“Oh, are we done praying now?” I asked Sera as she interrupted our bedtime prayers with an exclamation.

“We forgot about the ice cream!” she said with uncharacteristic enthusiasm for 11 p.m.

Perhaps her mind was wandering while we prayed, or maybe it was divine intervention. Either way, we weren’t praying for too much longer. Sometimes certain priorities take precedent over others, yet it probably doesn’t hurt for us to stop and reflect on if what we’re prioritizing is the right thing to prioritize.

I was reminded of this several times in the last week with the many discussions taking place about the Confederate flag being on display at a state capitol, in a parade, on the side of a hill and in my own neighborhood. The latest discussions on the flag spawned a bit unexpectedly from the Charleston church shooting on June 17 and have managed to linger on through press coverage and opinionated columns like this one for weeks now. It’s something that has been written about so frequently, I initially didn’t intend to lend my voice to it because I wasn’t sure what else could be said. People have opinions — strong opinions — and they are unlikely to change their position very quickly.

Is all the discussion about the Confederate flag distracting us from the real issue of race in America? With this unending discussion over a piece of cloth taking over the headlines, I can only conclude banning the Confederate flag will certainly eliminate racism in its entirety throughout America. Of course I’m being facetious. Racism continues with or without a flag that some associate with it.

That being said, long journeys are completed one step at a time. Years ago slavery was still legal. Incredible progress has been made toward racial equality, but the journey does continue. Perhaps the next step really is removing a divisive flag. Symbols have power. A look at Nazi Germany reveals the power of the swastika. About.com shared this about the history of this ancient symbol: “Until the Nazis used this symbol, the swastika was used by many cultures throughout the past 3,000 years to represent life, sun, power, strength and good luck.” Historically accurate or not, the Confederate flag has become a symbol for the losing side of the Civil War and our country’s division on slavery, among other issues.

Symbols mean different things to different people, and you don’t get to decide how other people interpret them. If someone is OK displaying a flag many consider to be racist, he or she shouldn’t be surprised when people in disagreement with that symbol call him or her a racist. People certainly have the freedom of speech to display what they desire (at least when you’re representing yourself, probably not so much when you’re representing another entity), as well as to express a contrary view.

I have to wonder where some people’s priorities are when they start defending symbols like the Confederate flag. We should be spending our time furthering conversation to help others succeed. If out of the many issues keeping our country and our people from success, someone feels most called to take a stand in support of what many deem a racist flag, I’m disappointed. I just feel like there must be something better out there for a person to rally around. If a group’s passion about freedom of speech leads to them displaying the Confederate flag, I may understand what you’re trying to do. However, there are much better symbols and stories to use to further that conversation.

I think we all should take a moment and reflect on what we’re prioritizing. Is it worth it? Shortly after the Charleston church shooting, my neighbors took down their flag. I’m guessing it wasn’t a coincidence.

To me, support for the Confederate flag isn’t worth it, but maybe it is to someone else. You can certainly try to convince me, and I’ll keep an open mind about re-prioritizing it over racial equality. In the meantime, I think it’s important to acknowledge we all get a little sidetracked by divisive flags or forgotten ice cream in the freezer. Being able to refocus helps us grow as individuals and as a nation.

 

Rochester resident Matt Knutson is the communications and events director for United Way of Olmsted County.