South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley displayed strong leadership on Monday by calling on the legislature to vote to take down the Confederate battle flag from the grounds of the state capitol.

The flag is an ugly symbol of treason, slavery, violence and racism, yet under the guise of “heritage” it has maintained a prominent position in a public space in a state in which 1.3 million residents, or about 30 percent of the population, is black.