A 20-by-30-foot Confederate States of America flag was recently erected, along Interstate 40 in North Carolina, The News & Observer reports.

This is the second such flag raised along I-40, and the Sons of Confederate Veterans say there are more to come. The group plans to erect large confederate flags in every single North Carolina county along the interstate highway.

The flag was placed on the property belonging to ogroup member Smitty Smith, who said the new Confederate initiative was a response to the removal of Confederate monuments.

"We said before, when they take down our monuments, we put up flags," Smith told Spectrum News.

Smith asserted his actions have nothing to do with race, but rather his allegiance to the CSA flag is more about preserving white history.

“Its our heritage, our ancestors," he noted. "There's not anything racist about it.”

Smith argues that the Civil War had absolutely nothing to do with slavery, and instead, the war was fought over taxes. Local resident, Stephanie Comfort echoed his sentiment.

“The focus [of the Civil War] was money," Comfort said. "Unfortunately, it was infused with the ugliness of prejudiceness. [sic] I understand American history, so it wouldn’t be offensive to me."

Smith called those who believe the Civil War was fought because of slavery "ignorant people.”

“Study the history of it," Smith said. "The only thing that makes that flag racist is ignorance. People do not know the history of the Confederacy.”

Photo: GIPHY

Smith maintains the flag is not racist, although he did say it was specifically raised to honor former KKK leader and CSA army general Nathan Bedford Forrest, Morganton reports.

Smith pointed out that his new, giant Confederate flag lacks a canter star in homage to Forrest, who tore the star out of his battle flag in an effort to strike fear in the hearts of his opponents.

“All we want to do, just like Robert E. Lee said, is to be left alone,” Smith said. “We don’t go out here and tear down Martin Luther King statues. I think Martin Luther King was a great man.”

Comfort added that she has high hopes for the flag. "I think it will put Morganton on the map and it [will] go viral.”

The Sons of Confederate Veterans

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