At 150th Anniversary, Civil War is Still Relevant to Most Americans

A new poll, from Pew Research, "Civil War at 150: Still Relevant, Still Divisive":

As the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War approaches, most Americans say the war between the North and South is still relevant to American politics and public life today.

More than half of Americans (56%) say the Civil War is still relevant, according to the latest national survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, conducted March 30-April 3 among 1,507 adults. Nearly four-in-ten (39%) say the Civil War is important historically but has little current relevance.

In a nation that has long endured deep racial divisions, the history of that era still elicits some strong reactions. Nearly half of the public (46%) says it is inappropriate for today's public officials to praise the leaders of the Confederate states during the war; 36% say such statements are appropriate.

Nonetheless, a majority (58%) say they have no particular reaction to the Confederate flag, the symbol of the South. Among those who have a reaction to the flag, more than three times as many say they have a negative reaction as a positive reaction (30% to 9%).

More at the link above. An interesting correlation would be to cross-tabulate opinion on the Civil War with party identfication. The Pew results find 37 percent independent, 32 Democrat, and 25 Republican. No doubt Democrats are most likely to have negative reaction to the Confederate Flag. Which reminds me, the attacks on people as racist who show any pride in Southern heritage are pretty pathetic. Yeah, Charles Johnson, Scott Lemieux and a few other progressive losers, I'm talkin' to you.