The Confederate Battle Flag gets Banned.

NASCAR is banning the Confederate Battle Flag from being flown at their events.

On the surface, this is a good, if long overdue, thing.

To me? Meh.

How about offering an exchange; a Stars and Stripes for every Confederate Battle Flag turned in?

This would take Confederate Battle Flags out of circulation decreasing the number of those available to be displayed.

But if we agree the Confederate Battle Flag is inappropriate and offensive in today’s world, that it has no place outside a history book or museum, then shouldn’t we be seeking to ban the production of the Confederate Battle Flag?

Banning the Confederate Battle Flag from NASCAR events does not reduce the number of Confederate Battle Flags nor stop their production, it just changes where they are displayed. And when NASCAR fans bring Confederate Battle Flags to events anyway we know TV coverage will show them bringing more publicity to a bad thing. Additionally, it is predictable that anyone openly displaying a Confederate Battle Flag at a NASCAR event going forward will be spoiling for a confrontation and how NASCAR officials handle that will be critical. No need to provide more coverage and publicity for proponents of displaying the Confederate Battle Flag as that would be akin to stirring up controversy ala Colin Kapernick's kneeling during our National Anthem.

Anyway, treating superficial symptoms of a deeper problem is not good enough. 

Taking the Confederate Battle Flag out of production is a much stronger message.

From what I have been able to discern there is only one American company still producing Confederate flags for sale and distribution that being:

Alabama Flag & Banner Co.

2720 Governor's Drive

Huntsville, Alabama 35805

1-800-523-3524

sales@alabmaflag.com

As of this writing the front page of their website boldly displays the Confederate Battle Flag.

https://www.alabamaflag.com/

Lets 

Let's start here. 

Contact this company and in a civilized manner express your displeasure and disgust with their product. Do NOT go all nuclear on them. Absolutely NO VIOLENCE directed at the company, it's ownership or its employees. That would be counter productive and only serve to harden and solidify their current stance.  Figuratively hit them where it will have the most impact - financially, their bottom line. Take note of ALL their products and boycott them until they stop producing the Confederate battle flag.

Don't be fooled though.  We are still treating symptoms of the problem. If we want to address the hate we must do so with LOVE.  We must work to build relationships between the races. We must learn to trust one another. We must learn to respect one another. We must learn to love one another.  These are the tenets of Christianity and all other good religions of the world. 

We need to MAGA ... no, not necessarily to Make American "Great" Again although that would be a by-product of what I propose. MAGA = Make America Godly Again.

Hey!  It's not a great saying as God has always been and will always be present in our lives, but we need to emphasize the teachings of God the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ in our country. The "Creator" referenced in our Declaration of Independence. If we do that, we will address the root cause of the problem of racism plaguing our society today. 

Live the Golden Rule.