Keep the Confederate Flag Flying

"Take it down! That symbol must go!" We hear these cries in the wake of the Charleston church shooting in reference to the Confederate battle flag, which still flies above the South Carolina Capitol. As you know, one criminal who committed a heinous act had sometimes sported the symbol, so, the thinking...er, feeling...goes, it should be sent to cultural Siberia. But the flag should remain--especially right now. This is precisely the opposite of the fashionable view, of course. It holds that especially right now, in this time of pain, sorrow and efforts at reconciliation (by some), it's an ideal time to dispense with the flag. I say otherwise, but not mainly because the flag is viewed by millions as a symbol of Southern heritage, of state's rights or of defiance against an increasingly despotic federal government. The real reason is simple. If removing the flag really a good idea, guess what?