Civil War: 150 Years On

Today is the 150th anniversary of the start of the American Civil War. I have heard that many States (most of them in the South) are doing little to mark the anniversary. They claim it is because of money problems, but I believe it is because they only want to celebrate the Confederacy and the Old South and not how they lost. I lived in Virginia and have seen first-hand how much in love with all things Confederate people in the South still are. No only do they name schools, buildings, roads, etc after Confederates, but they also have state holidays honoring them.

I firmly believe that Confederate symbols and monuments should be illegal in the United States. They serve the same purpose as Nazi symbols (to discriminate against a group of people.) The fact that groups like the KKK use Confederate symbols and ideals to discrimate against blacks, Jews, Catholics, homosexuals and others shows how important the racist policies of the Confederacy continues to help ignite violence and why they should be outlawed.

I also think we should have big celebrations at the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War since it kept the US united, freed the slaves in the South and started the long journey to make everyone equal.