It continues to represent Southern culture and pride, too. And rebellion.
For the absolute scabs of society, it stands for the Civil War's root cause — the unjust enslavement and mistreatment of an entire race.
Hatred.
A crime so deeply divisive and scarring it continues to haunt us, as evidenced by the racially motivated killing June 17 of nine African Americans in a South Carolina church.
The military has a complicated relationship with this flag and understanding all that it represents.
Some National Guard units wear battle streamers that honor the Confederacy. Several bases are named for military leaders of the Confederate cause. An Army spokesman said the bases were named "in the spirit of reconciliation, not division." That's a glib dismissal, as if to say "nothing to see here, keep moving" about what should be a topic of serious debate.
Battle streamers and base names may prove too contentious for quick resolutions, but the Defense Department should forcefully rule where it can have immediate impact: in the military work space.
The Pentagon has made a concerted effort to stamp out social ills such as gender bias and homophobia. But while institutions both public and private have rightly disavowed the flag in response to Charleston, the military remains hung up on its place in history. Beyond museums, any non-historical display of this symbol should be rooted out from all military workplaces.
Period.
Not after conducting some lengthy study or review. Right now.
For a proud institution that values inclusiveness and leadership by example, any less is unacceptable.
