Changes

Several Southern states base their flags off a Confederate flag.<ref>Ingraham, Christopher (June 21, 2015). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/06/21/how-the-confederacy-lives-on-in-the-flags-of-seven-southern-states/?utm_term=.5a605a01a36a How the Confederacy lives on in the flags of seven Southern states]. ''The Washington Post''. Retrieved December 30, 2016.</ref> While some white supremacists use the flag, states rights, Southern Pride, and honoring Confederate veterans remain the only legitimate purposes of the flag.<ref name="usflag.org"/>

Several Southern states base their flags off a Confederate flag.<ref>Ingraham, Christopher (June 21, 2015). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/06/21/how-the-confederacy-lives-on-in-the-flags-of-seven-southern-states/?utm_term=.5a605a01a36a How the Confederacy lives on in the flags of seven Southern states]. ''The Washington Post''. Retrieved December 30, 2016.</ref> While some white supremacists use the flag, states rights, Southern Pride, and honoring Confederate veterans remain the only legitimate purposes of the flag.<ref name="usflag.org"/>

In June 2015, a white supremacist with mental problems went into a black church and massacred several people inside. Although removing or banning the flag, like [[gun control]], would solve nothing and only be a short-term emotionalist solution, many people, particularly leftists, called for the flag's removal. That call, like gun control, was a knee-jerk reaction to ban something they dislike, using a terrible event to do so without carefully examining the full picture. They acted hypocritically and tried to cast the blame on conservatives while blatantly distorting the true purpose of the flag.<ref>Hemingway, Mollie (June 23, 2015). [http://thefederalist.com/2015/06/23/congratulations-you-oppose-the-confederate-flag-now-what/ Congratulations! You Oppose The Confederate Flag. Now What?]. ''The Federalist''. Retrieved December 30, 2016.</ref><ref>French, David (June 19, 2015). [http://www.nationalreview.com/article/420060/ Don’t Tear Down the Confederate Battle Flag]. ''National Review''. Retrieved December 30, 2016.</ref>

In June 2015, a white supremacist with mental problems went into a black church and massacred several people inside. Although removing or banning the flag, like [[gun control]], would solve nothing and only be a short-term emotionalist solution, many people, particularly leftists, called for the flag's removal. That call, like gun control, was a knee-jerk reaction to ban something they dislike, using a terrible event to do so without carefully examining the full picture. They acted hypocritically and tried to cast the blame on conservatives while blatantly distorting the true purpose of the flag.<ref>Hemingway, Mollie (June 23, 2015). [http://thefederalist.com/2015/06/23/congratulations-you-oppose-the-confederate-flag-now-what/ Congratulations! You Oppose The Confederate Flag. Now What?]. ''The Federalist''. Retrieved December 30, 2016.</ref><ref>French, David (June 19, 2015). [http://www.nationalreview.com/article/420060/ Don’t Tear Down the Confederate Battle Flag]. ''National Review''. Retrieved December 30, 2016.</ref>