I think its incorrect to say that is represents slavery and treason. Please note that i hate racism in every form, and that i am glad the South lost, as it helped end slavery worldwide. I will also not deny that the war was over slavery, for it was. However, for several reasons, I have to disagree with you. To say that the flag represents slavery and treason and nothing else is a gross simplification of what it actually meant. There is a common misconception that Confederates were a bunch of slave owning rebels, who fought only to preserve their "peculiar institution." Some were, yes, but the reasons behind why many sided with the South go far deeper. Perhaps the main reason was sectionalism. Some of the most famous Confederates- Lee, Jackson, Hill, sided with the Confederacy only because their home state seceded. This opinion was shared among many confederates, as it was common to hold loyalty to state above country at the time. In fact, the issue of slavery was a problem mainly for the rich, plantation owning, influential southerners who began the war in the first place. According to this website, only 26% of white Southern families owned slaves. The common southern soldier had no stake in the issue of slavery, only the richer, plantation owning ones who also held political power. While, on a political basis, the Confederacy existed to preserve slavery, this opinion, as I've said, was shared among mainly the higher up confederates, while the common confederate fought to protect his home, and for this i see reason to have pride in that flag. As for the issue of treason, would you call the American Revolution treasonous? Often times rebellions, such as the American revolution, are called heroic, while the confederate rebellion was treason. At the end of the day, calling the Confederates treasonous would also be calling the American Revolution treason. They were both treasonous, in reality, but one existed for immoral reasons, and so it is apparently more treasonous than the American Revolution. Tldr: The flag was flown into battle by confederate soldiers, many of which fought to preserve their homeland rather than slavery. For this reason, i think it is understandable that some should find pride in the flag, especially if they had an ancestor who was a confederate. Also, they were treasonous, but to say that defines their flag would be to say that the American flag is defined by treason, since they both existed from a rebellion, and both were treasonous.

It is very possible that i gave an incorrect statistic or fact, so please point out any errors. I hope that instead of downvoting and discounting everything i have said, people tell me why they believe I am wrong, as I very well could be.

Some Sources: http://personal.tcu.edu/swoodworth/McPherson-FCAC.htm http://www.wvculture.org/history/wvhs1404.html http://www.civilwarhome.com/slavery.html