What is our community responsibility when bigotry arises? Do we remain silent? Or do we stand together and gently educate those hopefully misinformed individuals engaged in the offending behavior? Such a test is upon us as confederate flags fly from trucks (or in Brewer, from a gas station).

If safe, those who know these individuals, their families could encourage them with facts: 80,000 Mainers fought in the Civil War; 8,341 died; Brewer Mainer Joshua Chamberlain helped end the war at the Battle of Gettysburg. Though legal, why would we wish to see the flag flying of the side that lost, that supported slavery (while in 2015 we oppose human trafficking)?

The flag resurged in the 1960s as a symbol opposing the Civil Rights Movement. Does it belong on our public roads? How do children who are black living here or visiting feel when they see the flag? If you are white, how would you feel if you were black? How do tourists feel, wondering if this represents the values of Maine.

Are we comfortable seeing a flag designed by William T. Thompson, who stated: “As a people, we are fighting to maintain the Heaven-ordained supremacy of the white man over the inferior or colored race.” “As a national emblem, it (the confederate flag) is significant of our higher cause, the cause of a superior race.”

Are we better than this? If you don’t know what to do, consider taking the pledge at the national Not In Our town site: www.niot.org : “I pledge to stand up to all forms of hate, bigotry and bullying. I will not stay silent in the face of intolerance.”

Diane Smith lives in Cushing