The reasoning of these experts brings to mind the concept of a panacea, something that has always fascinated me - the idea that there is a simple explanation and simple solution for a complex problem. Although history has proven that panaceas seldom live up to their expectations, politicians and activists often use them to hoodwink a trusting public. They imply that complex problems can be resolved with simplified solutions. But the over-simplified solution rarely resolves the problem, and unintended negative consequences frequently result.

Throughout history, it was common for people to take actions based on beliefs in fanciful panaceas. One of the earliest, and most bizarre was the belief in a Fountain of Youth. It was thought that drinking from this miraculous fountain would not only heal illness but also prevent the aging process.

The panacea concept was also an essential part of the peculiar phenomenon known as political correctness that began to emerge in the 1970s. Those promoting this false premise tried to convince the public that a society could be created wherein no one would see or hear anything that might "hurt their feelings" or "lower their self-esteem." Like the ancients who were taken in by tales of a Fountain of Youth, some Americans actually believed that a Politically Correct Utopia was feasible. Without the manipulative electronic media's mass communications, it is doubtful that the public could have been hoodwinked by such a pie-in-the-sky concept.

Unfortunately, before the public began to grasp that Political Correctness was based on exaggerations and falsehoods, PC had spawned innumerable far-fetched ventures that were taken to ridiculous extremes. One PC project is the eradication of Southern heritage. The PC crowd views Southern heritage like minstrel shows, wherein blackface performers portrayed blacks as buffoonish and happy-go-lucky, lazily singing, dancing, and playing musical instruments. But these shows served no purpose other than entertainment, so their elimination was not widely contested. But "Southern Culture" has different meanings for different people. Those who view it as an honored heritage are just as plentiful as those who claim it represents hatred. So its PC elimination involves pacifying one side while rejecting the other.

As we would expect, the Leftist media heartily supports those who claim that the Confederate flag represents hatred, even though opinion polls indicate that the majority of Americans believe that it represents heritage. The majority's favorable opinion of the flag has remained fairly consistent over the years despite media's histrionic attempts to vilify it. -- As bizarre as it may sound, the trashing of Southern heritage has gotten so out of hand, that a city council voted to have the graves of a Confederate officer and his wife exhumed and removed from a city park! It is doubtful that the desecration of the final resting places of the Southern dead will ameliorate the complaints of minorities. So far, none of the ongoing Leftist cleansing campaigns have satiated them.

We've learned from experience not to expect logic from Leftists and minorities who have been given full reign to determine how a societal symbol will be interpreted. They have even coerced the removal of symbols that they characterize as invidious. Leftists and minorities initially maintained that they only opposed displays of Confederate memorabilia at government sites. But in a sub-Rosa action, subtle pressure forced Wal-Mart, Amazon, and other retailers to discontinue selling Confederate-related merchandise to private individuals.

Another preposterous illustration of the attempts to delete Southern heritage is the Southern Poverty Law Center's massive data-gathering project, "Erasing Hate." This project involves the creation of a comprehensive map pinpointing the locations of all Confederate tributes and memorials on public places throughout the country. The SPLC is seeking input from public informers to help identify these sites, as they are so numerous and in out-of-the-way places in smaller towns. The SPLC actually maintains that a local memorial honoring soldiers who lost their lives during the War Between the States represents hate. After identifying these Southern memorials, the SPLC will strive to have them demolished.

Although polls indicate that many blacks disapprove of the Confederate flag, polls also show that the majority of blacks are opposed to a cleansing of everything related to Southern heritage. In fact, influential blacks have begun to speak out against demands for the flag's removal. A typical example are comments from civil rights icon and former Atlanta mayor, Andrew Young. Speaking of the black community, Young said: "The problems we face don't have anything to do with the flag ...The challenge for us is not to wipe out our past history but to learn to live together in the future."

Although it's too soon to call Andrew Young's comments a trend, quite a few blacks are realizing that the energy spent erasing the past could be better spent addressing more pressing problems. Also, the public no longer blindly accepts racial accusations made by Leftists and black malcontents; they simply do not hold up under scrutiny. They only intensify adversarial racial attitudes.

We have learned that the elimination of historical reminders to pacify grievance groups is a never-ending process. As soon as one historical reminder is removed, another is deemed offensive and targeted for elimination. If the Confederate windows at Washington National Cathedral are removed then the sanctuary's burial site for Woodrow Wilson must also be removed. Wilson was a segregationist who not only supported the separation of the races but spoke favorably of the KKK.

Gail Jarvis is a Coastal Georgia free-lance writer. Mr. Jarvis is a member of the Society of Independent Southern Historians and his articles have appeared on websites, magazines, and publications for various organizations. He lives with his wife in St Simons Island.