I come from a family of Union soldiers. As a result, I chafe when I see so-called “patriots” waving the Stars and Bars. That flag is a sign of rebellion and treason, and it resulted in the death of over 2% of our nation’s population at the time. By comparison, that fatality rate compares with what France endured in World War I. Yes, we should point to the racist basis for the rebellion, but even if we accept the argument that the war was about an abstraction such as “state’s rights,” that should not justify anyone romanticizing this case of mass treason.