Why? Because they respect the rule of law.
The Confederate flag is highly controversial. To some people it represents slavery, secession, racism, and the losing side of a bloody civil war. To others, it speaks of “tradition” and the battlefield bravery of their ancestors. Same symbol, different meanings.
Everywhere in America, the political struggle over this symbolism is complicated. For example, Texas refuses to issue vanity license plates with the Confederate symbol on them, and this week the U.S. Supreme Court turned away a lawsuit challenging that policy on free speech grounds, reasoning that the state cannot be compelled to provide a forum for private opinions.
In South Carolina, the argument over the Confederate flag was resolved by moving it off the state capitol building to a nearby war memorial, where it is chained and padlocked in place, under a weird law that gives the governor power to order the U.S. and South Carolina flags lowered to half-staff, but keeps such power with respect to the Confederate flag in the hands of the General Assembly. Only legislators, not the governor, can lower the Stars and Bars.
Perhaps that taps into some deep psychosis of the Confederate flag’s defenders. Lowering a battle flag also can symbolize defeat and surrender. There are still those who, at least subconsciously, haven’t given up the Confederate cause. So its flag must fly proudly, at full staff, day and night, in all weathers. Going along with this demand is a sop to southerners who like to pretend the South won the Civil War.
Presumably the legislature could vote to lower it, but they won’t, because too many of their constituents are Rebels at heart. Lowering it to honor Robert E. Lee, or some other Confederate luminary, would be no problem. But these are murdered black people we’re talking about. The South fought the Civil War under this banner to keep their kind enslaved.
So, this bloodstained flag with its historical baggage hasn’t been lowered because the law’s the law. Things could be worse. At least they’re obeying a law instead of breaking it.
They only do that when they disagree with the law.
Photo: The chain and padlock could symbolize southern stubbornness.