Reflect on patriotism, ways to heal nation: #tellusatoday

Letters to the editor:

On a recent trip to the grocery store, my wife and I came upon a truly moving sight. As we exited the parking lot, we came upon a group of Boy Scouts along with their leaders. They were slowly lowering an old American flag. They folded it properly and replaced it with a new one.

The reverence and care they used with this old flag made our hearts proud to be Americans and let us know that the young people of today are being taught proper flag procedures by their Scoutmasters and leaders. It truly was a patriotic experience.

Ray Harris; Springfield, Mo.

Discussions about racism and prejudice are front and center of the American conversation at the moment. Given the recent tragedy in Charleston, S.C., it is not hard to see why. But, finding a viable "solution" to the issue is far more problematic.

Racism is anchored in the hearts of individuals, and this is where it must be attacked. Mistrust and fear of those who are different from us are likely rooted in our evolutionary past. In prehistoric times, such feelings were a matter of survival, as potential adversaries were all around.

Countering such instincts calls for integration of communities that can dispel the stereotypes that support racist attitudes. It is a difficult challenge, but one we must accept if we are ever to be truly the United States of America.

Ken Derow; Swarthmore, Pa.

This weekend we again celebrate our country's freedom, but on the National Mall, there are two prominent structures that honor slaveholders George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. Even though they served under a document that said "all men are created equal," they did not relinquish their "property."

If they had set the precedent, there might not have been a Civil War. It's time to tear down these stains on our history.

Stan Barnes; Cleveland

Flags honor the American spirit

What represents the American spirit: flying the Confederate flag or taking it down? Comments from Twitter are edited for clarity and grammar:

Honestly, telling someone to take down a flag is a form of censorship, which goes against the First Amendment, even if you disagree.

— @DubToTheWub

The American spirit is represented by the U.S. flag; anything else is notAmerican.

— @DocAtx512

Unless symbols of slavery embody the American spirit, I'd have to reply: taking it down.

— @waldensamkeit

For more discussions, follow @USATOpinion and #tellusatoday on Twitter.