MALVERN, Ark. – Talks of a confederate flag caused a lot of controversy in the city of Malvern.

One of the Arkansas chapters of the Sons of Confederate Veterans said they have plans to hang a flag off Interstate 30 near the Rockport exit.

The groups said it’s their mission to preserve southern culture. People on the other side of the fence said this is going to harm the community in more than one way.

“I personally don’t feel that the confederate flag is an emblem of hatred and racism,” group member Howard Lee Kilby said.

“It hurt my heart dearly and so I feel that it will do harm to us financially, economically, it will divide us further as a people and a race,” local minister Billy Blackmon said.

A member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, Darrin Hardy, is also a Justice of the Peace, to whom many directed their comments towards.

However, the Hot Spring County Quorum Court said this flag is being put on private property, so they have no legal jurisdiction in the process.

The Sons of Confederate Veterans said they have plans to possibly have the flag up by the end of the year.

People in the community who are against it said they won’t stand for it and want to do something to create unity instead of division.