South Carolina Republican Vows To Introduce Bill That Would Remove Confederate Flag From State Capitol
A South Carolina Republican representative has vowed to introduce a bill in the statehouse that would remove the Confederate flag from all state properties.
Doug Brannon, a five-year vet of the South Carolina statehouse, plans on introducing the bill in December. He knows that his stance on the issue will likely cost him reelection, but believes he needed to do something after losing friend and state Rep. Clementa Pinckney in the church shooting last Wednesday.
From CBS:
Republican state Rep. Doug Brannon plans to introduce a bill to remove the flag, which he acknowledges will likely cost him re-election, reports CBS News’ Adriana Diaz.
“The switch that flipped was the death of my friend Sen. [Clementa] Pinckney… I’ve been in the House five years. I should have filed that bill five years ago. But the time is now, I can’t let my friend the senator’s death go without fundamental change in South Carolina,” Brannon said.
Brannon said he plans to introduce his bill as early as he can, which won’t be until December.
Other politicians have said they will wait until after funerals can be held for the nine victims of last week’s shooting before they weigh on whether the flag should be moved.
Other politicians have commented on the flag issue, including former presidential candidate Mitt Romney and current presidential candidate Jeb Bush. Both believe the flag shouldn’t fly on state properties.
Take down the #ConfederateFlag at the SC Capitol. To many, it is a symbol of racial hatred. Remove it now to honor #Charleston victims.
— Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) June 20, 2015
As a Carolina native, I’ve never felt compelled to show pride for a losing cause in a war that happened over 150 years ago. Most people I know don’t have Confederate pride either, and were always irritated by those around us who did. The only people who showed Confederate pride were usually the ones who prefaced racist thoughts with the words “My heritage,” followed by bumbling, incoherent thoughts that were historically inaccurate. Ironically, they were also the guys who showed the most American pride, unaware that they were contradicting themselves at essentially every turn.
Wiping the Confederate flag off the face of the earth isn’t the answer, but it doesn’t belong in front of state capitols. That should be something we can all agree on..
[via CBS]
Image via YouTube
South Carolina’s governor just announced the flag will be removed.
10 years ago at 3:26 pmAnother point this article fails to miss is that the flag does not fly over the state Capitol. It flies over a civil war cemetery that happens to be on the same grounds. I can’t speak for those men that lay in to those graves, but I’d care to guess that they’d want the flag they fought and died under to be flown there. If nothing else, and regardless of what connotations you feel the battle flag has, perhaps we should do the truly American thing and honor the dead. This isn’t an issue to politicized.
10 years ago at 3:33 pmI didn’t know that was case but completely agree with your point. The flags relevant there.
10 years ago at 8:11 amRacist or not, I don’t care at all. My flag will still fly. Drive through FL, we’ve got some large ones still flying on private land in plain view of the highway. America needs to be de-pussified ASAP.
10 years ago at 3:37 pmEt tu, South Carolina?
10 years ago at 5:34 pmRegardless of its history, or the true intentions behind the civil war, the confederate flag will always be associated with slavery. The swastika is rooted in Budhism and Hinduism, symbolizing good fortune. But since that symbol was flown during a time of oppression, it was given a new meaning, just like the confederate flag was. If you want to fly the flag over your house, that’s fine, but there’s no need to fly it over a place (capitol building) that’s supposed to unify people.
10 years ago at 7:26 pm“I personally take no pride in the Confederacy. Avoid wars you can’t win and never raise your flag for an asinine cause like slavery.”
-Frank Underwood
10 years ago at 9:05 pmBlack people will use any excuse to play the race card
10 years ago at 8:18 amI’m sorry but this flag is treason, that’s what it stands for. They took up arms against fellow Americans and fought by definition that is treason, they caused senseless avoidable blood shed because they didn’t want to play the game anymore. You want to symbolize states right? Use your STATE FLAG this flag is un-American and represents one of the hardest times in our country’s history. If you honestly think it’s southern culture you are being unrealistic and immature. The stars and bars the battle flag it’s all a symbol for a time when the states declared war on their own brothers. It honestly shouldn’t be anywhere, but I’ll settle for not on the grounds of any government institution.
10 years ago at 10:12 am