In Kansas, the Confederate flag still flies on some private property, but government officials decided to pull down one, at least temporarily, from the Veterans Memorial Plaza.
The Confederate flag was one of 13 flags that fly at the John S. Stevens Pavilion, located near downtown Wichita,
The Wichita Eagle reported.
Vote Now: Should the Confederate Flag Be Removed From All Government Buildings?
It has been flying there since 1976, and was selected symbolically to be "inclusive" of all who fought in the war, the newspaper said.
As the national debate on the Confederate flag escalated after the South Carolina church shooting, Wichita leaders initially left the flag in place. But in July, it was finally taken down, although the discussion will continue and the decision may not
be permanent, the Eagle said.
"I am not supporting, I don’t identify and am not a part of the Confederate states and what that flag stands for," Ted Ayres, who helped create the Veterans Memorial Park World War II memorial, told the Eagle. "But it is part of American history and was clearly a significant part of our nation’s development, right or wrong. With current events the way they are, it is certainly a topic of discussion."
When the flag was taken down, Wichita Mayor Jeff Longwell said at a press conference, "Our intent is to get beyond this divisiveness that is represented in this symbol, and continue our dialogue with the veterans who have earned the right to provide guidance on the monuments installed in that park."
But as with most of the country, Kansans do not agree on whether the Confederate flag should stand or be taken down.
"It cannot be lowered, and it should never be lowered," Joe Baughman, commander of the Kansas Division Sons of Confederate Veterans, told KSNT.
He added that the flag is a symbol of history and also said that the reasons for the Civil War are not necessarily those taught in school. That attitude does not hold true with other Kansans, who say it's ridiculous to think the flag isn't racist.
"He’s either unaware, or he’s lying or is just a fool,” Rev. Gordon Glenn III, head pastor at Topeka's St. John AME church, told KSNT about Baughman. “It absolutely is a sign of racism and slavery."
Urgent: Should Government Buildings Be Forced to Remove the Confederate Flag?
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.