Fan Flies Confederate Flag Above NASCAR Race in Protest

NASCAR made the long-overdue move of banning Confederate flags at their events after the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police provoked global protests from racial justice, but it seems like some fans are still clinging to the racist symbol.

A small plane was spotted flying over the Talladega Superspeedway pulling a banner with a Confederate flag and the words "Defund NASCAR", a dig at the Defund the Police movement. We're absolutely disgusted that anyone could see what's happening in United States right now and still use that flag.

There's no reason for anyone to be flying the Confederate flag, especially not at a sporting event. The flag has been used as a symbol of hate and oppression against African Americans since the Civil War, and we can't understand why some NASCAR fans are so insistent on using it.

NASCAR's executive vice president Steve O'Donnell denounced the fan's "protest" of the Confederate flag ban on Twitter, and it's encouraging that NASCAR is sticking to the new policy despite criticism from some fans. Bubba Wallace, the only African-American NASCAR driver, advocated for removing and has worn Black Lives Matter-related slogans on his shirt and car.

The Confederacy lost the Civil War, and fans want their favorite driver to win, which is all that should matter in situations like these. Refusing to move forward from a symbol of hate is, like the Confederacy learned long ago, a losing battle.