Sep 26 6:38 PM

Deconstructing the Confederate flag controversy

Tom Williams/Roll Call

Plans to raise a Confederate flag along I-95 has many Richmond, Virginia residents outraged. The Virginia Flaggers say their intention is to honor Civil War soldiers. A petition against the move, however, garnered over 23,000 signatures, prompting heated debate over the flag’s symbolism. For some, it represents a legacy of slavery and racism while others argue it celebrates Southern heritage. We discuss challenges with reconciling perceptions of the flag at 7:30pmET.

On today's episode of The Stream, we speak to:

Hilary Shelton
NAACP Washington Bureau Director
naacp.org

Michael Givens @CiCSCV
Commander-In-Chief, Sons of Confederate Veterans
scv.org

Gene Policinski @genefac
Senior Vice President, First Amendment Center
newseum.org

Kristen Konate
Activist, United RVA
UnitedRVA.com

What do you think? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.  

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Places
Virginia
Topics
Race & Ethnicity

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