Changes

===Reconstruction and early 20th Century===

===Reconstruction and early 20th Century===

Immediately after the end of the Civil War, the Confederate flag was mainly used as a symbol of remembrance for Confederate soldiers who had fallen in battle.<ref name="historynet.com"/><ref name="PBSNewsHour">Costa-Roberts, Daniel (June 21, 2015). [http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/8-things-didnt-know-confederate-flag/ 8 things you didn’t know about the Confederate flag]. ''PBS NewsHour''. Retrieved December 30, 2016.</ref>

Immediately after the end of the Civil War, the Confederate flag was mainly used as a symbol of remembrance for Confederate soldiers who had fallen in battle.<ref name="historynet.com"/><ref name="PBSNewsHour">Costa-Roberts, Daniel (June 21, 2015). [https://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/8-things-didnt-know-confederate-flag/ 8 things you didn’t know about the Confederate flag]. ''PBS NewsHour''. Retrieved December 30, 2016.</ref>

While some people, particularly leftists, believe the Confederate flag displays racism, the opposite is true.<ref name="usflag.org"/> In fact, the [[Ku Klux Klan]] rarely, if ever, used the flag in its first and second incarnations, in the 1860s–70s and 1915–20s, respectively.<ref name="historynet.com"/> The flag only started to be used extensively in the late 1930s and 1940s at the third incarnation of the racist, leftist Democrat group.<ref name="historynet.com"/> As mentioned above, the flag's true purpose was and still is states rights and Southern pride and honor, and hate groups had no legitimate connection to the flag other than shared geographic location.<ref name="usflag.org"/>

While some people, particularly leftists, believe the Confederate flag displays racism, the opposite is true.<ref name="usflag.org"/> In fact, the [[Ku Klux Klan]] rarely, if ever, used the flag in its first and second incarnations, in the 1860s–70s and 1915–20s, respectively.<ref name="historynet.com"/> The flag only started to be used extensively in the late 1930s and 1940s at the third incarnation of the racist, leftist Democrat group.<ref name="historynet.com"/> As mentioned above, the flag's true purpose was and still is states rights and Southern pride and honor, and hate groups had no legitimate connection to the flag other than shared geographic location.<ref name="usflag.org"/>

[[Liberal]]s have falsely claimed the Confederate flag is a symbol of racism, and they have been relentless in seeking to censor the flag and other Confederate symbols, even then they are historically relevant.<ref>Huston, Warner Todd (May 25, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/05/25/civil-war-museum-closes-doors-politician-demands-confederate-flags-eliminated/ Civil War Museum Closes Doors After Politician Demands Confederate Flags Be Eliminated]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved May 25, 2017.</ref><ref>Blake, Andrew (May 25, 2017). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/may/25/nash-farm-civil-war-museum-shutters-doors-over-con/ Civil War museum near Atlanta shutters amid Confederate flag dispute]. ''The Washington Times''. Retrieved May 25, 2017.</ref>

[[Liberal]]s have falsely claimed the Confederate flag is a symbol of racism, and they have been relentless in seeking to censor the flag and other Confederate symbols, even then they are historically relevant.<ref>Huston, Warner Todd (May 25, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/05/25/civil-war-museum-closes-doors-politician-demands-confederate-flags-eliminated/ Civil War Museum Closes Doors After Politician Demands Confederate Flags Be Eliminated]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved May 25, 2017.</ref><ref>Blake, Andrew (May 25, 2017). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/may/25/nash-farm-civil-war-museum-shutters-doors-over-con/ Civil War museum near Atlanta shutters amid Confederate flag dispute]. ''The Washington Times''. Retrieved May 25, 2017.</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 [[Hypocrites|hypocritically]] and tried to cast the blame on conservatives while blatantly distorting the true purpose of the flag.<ref>Hemingway, Mollie (June 23, 2015). [https://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 [[Hypocrites|hypocritically]] and tried to cast the blame on conservatives while blatantly distorting the true purpose of the flag.<ref>Hemingway, Mollie (June 23, 2015). [https://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). [https://www.nationalreview.com/article/420060/ Don’t Tear Down the Confederate Battle Flag]. ''National Review''. Retrieved December 30, 2016.</ref>

Liberals frequently display [[Liberal intolerance|intolerance]] towards the Confederate flag. In one instance in an [[Illinois]] public school, a student was suspended for wearing a Confederate flag, even though the same school had a large homosexual rainbow flag hanging in a classroom.<ref>Prokop, Hannah (November 11, 2016). [http://www.nwherald.com/2016/11/09/prairie-ridge-high-school-suspends-student-for-wearing-confederate-flag-to-school/aelbmro/ Prairie Ridge High School suspends student for wearing Confederate flag to school]. ''Northwest Herald''. Retrieved March 24, 2017.</ref> In another instance, the flag was banned at a county fair in [[Wisconsin]] because a single person at the fair complained about it.<ref>Huston, Warner Todd (August 1, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/08/01/wisconsin-county-fair-bans-confederate-flag-someone-got-feelings-hurt/ Wisconsin County Fair Bans Confederate Flag After ‘Someone Got Their Feelings Hurt’]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved August 1, 2017.</ref>

Liberals frequently display [[Liberal intolerance|intolerance]] towards the Confederate flag. In one instance in an [[Illinois]] public school, a student was suspended for wearing a Confederate flag, even though the same school had a large homosexual rainbow flag hanging in a classroom.<ref>Prokop, Hannah (November 11, 2016). [http://www.nwherald.com/2016/11/09/prairie-ridge-high-school-suspends-student-for-wearing-confederate-flag-to-school/aelbmro/ Prairie Ridge High School suspends student for wearing Confederate flag to school]. ''Northwest Herald''. Retrieved March 24, 2017.</ref> In another instance, the flag was banned at a county fair in [[Wisconsin]] because a single person at the fair complained about it.<ref>Huston, Warner Todd (August 1, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/08/01/wisconsin-county-fair-bans-confederate-flag-someone-got-feelings-hurt/ Wisconsin County Fair Bans Confederate Flag After ‘Someone Got Their Feelings Hurt’]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved August 1, 2017.</ref>