In 1962, the all- white South Carolina Legislature voted unanimously to place the Confederate battle flag atop the statehouse. This was a "defiant" move against the rapidly advancing forces of civil rights. Prior to that time, the flag lay quietly in the Confederate Relic Room.

Thirty- eight years later (April 12, 2000) the Legislature was integrated (black, white, male, female). The nation and the state had acknowledged their past sins and accepted a civil rights for all stance. Following a national economic boycott by the NAACP against South Carolina, the Legislature voted to remove the flag (Senate 36- 7, House 66- 43) and place a more traditional version of the battle flag next to a monument honoring fallen Confederate soldiers on the statehouse grounds.

The NAACP was not happy. They continued the boycott (which has been less than successful). Dr. Lonnie Randolph, my friend and fellow Dreher High School graduate, now president of the SC NAACP, has Never Forgotten and is ramping up the call to remove the flag completely. New York Sen. Hillary Clinton agreed with him during her ill- fated campaign in SC.

To continue to fight a battle that was won eight years ago is wasted effort. The flag is off the statehouse. Lonnie, get over it! The NAACP has bigger fish to fry.

I am a fervent defender of civil rights for all Americans. I marched with Lonnie many times and will again when the cause is right. But, this cause is over and should be declared a victory. There are other more important civil rights issues at hand than whether a flag that once flew over our state officially should be burned and stomped into the ground. Give it up, Lonnie.

Dr. Randolph and the NAACP should focus their continuing anger at such things as

• Government wiretapping • Right to habeas corpus • Gay and lesbian property and marriage rights • Freedom of information (government secrecy)

• Freedom of religion ( I Believe license tags).

These issues and many more affect the NAACP constituency much more than a flag that honors those who fought in America's most disastrous and destructive war.