While I also think it is well past time to have the Confederate battle flag removed, it being a major symbol of past and present racial hate in this country, I am disappointed that the shooting in South Carolina was sidetracked as a racial issue only, when it was also a gun control issue. Because by doing this, once again our elected politicians do not have to face the reality that this killing is another example of why we need better gun laws.

When the shift was made from a racial crime with a gun, to a racial crime only, this took pressure off the National Rifle Association and its political hacks. One can't help but wonder if the NRA or the media deliberately shifted the attention away from guns, to race only; this way the fight is over a symbol only.

The states in question will remove the symbol but not the hate, which will still allow the haters (racial and others) to kill more people with the ease of just a squeeze of the trigger. It is time to force the candidates to take a stand on both race and guns. I hope we can get honest answers to both questions. It's not as easy as removing a flag off a pole.

Raymond Han

Montville