Confederate Flag coming down
The symbol of hate, the Confederate Flag is now history at the South Carolina Capitol grounds. This is long overdue. The Confederate Flag is gone. This is just the beginning. We should not be satisfied with symbolic corrections. Symbols do not educate. Symbols do not solve economic disparities and inequities. Symbols do not solve employment biases or unemployment.
Many are now talking about getting rid of all vestiges of the Confederacy including statues and memorials. That energy is best used to solve immediate socio-economic problems and disparities. After-all our northern heroes while not codifying hate and biases as did our southern heroes nonetheless had and continue to have the same ills prevalent throughout the entire nation.
One hopes that after the euphoria is over that leaders will use the momentum to tackle real problems. It is time to start working on hearts by having difficult and frank engagements. As this is done things that do not require a change of heart but a change in law must be effected.
Get rid of the barriers to the vote. Get rid of codified bias in the prison industrial complex. Get rid of the bias in the judiciary. Get rid of the disparity in elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools because they are funded by districts that in effect codify discrimination by class. This in effect the kind of palatable discrimination and segregation sanctioned by Republican Lee Atwater of yonder years. Ensure law enforcement and the prosecution reflects America. This takes a lot of work but must be done.
Ridding ourselves of the Confederate Flag was great. If it is not followed by a change that materially affect those that are really aggrieved, then it would make it all for naught. Political leaders, are you listening? ARE YOU REALLY LISTENING? NOW WHAT?