THE REBEL FLAG

[HairOfTheDog]

I have no doubt that last week's shooting was the catalyst for the changes, the timing of the changes at least.

Thank God!

I get confused with the whole time and watch building thing, sometimes.

Without this massacre, those flags would still be flying . . . regardless if over half of goddamned South Carolina and Alabama silently thought they were definitive symbols of racism and white supremacy.

I don't know if over ¹⁄₂ the goddamned people in those states acknowledge that the Confederate Flag is a definitive symbol of racism or not Tiki. I'd guess that a good portion of them who do acknowledge it either like what it historically stands for or just don't care.

But, some of the many who acknowledge its historical symbolism do care. It's not like the flying of the Confederate flag in official capacities is a new sore spot for many or a controversy that suddenly developed as a result of last week's shooting.

It's too bad that it took a racially-motivated mass murder in a church to spur change, but it's not really surprising to me. Sometimes life-altering and deadly incidents spur change and what some consider to be progress.

I respect that a lot of people have their own view of what that flag symbolizes and a different opinion about the fact that it's being taken down from some states' capitol grounds. If they feel passionately enough opposed to the change, I expect they'll rebel against it, petition, organize and protest, not vote again for the leaders who are directing the changes, etc... In any case, they'll live without the Confederate Flag flying over governmental grounds just like those who have always opposed its proud display have lived with it for a century and a half.

And the beat goes on...