I will say a lot of those people, probably are not racist (or rather they aren't to their "knowledge"). As a person who does live in VA, I do know quite a few people who do identify with that flag, due to their ancestry. I wont claim they aren't heavily misguided, probably. And have bought into the mystique of that war, that was built from ashes of the South. But, they aren't racists per se. (or some of them, some are, of course, but it is obvious that outside of the South, the rest of the country know it only through stereotypes, and no desire to move beyond that).
As somewhat of a historian, I don't like seeing things destroyed, good or bad. People don't really move beyond it towards closure. They either forget it altogether, or paint it a shade that helps them sleep easier. When it should be acknowledged for what it is, no mattere how clean or dirty. "history repeats, and all"