Wisdom, Justice, and Moderation

When I was a kid, Georgia looked a lot different than it does today. In addition to speaking English, we also had a different flag. Here's the old Georgia flag that I grew up under:

Now, the astute among you will discern a certain element to this flag that is a bit, shall we say, politically incorrect. This flag was introduced in 1956, and incorporated the Confederate Battle Flag, last seen in the Late Unpleasantness. This was done, legend has it, as a response to the growing Civil Rights Movement.

Fast-forward a bit to the Clinton presidency. Having our first black president, it became fashionable to declare the struggle for Civil Rights won, and for the Southern states to slowly divest themselves of Confederate symbolism. In 2001, drunk with the spirit of reconciliation and brotherhood, Georgia started flying a more neutral flag, reminiscent of its antebellum flag.

Attractive, if a bit hard to get tattooed on your biceps. As a compromise between the banjo-playing Beatty-rapers and the Freaknikers, the Confederate Flag lost its prominent place, but remained hidden in the footnotes. After 9/11, people began complaining that the Confederate Battle Flag, a symbol of violence and sedition against the U.S., had no place on an official American symbol. So, Georgia once again replaced their flag with a more neutral version.

Now, many people mistakenly call the Confederate Battle Flag the "Stars and Bars." In fact, it's hard to say the words without the same Southern drawl that Uncle Jesse used when he said it. But the Stars and Bars was actually the official National Flag of the Confederacy, and looked like this:

Now, let me get this straight: Instead of displaying the Battle Flag as a part of the State Flag, Georgia actually adopted the entire Confederate National Flag? You crackers aren't even trying any more.

The question I'm struggling with is whether to forsake the Confederate Navy Jack, and remove it from my backpacks. I wear it as a person who's proud to be from the Southern U.S., but I've been called out on it a couple of times. And when you look at it realistically, what exactly is it about that flag that I'm proud of in the first place?