During his podcast before his Thursday show on MSNBC, Ed Schultz offered his thoughts on the nationwide renewal of the controversy surrounding the Confederate flag. Schultz said that while he understood why people wanted to remove the flag from government buildings in wake of the Charleston shooting, “the attempt to erase American history as if it’s going to change our course as a nation” is an overboard response.

“The desecration of our nation’s history, I think, is dangerous and I think it’s unproductive,” Schultz said. He went on to defend the flag as a part of America’s roots, saying that eradication would not do as much good as putting the flag into a context that teaches and recognizes the historical progression of national values.

“I think its display in public places, number one, is misplaced and it should be corrected and it is being corrected,” Shucltz said. “But to erase the roots of our country serves no purpose for future generations.”

Schultz also took a moment to address the tragic irony that “it took the death of nine people for us to realize, you know, maybe that flag is the wrong message.” Schultz concluded that the Confederate flag still offers value by sending a message that “where we were as a country back then is not where we are today”:

“I think it serves no purpose to this country for future generations if we’re going to totally rewrite the history books and I see an avalanche starting with the removal of the Confederate flag. We have to do this in a smart way.”

You can listen to the segment of Schultz’s podcast here:

[h/t Newsbusters]

[Image via Screengrab]

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