Rally Around The Flag
The controversy surrounding the Mississippi state flag is reminiscent of a similar situation several years back involving our state.
The Mississippi flag flap was put into a brighter spotlight by officials with the Southeastern Conference, of which both Ole Miss and Mississippi State are members. A recent decision by SEC officials declared that as long as that state continues with its current flag (with its link to the Confederate States of America) that no conference championship athletic events will be played there.
Both Ole Miss football coach Lane Kiffin and Mississippi State football coach Mike Leach have expressed support for changing the current flag. One Mississippi State player said he will not compete for the team until the flag is changed.
News broke Sunday that the state of Mississippi will in fact change the flag following action by the legislature. The state’s governor has indicated he will sign the bill.
In the early 1990s Georgia saw a flag controversy development although the SEC was not involved. Then-governor Zell Miller began pushing to have the state flag changed eliminating the Confederate symbol.
Miller (and others) wanted the flag updated with Atlanta set to host the Olympics in 1996. Talk of changing the flag sparked uproar and it even caused Miller to have primary opposition in his re-election bid in 1994. In fact, one candidate, Mark Tate, used the campaign slogan of “Zell No! Tate for Governor” on his signs along with an image of the current flag.
While Miller easily won the Democratic primary in the summer of 1994 he ended up in the battle of his life in the general election. One has to remember this was before Georgia turned Republican red. At the time all statewide officials were Democrat.
Miller, who in reality was a rather conservative-leaning Democrat, survived that re-election bid although he was never able to change the flag.
Eventually it was changed under Democratic governor Roy Barnes. Once again, many Georgia residents (and voters) were angered by that action. Republican Sonny Perdue promised again and again on the campaign trail that he would allow Georgians to vote on what the flag should be.
Voters assumed (probably rightfully so) that one of the choices would be the previous flag which had changed during the Barnes administration. Perdue, however, showed what type of politician he was by never actually saying the previous flag would be among the choices.
When Georgians did have a say on what the flag design would be the previous emblem was not among them. Many residents were furious (again) and vowed to vote Perdue out. Perdue would win re-election, however, and the status of flag faded into memory. Sooner or later in politics, everything does.
The imagery of the Confederate States of America continues to resonate with many in the Deep South. Some contend it is simply a case of Southern pride with no racial overtones connected with it.
However, there are many who believe the Confederacy was a doomed cause and was fought for the wrong reasons. Some feel the direct opposite. You can even hear some try to convince us the Civil War was nothing about slavery. (Those same people often try to sell ocean front property in Iowa at a good rate.)
No flag or emblem should be banned in our country. If someone wants to display it on their vehicle or personal property then no one has the right to tell them they cannot do so.
However, when it comes to the official flag of a state, it is time for those who want to keep fighting the Civil War to give it a rest. While he is new to the state of Mississippi, perhaps Leach said it best when he noted the flag should unite people and not divide them. For that reason alone, the coach said, it is time to change it.
There is nothing wrong with being a proud Southerner. I was born in the South and have always lived here. I do not think the symbolism used on television shows like “The Dukes of Hazzard” had anything to do with racism. I also feel the banning of such movies as “Song of South” and even “Gone With The Wind” is wrong.
However, I can also understand how some people cringe at the mere sight of the Confederate stars and bars.
We are all Americans, whether we live in the South, the North or the West. The American flag, with its 50 stars, is the one we should take the most pride in and proudly display. Our diversity is what has always made us great.
Monticello native Chris Bridges has contributed to The Monticello News since 1988. He welcomes feedback about this column at pchrisbridges@gmail.com.