Few people around the world can be unaware of the deep, shattering pain in South Carolina, and throughout America, when in an act of pure hatred nine lives were lost at the hands of a 21-year-old white boy.

So overcome with evil intent was this boy that he chose a leading black church to murder people as they held weekly Bible study.

In his twisted mind he had hoped to ignite a race war. But despite the emotionally crippling effect of killing a Pastor, and members of his congregation in cold blood, most of the nation reacted with just the opposite to his sick objective.

Blacks and whites, who perhaps had hardly spoken to one another, were embracing each other in a sea of tears openly displaying rejection to this indescribable deed against people, simply because they were black.

Although the air was filled with shock, anger and bitterness over how someone could contemplate such a horrible act, the air was also filled with a determination to join hands in a way seldom seen, as young and old, black and white, created a blanket of solidarity seen around the world.

Even seasoned journalists were left trying to find words to describe the storm of emotion that swept through much of the land. As the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston regrouped, and held services as usual, the mood slowly changed to focusing on the long road to healing, and building a stronger society with a clear message that no amount of evil would deter them from their service to lift the human spirit in their commitment to worship the God they serve.

During that first service after the tragedy, many people unable to get into the church filled the grounds outside. Commentators pointed out that the number of white people outside sharing in the service appeared to outnumber blacks. It was indeed a moment of unity that might have in a way started the healing process which can only be possible with people of all races joining in the struggle to eradicate racism and evil from society.

While that outpouring of togetherness was encouraging in a nation still battling with leftover prejudice from a dark chapter of its history, there were still many questions still needing answers as to why, year after year, little is done about gun laws that enable just about anyone including people with mental issues to possess a firearm. It remains a mystery. However, there is another matter that is a firestorm of controversy for reasons that also baffle those trying to heal and move forward.

The Civil War is long over, and there is no doubt about what the war was about. The Confederates were never identified with civil rights for all, and even though they lost that war, their flag of divisiveness still flies in that City (see note below). To many, the Confederate flag is a reminder of a time when blacks were not considered equal as American citizens, and slavery should have been maintained.

With the march of progress that has seen the nation elect a black President, Barack Obama, that flag has come into the spotlight once again, with calls for it to be taken down and placed in a museum of history. The president himself feels that would be appropriate.It would seem a logical step since there is no Nazi flag flying in Berlin although such material remains a part of that nation’s history, of course in historic museums.

As South Carolina climbs out this dark night of human loss, and tries to rebuild with a positive outlook, a giant step for officials there would be to make the Confederate flag a piece of history; and they can do this by placing it in a museum.

However, even if that was done, the question remains as to how a young mind can drift so far from civilised thinking without being detected. That could be the greatest challenge throughout America.

Danger signs are revealed at times but too often are ignored as idle talk. Perhaps there will be a little more attention when threats are made no matter how unimportant they may seem. Other countries struggling with political and ethnic differences could learn much from the unity spirit that is being shown in South Carolina. One can only hope that spirit will grow, and not fade with the passing of time.

•Hundreds of people chanting “Take it down!” rallied yesterday to demand that the Confederate battle flag be removed from the South Carolina State House grounds, galvanized by last week’s massacre of nine blacks at a historic church in Charleston. The Civil War-era flag of the pro-slavery Confederacy, which unlike other flags was not flown at half-staff after the attack, has become a lightning rod for outrage over the killings at the nearly 200-year-old Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church and the racist motives that apparently lay behind the shooting.