Honestly, I was prepared to vote against changing the city charter until I saw the story in today's paper regarding billboards displaying a Confederate Battle Flag and stating that voting for the change would be like supporting the Confederate Flag. As a historian and a proud descendant of non-slaveowning Confederate soldiers, I abhor the use of the image of the battleflag by racist hatemongerers who portray my second favorite flag as a racist symbol. I include in this list people such as Francis Slay, who ordered the removal of the Mississippi and Georgia flags from city hall shortly after his election. I worked to get him elected, I will now work towards his defeat. Richard Gephardt also portrayed the battleflag in a racist manner, as did Bob Holden. George W. Bush did the same thing as governor of Texas. I speak out against the Klan and the NAACP for their racist portrayal of the battleflag. It is truly a shame that so many seemingly intelligent people can exhibit such ignorance. We will never rid our society of racism until we vote out all of these pandering, ignorant politicians, and we do away with other racist organizations.

I will be voting in favor of changing the charter.