It’s a debate that rages like wildfire through Mississippi’s rural towns and urban centers alike. Those who favor the removal of the Confederate battle flag (commonly referred to as the Dixie flag) from the state flag of Mississippi cite the rampant racism of the South during the time when the flag was first in use.
On the other hand, those who favor leaving the state flag untouched claim that though the flag was used for racist purposes in the past, its current use is as a symbol of Southern pride, not racism. Many are torn on the issue, and question whether the issue is as important as it is being made out to be—they wonder if it would even make a difference if the Confederate flag was removed from the design of the current state flag.
The most important question in the debate is whether the Confederate flag is inherently racist or if the way it is used makes it racist. 
It cannot be ignored that the flag was created as a battle flag for the Confederate States of America, whose primary, though far from sole, goal in the secession was to maintain the legality of slavery. The history the flag holds makes it difficult, if not impossible, to separate the symbolism of the flag from the racism inherent in the 1860’s South.
Further supporting this view is the fact the Confederate flag all but disappeared after the Civil War. The Washington Post states that in 1930, South Carolina Senator Coleman Livingston Blease, an overt racist, had a Confederate flag custom made in order to have one to display in his office because one did not exist for him to purchase.
The Confederate flag only reappeared en masse in the 1940s, when Strom Thurmond, a politician, used it as a rallying symbol during a protest against civil rights. Although the modern use may or may not be intentionally racist, it is practically impossible to separate the flag from its racial connotations and thus, it can be construed as a racist symbol.
The next critical question is: if the flag were deemed racist, would there actually be any benefit to removing the Confederate flag from the design of the state flag? After all, some may say changing the design of the state flag does not change the fact slavery or racism existed; instead, it serves as a reminder of what has happened, so we can learn from the mistakes of the past.
In all honesty, it likely would not be beneficial to leave the Mississippi flag the way it is. However, simply changing the design of the state flag would do nothing to help the condition of racism or prejudice in the South, only action will accomplish that. Thus, it would not help racial tensions in Mississippi to change the state’s flag.
This leads us to the final verdict: the flag is, at its core, racist. This could change in time, perhaps, with great effort but is currently not the case. Yet the practical effects of changing or retaining the design are virtually nil; it is, after all, only a symbol of the state and a symptom of the horrible disease called racism.
So what is there to do?
Change the flag—not for the practical consequences, but out of respect. By removing the Confederate flag from Mississippi’s flag, we show respect to those thousands and millions of slaves who did suffer, if not under the flag, then because of it.
Moreover, by doing this, we will demonstrate that any semblance of racism in our government will not be tolerated.
As a final note, I am not saying the Confederate flag should be outlawed in any way, shape, form or fashion. I am not saying those who advocate leaving it as the Mississippi state flag are immoral for holding that opinion. I simply wish to assert that I believe it would be fundamentally respectful to African Americans of the past, present and future to do so. Additionally, if a government does not respect the people it governs, is that truly a democratic government?
Contact Rob Merrell at [email protected] follow him on Twitter.