cliche — “What fools these mortal be” —but let’s face it: Nine people — nine — are shot to death in a church by some psychopath and the solution to this act of hate, racism and mass murder is the wholesale celebration of the taking down of the Confederate flag over the Capitol grounds in Charleston, S.C.

Yay! That should do it! That should cure the sickness that has plagued us since the birth of our country. Or not.

Anthony Lawrence, Woodland Hills

..

To the editor: What do we call an American who joins a jihadi movement to harm the United States? “Traitor” seems appropriate.

So what do we call the Confederate soldiers who fought to destroy the United States and killed thousands of Americans in defense of an immoral slave culture? “Traitors” seems reasonable.

And now I read that the state of South Carolina honors the flag of the traitors. What is going on here?

The decedents of those 19th century traitors should not be condemned for the acts of their ancestors, but neither should they be trying to glorify those who launched a war against their country. We are long overdue for a reality check.

With a great deal of pride, I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

Charles M. Weisenberg, Beverly Hills

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook