This is a political post.
“Today I am very proud to say that it is a great day in South Carolina,” Republican Gov. Nikki Haley said Thursday moments before she signed Senate Bill 897 to officially lower the Confederate battle flag from the grounds of the South Carolina Statehouse. The flag will be moved to a new "appropriate display.”
Two things.
First, Wow. I did not expect that to happen so fast. I'm from SC originally, so I figured this a for a bitter fight that would last months. I listened to the arguments made for keeping the flag up, and the "I remember playing with the sword of my great grandfather" is, to put it properly, weak sauce. Taking it off the state house grounds doesn't ban it, it just means that the grounds of the building that is supposed to represent all of South Carolina's citizens isn't marred by the battle flag a rebel army who would have like to see half of those citizens still in chains. Those who want to honor it still can, but don't make those who don't want to have to.
Second, what is an appropriate display? Because for years, on TOP of the statehouse was deemed appropriate and then after taking off the top of the building was done, keeping on the grounds was deemed appropriate. So what's appropriate?
Oh, and personally, I don't think it should have gotten an honor guard. A janitor with a mop and bucket should have come out around midnight and took it down with no ceremony, folded up and left it in the speaker's office or in a bag outside the governor's office. I understand that the display might have been a sop to those upset that they lost the fight here, but still.
“Today I am very proud to say that it is a great day in South Carolina,” Republican Gov. Nikki Haley said Thursday moments before she signed Senate Bill 897 to officially lower the Confederate battle flag from the grounds of the South Carolina Statehouse. The flag will be moved to a new "appropriate display.”
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| Crowds gather to watch flag come down - Columbia SC (Japace/ Instagram) |
First, Wow. I did not expect that to happen so fast. I'm from SC originally, so I figured this a for a bitter fight that would last months. I listened to the arguments made for keeping the flag up, and the "I remember playing with the sword of my great grandfather" is, to put it properly, weak sauce. Taking it off the state house grounds doesn't ban it, it just means that the grounds of the building that is supposed to represent all of South Carolina's citizens isn't marred by the battle flag a rebel army who would have like to see half of those citizens still in chains. Those who want to honor it still can, but don't make those who don't want to have to.
Second, what is an appropriate display? Because for years, on TOP of the statehouse was deemed appropriate and then after taking off the top of the building was done, keeping on the grounds was deemed appropriate. So what's appropriate?
Oh, and personally, I don't think it should have gotten an honor guard. A janitor with a mop and bucket should have come out around midnight and took it down with no ceremony, folded up and left it in the speaker's office or in a bag outside the governor's office. I understand that the display might have been a sop to those upset that they lost the fight here, but still.
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