eBay has become the latest retailer to announce a ban on the sale of Confederate flag merchandise, joining Sears and Walmart, who made their announcements yesterday. A spokesperson for eBay clarified that the Confederate flag has "become a contemporary symbol of divisiveness and racism," and that it would no longer be sold on the website.
Amazon did not respond to CNN's inquires about flag sales. At time of publishing, their Confederate flag purchases are up 3,620 percent in Patio, Lawn & Garden sales, with a 3-foot-by-5-foot flag the fifth best seller in the department.
Yesterday, South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R) called for the Confederate flag to be removed from the statehouse; in a special session today, the House voted 103-10 to discuss its removal. Debate continues across the nation about the legacy of the symbol.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Update 2:42 p.m.: Reuters reports that Amazon will pull Confederate flag merchandise from its site.
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.