The year 2015, like any other year, was filled to the brim with exciting stories, developments, and technological advancements. However, it was also littered with atrocities that included terror attacks in France and brutal acts of violence committed by police forces here in the United States. However, we also witnessed what appeared to be the resurgence of the Civil Rights Movement we all, hopefully, learned about through middle and high schools. With that, we have also seen the fight against the Confederate flag.

In 1776, we announced our independence from Great Britain. We did this for a number of reasons, and of which many are located in a list of grievances so eloquently worded by Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence. The colonies were taxed to no end, they were denied of their liberties to establish courts of justice, and mistreated considering they were a “part” of the British empire. In other words, the colonists were being used to advance the wealth and power of the British government.

Being that we recite the pledge of allegiance before class, sporting events, and other activities, we all know who won the Revolutionary War. But here is a question I have been thinking about for some time now: why are we not offended by the British flag? Did they not treat the colonies with disrespect? Did they not kill and destroy communities, families and homes? Were we not enslaved in some way, shape or form? We did grow crops like tobacco and hunt for furs for the sake of the British Kingdom, but did they treat the colonists with any amount of dignity?

The answer is no, we are not offended by the British flag. In fact, we are one of the closest of friends and allies in this world.

Now, when we were all in history class, at some point or other in our lives, we were probably all asked, “What was the cause of the civil war?” to which many responded undoubtedly was slavery. If you think I am removing slavery from the cause of the Civil War, please continue reading.

While slavery was a cause of the Civil War, it wasn’t the cause of the Civil War. Now, while I am from a small town in New Jersey above the Mason-Dixon line, I have come to understand how significant a role Southern culture played in the 1800’s and the Civil War. Southerners were proud of their land, families, homes, and most importantly their state. From the very first Continental Congress, states have strongly opposed a central unified government. With that said, arguably the only reason a central government was constructed was because the colonies were forced to do so in order to defeat the British army in the Revolutionary war.

Now, it had only been 85 years from when the Declaration of Independence was signed and when the Civil War kicked off at Fort Sumter in South Carolina. Understand that these emotions and feelings for their sense of state are alive and well at this point. They fought for their state, their families and their name, homes and livelihood.

The South despised the idea of being governed by a group of representatives hundreds of miles away, and telling them how to live their lives. However, they also did not want to give up their slaves, at least, the ones that had them. But not every Southern family owned slaves.

In fact, the only way one could afford slaves was to be extremely wealthy, something that was rare in the South. Even with that said, some of the wealthiest southerners were abolitionists. Take, for example, the commander of the Army of Northern Virginia (the Confederate Army), Robert E. Lee. Although Lee despised slavery, he still sided with the South as he could not fight against the people of Virginia.

It is an undeniable culture and one that still exists today. It is why we will continue to see the “Southern Cross” fly. What I am saying is that we should not be offended by the Confederate flag. The Confederate Flag stands for so much more than slavery if it even does that.

It stands for a people who were determined at all costs to preserve the life they knew and loved. So before we get offended by this three by five material that waves in the wind, take a step back and think about the true sentiments behind the “Southern Cross.” If we are not offended by the British flag, we must not be offended by the Confederate flag.