At risk of appearing to defend our nation’s original sin of slavery, I offer a more compelling reason than the three Rob has offered as to why some Americans honor the confederate flag as a holy relic: them good ol’ boys, Bo and Luke Duke.

Though this argument seems ridiculous, it is not tongue in cheek. Many Americans, myself firmly entrenched among them, are rebels at heart. Our rebellious natures take many forms, running the gamut from merely going against the societal grain to outright lawlessness.

I submit that for we who have the providential fortune of being born after the great struggle for civil rights, the confederate flag is more widely recognized as a rebel symbol. Thereby, it is a visual representation of the adrenaline rush we get from the shock our outrageous behavior causes to those working to advance a more dignified society.

Indeed, the current clash of opinions over the confederate flag is an argument over decency. However, until a single definition of what the confederate flag symbolizes can be agreed upon, the argument cannot have an amicable resolution. Though it may be removed from state houses, the confederate flag will maintain a place of honor in homes, and hearts, across the United States. Our nation was born of rebellion and the blood of our noble revolutionaries will continue to pulse through the veins of its ever-rebellious citizens.

I love conversion stories! And yours is awesome!