No one who takes the Confederate flag nowadays is promoting slavery. Some promote racism, yes, but as I said, they are a disgrace to the human race and devoid of all reason.
Robert E. Lee (The head of the Confederate Army) himself said that the civil war was worth it if only to have the same result, i e the freeing of the slaves.
To say the Confederate flag is inherently racist is to say the British flag is racist as both at one point held slaves and promoted slavery. The only difference is the CSA nation lost the Civil War and the British nation survived into abolition.
Granted Americans will see it negitively, just as they vote for George Bush and oppose universal healthcare for all. Just because some idiots have a kneejerk or uneducated reaction to a flag doesn't mean the flag itself should be branded as offensive.
Racists use a great many people and symbols to represent their racism, one is the christian cross for example, yet the cross isn't considered offensive. Yet the religion promotes slavery. If the CS flag can't adapt to modern society and understanding, why should the bible?
I would extend this to the swastika, obviously you shouldn't deliberatly toat one at a jewish synagog because many people have no idea what other conotations it may have and the Swastika has a far more abhorent history. But the Swastika isn't in itself a racist symbol, wearing a swastika and shouting SEIG HIEL! and DEATH TO JEWS is a bit more suspect however.
Company's like paradox have banned mention of jews and swastikas in their games to avoid any possiblility of lawsuit and thus loss of revenue, I find this disgraceful.
These symbols and issues should be shown and discussed historically and should be educated upon the populous. Not hidden because people are too scared of lawsuits or questions.