This is in response to a recent My Turn article titled “Open letter to sponsors of the Faith Fourth” (May 21). The request to sponsors of the Faith Fourth of July parade to withhold financial support if the Confederate Battle Flag continues to be flown in the parade is not from a hostile cancel culture or hate group “peddling an anti-Southern heritage campaign.” It is from people who truly believe that all people should be treated as equals in society. It is from people who oppose hatred of others based on the color of their skin. It is from people who believe that respect and dignity should be afforded to all people. It is not aimed at descendants of N.C. veterans. It is not about the SCV or its organization and accomplishments. That is just a diversion from the real issue at hand.  It is about the removal of the Confederate Battle Flag from the Faith Fourth of July parade.

The flag continues to be a symbol of a war that was fought and lost by the Confederate states who did not want to give up their ownership of their Black slaves. Their heritage and the Black slaves’ heritage occurred at the same time and their stories could not be more different.

Faith has not been seen as an inclusive town for all. Black people certainly do not see it as welcoming and inviting. The Confederate Battle Flag does not represent diversity. It does not represent unity. It only represents that Black people were considered inferior to white people and that chattel slavery allowed Black people to be considered legal property that could be bought, sold and owned forever was lawful at that time.

No Black person and many other people including some Faith residents do not view the Confederate Battle Flag in a positive way. It brings pain and a constant reminder to Black people that they are not seen as equal to white people. Shouldn’t their feelings be considered? The flag is a symbol of intimidation and is seen as racist because that is what it represents. It is also used by white supremacist groups to assert their perceived superiority.

The men of the SCV who served in the various wars that the United States of America was engaged in should be acknowledged and honored as any other veteran. However, the men who fought in the Civil War were fighting as the Confederate states that were not part of the United States of American. The Fourth of July celebration is about the United States of America, not about the Confederate states that fought against the United States.

The Confederate Battle Flag does not belong in the Faith Fourth of July parade. It does not belong in any parade. In fact, it should not be displayed in any public place. It does not represent the United States of America. The Civil War ended 158 years ago and the 13^th Amendment to the United States Constitution ratified in 1865 abolished slavery in the United States.

Thank you to the sponsors who have withdrawn their sponsorship of the Faith parade as long as the Confederate Flag continues to be included in their parade. Any national organization or company with businesses in Rowan County or any strictly local organization or company in Rowan County should carefully consider what message they want to convey to the public. Is it one that continues to support a symbol of slavery and discrimination? Or is it one that promotes and encourages diversity and equity in their hiring processes and the fair treatment of all their employees? You can’t have it both ways.

Carol Pomeroy lives in Salisbury.