African American lawmakers wanted a special session to change Mississippi’s state flag because it bears a symbol of the Confederacy, but Gov. Phil Bryant won’t call lawmakers back to Jackson to address that issue.
The Associated Press reported that a Bryant spokesman said Wednesday that voters should settle the issue. For that to happen, either the Legislature would need to call for a referendum or enough voters would need to sign a petition seeking a statewide referendum.
Rep. Sonya Williams-Barnes, chairwoman of the Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus, in a hand-delivered letter to Bryant’s office earlier this week, cited “deaths and acts of terror in Charlottesville (Va.),” where white nationalists, neo-Nazis and right-wing groups held a march over the weekend.
Heather Heyer, of Charlottesville, died after being struck when a car plowed into a group of protesters in Virginia. James Fields Jr., of Ohio, was arrested and charged with second degree murder.
“The images out of Virginia were another clear reminder that Confederate symbols have no place in Mississippi’s state flag,” Barnes wrote.
Mississippi’s flag, whose canton is the Confederate battle flag, has long been a flashpoint in state politics. A 2001 ballot referendum to change the flag failed, but the issue continues to be raised. U.S. Sens. Roger Wicker and Thad Cochran, along with Speaker of the House Philip Gunn, have called for changing the flag as an act of inclusion for all state residents.
The flag issue took on new dimensions two years ago when a white man named Dylann Roof killed nine African Americans attending a church service in Charleston, S.C. After the murders, photos of Roof posing with Rebel flags and other white supremacist symbols emerged, fueling debates across the nation about the use of Confederate symbology, including the Mississippi state flag.
During the last legislative session, lawmakers filed more than 20 bills to either keep or change the flag, all of which died in committee.
22 state flag-related bills filed
The Clarion-Ledger reported Tuesday that Bryant decried the violence in Charlottesville: “Those who practice the extremist ideals of neo-Nazism or white supremacy have no place in Mississippi. I condemn these groups in the strongest possible terms.”
Bryant often points to the 2001 referendum as evidence that voters have already decided the issue regarding the state flag.
In the wake of the Charlottesville violence, Bryant said: “Whatever the state flag is or is not should be decided by Mississippi voters.”
Several cities and all the state’s public universities have stopped flying the state flag.
The Mississippi Economic Council, the state’s chamber of commerce representing the largest Mississippi corporations, led the 2001 charge to change the flag. Late last year, the council unveiled a bicentennial banner to honor the state’s upcoming 200th birthday.
In late July, African American and white lawmakers met behind doors in Biloxi to talk about the flag and race relations.
Gunn, R-Clinton, this week forcefully condemned the state flag, writing on Facebook: “Though it is not to say that everyone who flies Mississippi’s flag has feelings of hatred in their hearts, the confederate battle emblem is painful for many people. It is obvious that the confederate battle emblem continues to be associated with attitudes of bigotry, hatred and racial superiority. I believe this association will only continue to increase, therefore providing more reason to disassociate with this flag. I want to see the flag changed.”
Barnes, the black caucus leader, echoed Gunn in her letter to Bryant.
“Like it or not, Charlottesville was just further proof that the Mississippi state flag resonates with bigots and racists. Hate groups love the flag because it is a symbol of holding an entire race of people down,” Barnes wrote.
She added: “Black Mississippians deserve a flag that doesn’t symbolize racial inferiority. White Mississippians deserve a flag that doesn’t unfairly cast upon them a shadow of hate and intolerance. Mississippians of all stripes deserve better.”
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So Governor Bryant thinks that because a majority vote settles the issue? All the vote showed is that the majority who voted are racist and bigoted. If they could have voted to reinstate slavery, what would be his comment to that? One of government’s duties is to protect the weak from the powerful. The vote on the flag did not do this and Governor Bryant should do the right thing and put the flag in a museum and have a flag designed that shows Mississippi’s diversity and unity instead of protecting such a vile symbol of hatred.
Peace,
Just Sam
Phil Bryant is king of the dog-whistle.
It is WAY past time for the citizens of Mississippi to voluntarily decide to lay down ANY divisive or degrading images of a difficult past. Yes, we have freedom of speech/expression…..but the better angels of our nature should make every attempt to find common ground. and sunsetting this flag would be no different than letting go of all the ridiculous past images (on candy boxes, lawn jockeys, cartoons, etc.) that are disrespectful of dark-skinned folks, and have no place in this present day whatsoever. Most of the folks in Oxford and that Old Miss mentality are what are specifically driving this holding on to that ugly past, because they want us ALL (non-alumni) to be beneath their Plantation in which they wish to uphold. Believe it. The flag must, and will – go. But will anyone begin to examine the Old Miss cult that drives the bigoted, elitist, past narratives in the present? Where’s the REAL leadership in Mississippi? It ain’t coming out of Oxford or Jackson.
I’m real sorry, but when did people start giving items such power? A statue bothers you? REALLY? What about all the killings happening in our own backyard? Does that not bother you? I really believe we as a nation need to focus more on what’s going on around us TODAY and leave history behind us. We are so worried about flags and statues while there are other major issues we should be giving attention to! WAKE UP PEOPLE!