Can't we all just agree that the confederate battle flag?

simply represents a kinder simpler time in american history when among other things people were free to own , show and trade strange and exotic pets from far away lands?

While that did make me chuckle a bit, I think the problem is that the Confederate cause has been so linked to "we want to keep our slaves" thing in history books, that people don't realize that it was really about states' rights. The slavery issues was just an example of why they fought for the states' rights principle. Because historians make that connection, it has become a symbol of racism.