7 State Flags That Need To Go

This week, controversy has continued to swirl around the Confederate flag, which is still flying high outside South Carolina's capitol building. Now, the contention surrounding the flag might spread around the southern U.S. There are seven state flags that contain confederate imagery at present, imagery seen by many as a symbol of racism and hatred. National attention has centered on the confederate flag flying on government property in South Carolina, and you've gotta wonder what will become of official state flags that include confederate designs.

The seven flags in question belong to: Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas; all of these states are located in the southern U.S. There are two flags that are most commonly associated with the confederacy.

There's the flag we've been seeing so many photos of recently: red background, blue X-shape (which is called the St. Andrew's cross) with white stars on the cross — this is the Confederate battle flag. Then there is the Confederate flag that is often referred to as the "Stars and Bars." This flag has two red bars, one white bar, and a blue corner in the top left with seven stars. Proponents of the confederate flag contend that it does not symbolize the racism that marks the civil war and the flag's creation, but rather it celebrates southern heritage and pride.

Many others protest that the flag is inseparable from the racism and hatred. While opponents fight to have the flag removed from the state capitol in Columbia, South Carolina, let's take a look at the state flags that may turn out to be just as controversial as the confederate flag itself.

Alabama

The Alabama state flag has the signature St. Andrew's cross shape running across it.

Georgia

The Georgia state flag is extremely reminiscent of the stars and bars confederate flag. This flag was instituted only 11 years ago, in 2004.

Florida

Florida's flag is very similar to Alabama's, displaying the red St. Andrew's cross.

Mississippi

Mississippi has managed to combine both popular images of the confederate flag into one state flag.

North Carolina

Here again we see the prominent read and white bars, with blue and a star pattern on the left. This design is also quite similar to Georgia's.

Tennessee

Tennessee's flag perhaps seems a bit more subtle in terms of it's confederate design, but with the circle star pattern and very prominent usage of the color red, the resemblance is certainly there.

Texas

The Texas flag is a very minimalist take on stars and bars.

With the racially motivated tragedy in Ferguson so fresh, symbols so widely associated with slavery and racism are understandably wounding and a source of division. While South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley asks for the confederate flag to be removed from the capitol grounds, we perhaps may see similar steps taken across southern states to update their flag designs.

Images: Getty Images (3); Alabama.gov; Georgia.gov; Wikimedia; Public Domain Image