The Stars and Bars or the Southern flag

I was asked the other day by a black man just what the southern flag really means. He told me that he was raised in LA and that his family and everyone he knew was told that the southern flag was a sign of racism , skin heads and the KKK. I told him that being from the south the flag was a sign of freedom from the tyranny that the government bestowed upon its people. When I was a kid I was taught that the southern states succeeded from the union because the southern people were getting over taxed by the government in charge. The southern people were tired of being screwed around and were willing to fight for their rights.
One thing that I do know is that I was born in Texas, a southern state. And I never once was taught that we fought so hard to keep our slaves. Or to build the ranks of the KKK. Why would anyone fight and DIE in the thousands for such stupid reasons. I heard the southern flag called the flag of racism, prejudice, hatred, strife,  the flag of the KKK, and the skin head movement. When actually The Southern Flag represents the southern people in general. All southern people, not just the White southern people but Black as well. All races in the south are covered under the southern cross. We as Southerners have a great deal of pride invested in the southern flag, It flew in many battles during the civil war. And now it is flying in the midst of many battles today. It looks like the government is still trying to get rid of the south. But we stand tall, just like our flag. So to the people who are trying to destroy our flag by making it yours. Mainly the racism group, skin heads, and the KKK.  Step back and make your own flag so you wont have to hide behind ours.