Don't Fly My Flag

First, a moment of clarification. 
This is a Confederate battle flag:

It was usually carried by individual units throughout the war, like this one was: 

It never represented the entire Confederate States of America.  If you didn't know that, don't fly my flag.

If you can't articulate a simple convincing argument as to why you do fly any of these flags, don't fly my flag.

It is not a symbol of hate.  It is a symbol of heritage.  It is a symbol of a lost but not forgotten cause.  That cause is NOT slavery.  Slavery is wrong.  If you do not know that, don't fly my flag.

If you are a racist, don't fly my flag.  You do not deserve to.  Many men of different skin tones fought and died for this flag.  White men.  Black men.  Native American Indians.  These men each fought for their own reasons.  Some were slave owners.  Most were not.  You get that?  MOST were NOT.  If you didn't know that, don't fly my flag.

You see, men died under this banner.  Good men.  Strong men.  Hard working family men.

They died because they believed in individual freedom.  Not mandates from a government that saw itself as all powerful and all knowing although it was far removed from the lives of it's citizens.

If you didn't know that, and don't believe it, don't fly my flag.

If you have hate in your heart.  Don't fly my flag.  Don't wear it on a shirt.  Don't put it on a licence plate.  If you think what you are doing only offends ignorant people, you could not be more wrong.  It offends me, and I am neither ignorant nor intolerant.

So, if you don't get what I mean by any of this, do us both a favor and don't fly my flag.