Dylann Roof's flag to come down in SC

[FuriousXGeorge]

Bout damn time.

http://www.postandcourier.com/articl...1603/150629833

Gov. Nikki Haley will hold a news conference in Columbia at 4 p.m. today at which, sources said, she will call for the Confederate flag to come down from the Statehouse grounds.

The move comes as lawmakers are exploring if the removal can be done legislatively in the coming days, tying their heightened attention to the recent shooting deaths of nine members of the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston.

[KenfromCanada]

As a Canadian seeing that flag fly on state buildings I have always been shocked. It just seems to represent to me such a terrible part of American history in regards to slavery. I see dumb asses with it on their jacked up trucks here and just shake my head as they are too stupid to understand its meaning or historical significance. Kudos to the SC Gov for making this move.

[TerpEagle]

As a Canadian seeing that flag fly on state buildings I have always been shocked. It just seems to represent to me such a terrible part of American history in regards to slavery. I see dumb asses with it on their jacked up trucks here and just shake my head as they are too stupid to understand its meaning or historical significance. Kudos to the SC Gov for making this move.

Don't give them too many kudos. I love Charleston. I have a lot of family living there now and visit often (returning this past Monday just before the shooting) - but SC in general is pretty fucked up in a lot of ways and the public backlash is driving much of this decision.

Also, if this happened in another part of SC I wouldn't be surprised if they failed to act on the flag issue.

[JuTMSY4]

I've tried to avoid this subject

Kudos to the SC Gov for making this move.

But, kudos for nothing IMHO. It took them decades too long and a mass murder in their state.

[BirdsInNC]

Similar things going on in other states

Now there's a push by state officials to remove the Confederate flag from Mississippi's state flag. And politicians in Tennessee calling for the removal of the bust of Nathan Bedford Forrest from that state's capital building. Although it's about time things like this happen, it's 2015 fer Chrissakes. And it took a shooting in a church that claimed nine innocent people for this to happen. Can't help but look at it as politicians going along with the tide. It's the year 2015, and the Confederate flag is still on Mississippi's state flag?! Can anyone say overdue? The reason the Confederate flag came down from the top of the SC capital in the first place was because the NAACP boycotted the state. And to have the bust of the founder of the Klan in the TN capital building.... these things should have been removed long ago.

And I'll echo Terp's sentiment about SC. Some beautiful places here, Charleston being one of them. Beautiful city, nice people, good food. But I'll agree, SC has a ways to go to come into the 21st century...

[Riccardo]

I agree that confederate flags should be removed from state flags

But let's not just pick on S. Carolina. Their official state flag does not contain confederate flag elements, but other state flags have overt confederate flag components: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina and Tennesee.

[rdog5]

But let's not just pick on S. Carolina. Their official state flag does not contain confederate flag elements, but other state flags have overt confederate flag components: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina and Tennesee.

Just another example of choosing to be outraged by something following a horrific incident that is meaningless. Removing things from the public eye does nothing but appease some people. I could care less about the confederate flag and because of what it implies should not be displayed on behalf of government unless somebody has a legitimate reason. Why not be outraged by all racism then? Isn't memorializing Lyndon B. Johnson by naming a Federal building after him supporting racism? What about Harry Truman? He has the Department of State building named after him. These are individuals with documented racist remarks in their past but yet their Federal buildings stand tall.

“I think one man is just as good as another so long as he’s not a n**er or a Chinaman” – President Harry Truman

"I'll have those n*ggers voting Democratic for the next 200 years."

-- Lyndon B. Johnson to two governors on Air Force One according Ronald Kessler's Book, "Inside The White House"

[Drama Queen]

I believe Mississippi and Georgia are the only two

But let's not just pick on S. Carolina. Their official state flag does not contain confederate flag elements, but other state flags have overt confederate flag components: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina and Tennesee.

States that are clearing expressing the confederate flag. The rest of the states have elements that don't seem to clearly evoke the confederacy., but of course people willhave different takes on the subject. Hawaii is clearly expressing the Union Jack on their flag.

