Origins

• One negative aspect of the Confederate flag is that its origins can be traced to its use as a symbol of war. During the American Civil War, the flag that is recognized as the Confederate flag today was originally used as a battle flag for the Army of Northern Virginia and was later adopted by the whole of the Confederacy. As the symbol of the South, which was rebelling against the United Sates at this time, there is a deep-seated sense of division associated with the flag.
  
  

Civil Rights Issues

• A large part of the controversy that surrounds the Confederate flag relates to issues of civil rights and racism. To many African-Americans, the Confederate flag represents a time of racism, slavery and second-class citizenship in the Old South, which is something that should not be celebrated. These issues were exacerbated when the flag began to be adopted as the symbol of white supremacy groups in the mid-20th century. Civil rights issues connected with the flag have led to controversy over whether the flag should be displayed at institutions such as the South Carolina Statehouse and University of Mississippi football games.
  
  

Misuse of the Symbol

• From the second half of the 20th century, the Confederate flag began to be adopted by extremist groups, misusing the symbol. White supremacy groups such as the Ku Klux Klan use the flag as their banner in the U.S. In other countries, the Confederate flag has also been adopted as the symbol of neo-Nazi skinhead extremist groups. This meant that use of the flag could be seen as showing an allegiance to groups such as these, and civil rights controversies connected to the flag began to be felt far more strongly.
  
  

Economy and Industry

• More recently, the Confederate flag has begun to have a negative impact on industry and the economy. Although the South is experiencing a period of rapid industrialization, with international businesses establishing themselves in the area due to the low cost of land and labor, the appearance of the Confederate flag leads to unease among investors who do not want their businesses to be associated with the controversy surrounding it.