Wal-Mart is not the first company that comes to mind as a leader in progressive social change. But despite all their other faults, I've gotta give them props on their decision to drop Confederate-themed merchandise, including the battle flag.
That type of effort, much more than legislation, is what is needed to make long-lasting cultural change. No rights trampled on. No "tyrannical" regulations. Just a huge retailer making a decision it sees in its long term best interest and happens to benefit society.
It's interesting that those supporting government flying the Confederate flag talk of "heritage," "history," etc. but forget when an how its current meaning developed. It hasn't been consistently a part of state's flags or flown over state houses since the end of the Civil War. Individuals, organizations and states adopted the Northern Virginia flag as the rallying point for anti-segregation efforts, including protests over the Brown vs. Board of Education decision. There was no doubt at the time that the flag represented a pro-segregation point of view and threatened (at least in imagination) a new rebellion. Since that time, it has always been more than just a historical symbol, and rarely in a good way. It's been used by quite a few bands and other entertainers, including for example, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Georgia Satellites. Well, I like "Freebird" as well as anyone, but I don't think you'll find Skynyrd or any of the other "Rebel flag flying" groups on lists of those promoting social/legal equality - at least they didn't when they were on the Sean Hannity tour a few years ago.
Compare to another pirating of a flag with a noble history, the "Don't Tread on Me" flag stolen by the teapartiers. When you see that flag or quote on the back of a truck now, do you think the owner is a student of American Revolutionary War history? Probably not. You think there's a teapartier - no matter how positively or negatively you view teapartiers.
Flags do have meanings. And the meaning of a flag isn't always up to the intent of the one flying it. Cars go by with a Gamecock, Tiger or Devil face on them, do we guess they're just into colorful birds, endangered species, or in some devil-worshiping cult? Probably not. Most of us would know they were supporters of South Carolina, Clemson, or Duke.
The Northern Virginia flag was stolen. It's former meaning wiped away by those who use it to symbolize their segregationist and maybe racist views. Time for the governments, and other people who do respect its history to lower it and display it only as a piece of history.
