The Confederate flag belongs over their graves

Open Letter to Elected Officials:
Mr. Governor, Speaker, President Pro tempore, How long will you allow the fear and ignorance of a disorganized caucus destroy any attempt at improved race relations in Missouri. This bill is more about historical heritage and respect for veterans then it is about hate and racism. The only people making it about race and hatred are the ignorant and misinformed. Keeping the flag from its place will only spell doom for Missouri history and heritage. Here are several examples as to why history proves the Confederate flag is not about hate. Hopefully after reviewing the evidence you will restore the flag to its rightful place, flying over the graves of those who died for it.

HB 999 is stuck in the rules committee with no sign of going to the floor because some think the Confederate flag is racist. Why is St Andrews cross so offensive? Did the Confederate flag ever fly over slave ships? NO! Some say, well it was used by the KKK, yeah in Ohio and New York both Yankee states mind you. The Klan has always used the American Flag. Others have said, it stands for hate and slavery. If you believe thousands died in the South to protect slavery for the 3-6% who owned them you are indeed misinformed.. The South fought for independence from oppressive taxation. The North had implemented tariffs that were destroying Southern profits. The War was fought for states rights nothing more. The Confederate flag was a flag that stood for every ones rights. If it was so racist why did 160,000 blacks, Spanish, and Native Americans fight under it. If it stood for hate then why did a black representative from the Mississippi state legislature get out of bed sick to vote to build a Confederate monument? John F Harris a black Confederate veteran and elected official from Washington County Mississippi said this about his vote. “I want it known to all the world that my vote is given favor of the bill to erect a monument in honor of the Confederate dead”. It is time for people to stop the ignorance and make a genuine effort to work on race relations in Missouri and to return the flag to where it belongs , over the graves of the men who fought for it. Call Rep. Jetton and Sen. Gibbons and tell them to stop being cowards.