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Rebel flag is hate speech

Regarding “Idaho flag photo irks some” (Aug. 25): I am the first to step up and protect a person’s constitutional right to freedom of speech, but waving this flag is hate speech and not protected. This flag represents losers with no respect for humanity. They created an illusion of race to justify their owning of human beings. They fabricated facts to show slaves were “less than” the white race.

The Civil War was deadly: approximately 620,000 Americans died. At his surrender, when asked what to do with the flag, Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee replied, “Fold it up and put it away.” He also ordered no confederate flags at his funeral.

This flag and the hate that it represents are kept alive by people who promote an illusion of race. The illusion is as heinous as the crimes of those that perpetuate it. People have been lynched, burned, bombed, shot, drowned and murdered in a number of ways by people perpetuating the culture of hate the flag represents.

We need to send a clear message that hiding behind a historical argument regarding this banner of hate is unacceptable. Ironically, most of the Confederate flags sold in the United States are made in China.

Alfredo Llamedo

Spokane



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