Some people say that having any new legislation to take down the flag is wrong because it supersedes the legislation in 2000. They claim that the 2000 legislation was a “compromise” that settled the issue forever. Moreover, they accuse anyone who wants to be politically active on this campaign (and they are especially vicious and vulgar towards the NAACP) of being dishonest, greedy, and without honor. It’s time to expose their lies.
First of all, it’s a TOTAL LIE that there are two and only two sides to this issue. It is not a racial black/white or a regional north/south issue.
Second of all, it’s a TOTAL LIE that Glenn McConnell’s side of the “compromise” gave up anything. In fact, Glenn McConnell described the result of the 2000 legislation as placing the Confederate flag “where it probably should have gone in the first place.”
Third of all, it’s a TOTAL LIE that the NAACP side of the “compromise” agreed to or got anything. The NAACP has always been against flying the Confederate flag anywhere on Statehouse grounds.
Fourth of all, it’s a TOTAL LIE that the SC Legislative Black Caucus side of the “compromise” agreed to or got anything. The SCLBC has always been against flying the Confederate flag anywhere on Statehouse grounds.
What the NAACP and the SCLBC have repeatedly and consistently pointed out is that the Confederate flag should not be flying where our laws are made. Flying it there is stupid, ridiculous, disrespectful, and horrifying.
When the Governor and the legislature got involved, they did what they wanted to do, and they did NOT ask the people in a referendum. In fact, Glenn McConnell rejected a proposed referendum because he suspected it would fail.
Six out of the seven black State Senators voted for the 2000 bill, and four out of the twenty-six black State Representatives voted for the bill. It is a TOTAL LIE that those black legislators who voted for the 2000 bill represent the agreeing OTHER SIDE of this issue (assuming only two sides, Glenn McConnell on one and ten black legislators on the other).
Let’s try to put this in perspective, and let’s try to regain our sense of humor. Paula Poundstone joked about one stay in a hotel room. She saw in the bathroom that there was complimentary hand lotion but not shampoo. She called the desk, and the person said, “We’re out of shampoo, but I can give you extra hand lotion.” She said, “How does that help? What’s the hand lotion going to do to my hair?”
Getting the Confederate flag off the dome’s pole and to a pole near the Confederate Soldier Monument is like getting extra hand lotion. It’s not what was asked for and it doesn’t address the problem.
2 Comments
February 13, 2008 at 10:56 am
Correction: According to Rally ‘Round the Flag, Boys! by K. Michael Prince, the SCLBC gave a belated, lukewarm endorsement of the “Heritage Act” for a brief time, when Governor Beasley was in office. The “Heritage Act” called for taking down the Confederate flag from atop the dome and for flying the Confederate flag near the Confederate Soldiers Monument.
July 8, 2009 at 12:07 pm
[...] on facts that the NAACP got what it asked for and that the NAACP agreed to a compromise, well, your facts are wrong, and therefore so is your [...]