SAN ANTONIO – The Confederate flag is a part of Texas history. The National Flag of the Confederate States of America is one of six flags to fly over the State Capitol in Austin.
Dixie Flag Company, based on the east side of San Antonio, is currently selling the Confederate flag and it has no intention of pulling the stars and bars off its shelves.
In fact, several people bought Confederate flags Monday at the store, including a man who told KENS 5 News he plans to burn it.
In the historic flag section of this San Antonio flag store, shoppers can find the Confederate banner. People haven't stopped buying it even though many across the country are calling for the end of the use of that flag.
"We sell Jewish flags. There are people who consider that a hate flag. We sell rainbow flags for gay pride," said store owner Pete Van de Putte. "Where do you start saying 'we're not going to sell symbols because somebody will misuse that symbol'?"
Van de Putte said he wouldn't sell a flag to someone if he knew they intended to use it for hate or violence.
Mike Lowe was in Van de Putte's store Monday. Lowe is a veteran and said he wants to teach his 7-year-old what the Confederate flag means to him.
"A four letter word. That's hate. Bottom line," Lowe said. "It was a reminder to those who are black that you're property, you don't have a say, you don't have a voice. Every time I see that, that's what I'm reminded of."
Lowe said he's going to burn the flag, mostly as a teaching moment for his daughter.
"She has a bright future. I have a bright future, and we have to be break down, tear down, burn down, if you will, some of these systems or all of these systems of oppression," Lowe said.
Lowe said he got the idea to burn the flag as part of a national movement calling for Confederate flags to be burned.
Several online petitions, including one on Facebook, are calling for a peaceful days of Confederate flag burning, but no date has been set yet.
