General Discussion

While it is true that symbols can take on meanings different from their original or widely accepted meaning, the reality is that you have to be willfully ignorant to take the flag that was the flag of the Confederate Virginia Army of the North, the Confederate Navy Jack, and eventually the symbol of opposition to the Civil Rights movement across the nation, as anything but a symbol of White Supremacy.

Some people will inevitably say, "It's a symbol of independence" or "Defiance", or "States Rights" or any number of other vague concepts but all you have to ask is "from what?", or "of what?", or "to what?" enough times and eventually it will have to land on slavery or White Supremacy but more likely the person who said it will curse at you and walk away because they know.

We can have a discussion on free speech and legislating the flag as hate speech, etc... I personally think that legislating symbols can have unintended consequences. Statues and the flag in public spaces is one thing. I think it is completely appropriate to not have statues glorifying traitors funded by our tax dollars and in our town squares. I also think that the flag should never fly at a function endorsed by any local, county/parish, state, or federal government entity. The simple fact is that that the flag and statues represent traitors to the United States. The Government does not typically fly any other flags of enemy nations at government endorsed functions, this should be no different. As for private citizens and functions, this is where the first amendment really is the crux of the situation. I read the response of another poster who did not accept that argument (more colorfully than I say here). The reality however is that the government cannot in broad terms, stop private people from putting symbols on their homes, carrying symbols at rallies, or saying things (even vile crap). In very specific ways, there are limits to speech and symbols, but when you start picking and choosing symbols (even though we all know what that flag symbolizes) for the government to ban, then eventually the symbol that you support (Rainbow Flag, BLM t-shirt, etc..) can become the target of government bans.

I would have liked the interviewer to have asked about why Trump came out so hot against Colin Kaepernick's use of free speech/expression by taking a knee during the anthem. I am sure he would have some stupid convoluted argument, but the reality is that Trump is just siding with ideas he supports and the legality and ethics of the situation do not matter to him.