To the Editor:

To get past the emotionality regarding the Virginia Battle Flag, we need to examine its history and use through time. The reality is that the flag was created as a symbol to support the fight for slavery.

To argue that slavery was not a core issue of the Civil War is to ignore the historical facts. One economic analysis estimated that the dollar value of the slaves in the South was greater than the value of all the industries of the North. Even a gradual phasing out of slavery would have been a huge economic loss for slaveholders. The articles of secession issued by the states from South Carolina to Texas prominently mentioned slavery as a core reason for secession. After the war, the flag became a symbol for continued suppression of African-Americans.

Later, the Battle Flag was prominently installed in capitols and other locations in southern states in the 1960s during the desegregation and civil rights movements. The flag was a symbol for continued segregation and opposition to civil rights.

What is undeniable is that throughout its history the flag was the symbol for white supremacy — a core belief supporting slavery. The flag continues to be used as a symbol for the doctrine of white supremacy through to the present day. Skinheads and other extremist groups consistently display the Battle Flag as a symbol of their cause. It is no coincidence that the Battle Flag is often presented with the Nazi swastika by white supremacists since both flags are symbols for white supremacy.

The Battle Flag has no obvious relationship to Southern music, dance, food, dress, customs or any other aspects of Southern heritage. It is a symbol for opposition to racial equality and maybe general defiance. The Battle Flag is no more a symbol of Southern heritage than the swastika is a symbol of German heritage. Both are symbols from sad periods in history and should be relegated to museums. There they can remind us of chapters in history that should not be repeated.

Norman Hoffman

Waynesville