Poll: Americans say Confederate flag symbol of pride, not racism

A majority of Americans see the Confederate flag as a symbol of Southern pride, not as a symbol of racism.

However, there is a clear racial divide on how the rebel flag is perceived and what should be done about it and other references to the Confederacy.

According to a new CNN/ORC poll, 57 percent of all sampled adults say the Confederate flag is a symbol of Southern pride. Thirty-three percent called it more a symbol of racism and five percent said it is both equally. Nearly three-fourths (72 percent) of blacks view the Confederate flag as more of a symbol of racism, while two-thirds (66 percent) of whites view it as a symbol of pride.

Public opinion about the flag now is about where it was 15 years ago. In May 2009, 59 percent of Americans viewed the Confederate flag as symbol of Southern pride. Sixty-nine percent said the same in December 1992 — both according to a CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll.

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