I am a Columbia County resident in the U.S. military. I read the Lake City Reporter online to keep up on happenings in and around our community. I was very troubled to see that the NAACP, and in particular Glenel Bowden, have found fault with the Confederate flag in our city logo.

While I see that the Confederate flag to some means hate and racism, I also see that the Confederate flag for many means heritage and history. In Columbia County, we have a time of celebration every year commemorating the Battle of Olustee, a Civil War battle. Is this next to go? Do we throw our history to the wayside to appease those who do not know what the Confederate flag means in the first place?

It pains me to see that the use of our symbol of Southern pride by hate groups such as the KKK has left everlasting scars on communities throughout the South, including ours. The Confederate battle flag flew over our forefathers' heads in a time of great struggle in this country. Right or wrong, those men deserve to be recognized ‹ especially in Lake City and Columbia County, where the Civil War was a cornerstone in the building of this community.

In closing, the Confederate flag run deep into the roots of our town and the rest of the South, and our esteemed city council should take a long hard look at this issue realizing that this is about heritage and history, not hate.