Dear people still flying the 'Confederate' Flag,

You'll be offended anyway, but let me preface this with stating that I understand and respect individual and states rights. Okay? Okay.

I also understand that the Confederate flag played no role in pulling the trigger that killed those people in Charleston. Okay? Okay.

That being said, on a personal level, I'll never be in the business of supporting the Confederate flag. Ever. I consider myself team Lincoln. Team free-the-slaves. Team equality-for-all. Team anti-southern-Democrat-Confederates. Did I miss something?

I also think that there's an irony missed on southerners who fly the Confederate flag. Many of them are unknowingly flying it in the face of the American melting pot, in support of multi-culturalism. How can Conservatives balk at people who identify as Mexican-American, or African-American...  then identify with the conquered Confederacy? I know, I know, I've seen the bumper stickers.

"Heritage not Hate."

But in the opinion of most Americans (including most Conservatives), it's a pretty crappy part of our heritage. It's the part of American heritage that fought against the United States for slavery. Or at least what ultimately came to be "The United States." It's also the part of our heritage that lost.

In a nutshell: that's my biggest problem with this issue. States rights do notsupersede "all men are created equal." Slavery absolutely had to be abolished federally. It was within the legitimate purview of the federal government to ensure the preservation of equality for all.

Should businesses have the right to sell Confederate-flag merchandise? Sure, just as they have the right to sell English flag or Italian flag merchandise. The government has no business banning them from doing so. Walmart, Sears etc. are all private businesses. They have every right to do whatever they want. Even if that includes caving to PC.

I'm merely suggesting that we not act like the Confederate flag is any more American, than the very tyranny we fought off to create this great country. Slavery-free.

It's not the hill you want to die on.