Divisive emblem

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

The Confederate battle flag lives on as one of the most divisive emblems of American history. ....

The Sons of the Confederacy and like-minded groups have every right to honor Southern heritage in any civil manner they please. ... But it's entirely different for Gov. Matt Blunt to lend the state's imprimatur to the affair by ordering the flag to fly prominently at a military cemetery. The Confederacy's flags were symbols of the enemy of the United States. Mr. Blunt's decision to fly the Confederate battle flag at Higginsville, Mo., is as offensive as was President Ronald Reagan's visit to the graves of SS troopers at Bitburg, Germany, 20 years ago.

The Confederate battle flag has been absent from the cemetery's main flagpole and at Fort Davidson State Historic Site in Pilot Knob, Mo., since January 2003, on orders of former Gov. Bob Holden. ...

This nation already has a powerful, unifying holiday to honor its dead. It's called Memorial Day. There's no need to stir up division by raising that other flag at Higginsville.