Confederate flags have hung around state capitol buildings throughout the South for decades.
Even the most earnest of civil rights advocates were resigned to the reality that that is just the way it was, and it wasn’t going to be changing anytime soon.
Then came the shooting deaths of nine innocent people in a church in Charleston, S.C. The assassin, whose name will not be given any more limelight here, was inspired by the hatred for blacks represented by that flag.
The lightning speed of the change in public opinion about that flag in the aftermath of that shooting was breathtaking.
Within 48 hours of the heinous crime, Republican South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley eloquently called for the removal of the flag from the statehouse grounds.
“But know this: For good and for bad, whether it is on the statehouse grounds or in a museum, the flag will always be a part of the soil of South Carolina. But this is a moment in which we can say that that flag, while an integral part of our past, does not represent the future of our great state. The murderer now locked up in Charleston said he hoped his actions would start a race war. We have an opportunity to show that not only was he wrong, but that just the opposite is happening. My hope is that by removing a symbol that divides us, we can move forward as a state in harmony and we can honor the nine blessed souls who are now in heaven,” Haley said.
The reverberation of the lightning speed of her sentiment quickly spread throughout the country. Large retailers such as Walmart and Sears announced they will no longer sell Confederate flags. Leading online retail delivery services such as Amazon and eBay announced they would no longer allow merchandise featuring the Confederate flag to be sold through their portals.
Oak Creek-based Eder Flag Manufacturing Co. Inc., the largest flag manufacturer in America, announced it will no longer manufacture Confederate flags.
“Eugene Eder, our company’s former, long-time owner, fought in World War II against the forces of bigotry, hatred and tyranny. Mr. Eder’s primary reason to own and operate Eder Flag after serving in the U.S. Navy was to produce American flags, a symbol of freedom and opportunity,” said Jodi Goglio, chief operating officer of Eder. “The recent events in Charleston, S.C. and motivating factors behind those events, coupled with Mr. Eder’s legacy, led to our decision to no longer manufacture or sell these types of flags. Our thoughts and sympathies are with the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives in Charleston. Our hope moving forward is that all communities are able to live together in unity so that everyone can experience the freedom and opportunity for which Mr. Eder and so many other veterans fought.”
The retailers and Eder took action, not because they had to or were forced to. They decided it was the right thing to do and it was in their best interests to do it.
Other social issues that are moving forward with resounding speed include the acceptance of gay marriage, a right now guaranteed by the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling, and the realization that climate change is…well, real, thanks to Pope Francis’ first major papal encyclical.
In the digital age, social change can happen at breakneck speed. Businesses – and politicians – would do well to skate to where the pucks are going.
