A less divisive banner
I notice our state flag is back in the news again. There was a court case alleging hate speech filed in Jackson, and bill requiring certain people to fly the flag under penalty of law.
Think about that second one for a moment. We have to pass a law to make people fly the flag? What does that say about the flag as a banner to rally around? As for the court case, whatever its origins, the Confederate symbol has certainly been adopted by hateful individuals and groups today. And its origins weren’t all that hot either. It stood for the armed overthrow of the United States.
Think about that when you pledge allegiance to the “flag of the United States of America and the republic….” or take an oath to support and defend the Constitution. It may not be treasonous, but it seems a bit schizophrenic to fly both flags on the same pole. The arguments in support of the Confederate symbol center on history and heritage, for better or worse. However, historically, the Bonnie Blue flag was the first, and the Magnolia Flag was the first official flag of Mississippi. Maybe in this, our bicentennial, year, we could return to an equally historic, but less divisive banner.
Bob Altman
Columbus
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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