The Southern Cross makes an appearance in Torrington

So I was driving down Elm Street today, when a peculiar sight caught my eye. There, in all it's socially-ambiguous splendor, was the Southern Cross - more popularly known as the Confederate Flag - blowing in the wind outside of someone's house.

There was a small group of people standing around, taking pictures. It looked like they were the neighbors of the 'flagee', perhaps as perplexed as I, making an effort to document the strange occasion.

Now, whatever, you know? There's some controversy over the Confederate flag, which needs no introduction, but I've got to wonder why people still fly it. Is it a pride thing, really? Or are you just trying to offer a big "fuck you" to those who may find it offensive?

It's hard to change long-held associations with something. I've heard the 'pride not prejudice' thing for a while, but no matter how you see it, the Confederate flag still reminds people of some seriously dark history in this country, as it will continue to for a long time.

But hey, some people worship the image of a horrific torture device as a symbol of salvation. If they can pull that around after 2,000 years, there's hope yet for the Southern Cross.