If it were a symbol "with no meaning," then I'd honestly say "whatever, it's just a symbol." Of course, that's not the case here - the Civil War is something we should have learned from, but my guess is that part of the reason it wasn't removed long ago was "Southern pride." ...Which I'm still seeing on the Internet, though thankfully it's mostly "redneck pride" and not related to the Civil War, slavery, or African-Americans.
I agree: it should be removed - after all, it has a negative connotation, but in the end, it's just a symbol. It's not like you're taking down an important monument or prehistoric ruin or anything. d: