Is the Daily editorial board in the habit of publishing its two-bit opinions AFTER a controversial issue has already been settled? What the hell good is that? Confederate flags have been rightfully coming off positions of sovereignty for the past couple of years, and suddenly, out of the blue, you bravely shout: “Take them Confederate flags down, ya dern rebs!” You have no idea what the controversy in South Carolina was like last year, when the flag was finally taken off the Capitol dome. You also can’t imagine the mindsets down here. (It was an eye-opener for me, let me assure you.) South Carolinians virtually worship their ancestors. For many, removing the flag was like digging up their grandpappy’s grave and spitting on the corpse. As a Yankee transplant, only two thoughts entered my head when I saw a Confederate flag: 1) Civil War reenactment, or 2) KKK rally. I’ve always felt that if people wanted to respect this symbol of their heritage, they should have prevented it from being used by white supremacist hate mongers over the past century. They didn’t, and now they have to suffer the consequences. The flag is thankfully off the dome and out of the House and Senate Chambers. What I don’t want to see is an uninformed editorial board, completely insulated from the controversy, resurrect an issue that needs to stay buried. Richard Scharf

Department of Natural Resources

South Carolina