[Riccardo]

You can't argue that one confederate flag is bad and the others are OK

What they are calling the "confederate flag" isn't even the confederate flag - it's a state battle flag.

[McCarthy12]

Guess we better take Lincoln off the penny then. Race in this country has always been and will continue to be a complicated issue. I'm not sure removing the flag will make a meaningful difference in the long run, but suggesting that it is a pointless endeavor because "lots of people were racist" is silly.

Also it doesn't mean anything to you because (I'm assuming) you are not black, or, more specifically, a black person in the south.

[rdog5]

Guess we better take Lincoln off the penny then. Race in this country has always been and will continue to be a complicated issue. I'm not sure removing the flag will make a meaningful difference in the long run, but suggesting that it is a pointless endeavor because "lots of people were racist" is silly.

Also it doesn't mean anything to you because (I'm assuming) you are not black, or, more specifically, a black person in the south.

"lots of people were racist" implies its a quote form me which clearly it isn't. Then obviously you are quoting someone else?

So your demographic is only what determines whether you are offended? I can't be offended by the use of the "n" word or derogatory gay remarks? Your demographic and experiences in life do not define whether you are offended or not but rather its your choice to be offended. I would rather a racist fly the flag labeling them a racist then the ones behind closed doors contemplating their next racist act.

[rdog5]

Guess we better take Lincoln off the penny then. Race in this country has always been and will continue to be a complicated issue. I'm not sure removing the flag will make a meaningful difference in the long run, but suggesting that it is a pointless endeavor because "lots of people were racist" is silly.

Also it doesn't mean anything to you because (I'm assuming) you are not black, or, more specifically, a black person in the south.

And quite honestly what I am against is symbolic gestures to appease a group of people while the true underlying issue gets swept under the rug.

[McCarthy12]

Nope wasn't quoting you, just paraphrasing. Those were more kind of air quotes. Anyway, so basically, I shouldn't tell you what is or should be offensive to you but you can tell people whether or not their outrage is "legitimate" (now I'm quoting you) enough to want the flag to come down?

By the way, I don't think anyone is denying that the shooting drove this as opposed to it being a general come-to-Jesus moment to do the right thing.

Edited to respond to your follow up: What's the underlying issue? The shooting? That has been covered wall to wall. General racism? I'd say over the last year that has also been a pretty prevalent topic of discussion.

[JuTMSY4]

exactly

Also it doesn't mean anything to you because (I'm assuming) you are not black, or, more specifically, a black person in the south.

It's also the reason I don't care if they do remove it.

[rdog5]

Nope wasn't quoting you, just paraphrasing. Those were more kind of air quotes. Anyway, so basically, I shouldn't tell you what is or should be offensive to you but you can tell people whether or not their outrage is "legitimate" (now I'm quoting you) enough to want the flag to come down?

By the way, I don't think anyone is denying that the shooting drove this as opposed to it being a general come-to-Jesus moment to do the right thing.

Edited to respond to your follow up: What's the underlying issue? The shooting? That has been covered wall to wall. General racism? I'd say over the last year that has also been a pretty prevalent topic of discussion.

Not sure you're quoting me again because I never said I was the judge of legitimacy. I am not willing to make a blanket statement that the Confederate flag should be removed from all forms of government building because I don't know the complete history on the subject and therefore I don't know whether or not it should be permitted by government. On the surface it would appear to be a symbolism of racism and therefore completely removed however I'm open-minded enough to listen to all sides before I would come to a final opinion on It.

Regarding your next point each of these incidents could have different underlying issues. When these incidents occur it's important for us to perform an investigation to try to Turman the route calls and ways to move forward correcting that route cause. In this instance it appears motivated by race were others appear motivated by sheer terrororism.

The confederate flag in this instance has as much to do as hands up don't shoot had to do in Missouri. They are both good symbols to rally the base but in the end produce no legitimate change to the problem. And to be clear I i'm not arguing for keeping the confederate flag in any form of government.

Dictated while driving and did not proofread