The debate over the Mississippi flag will continue for another five months, possibly longer if the Legislature takes the coward’s path and defers to the voters to settle the matter at the polls.
To call this a “debate” is not accurate, though. The debate ended within a week or two of the June 17 shootings in Charleston, South Carolina, that thrust state-sanctioned Confederate imagery into the national spotlight.
A debate ends when all sides of an issue have been presented and discussed. What we have now is an argument. Supporters and opponents of the flag have dug in and it has become something like trench warfare, with each side clinging to its turf with little hope of gaining ground.
Gov. Phil Bryant could have put an end to this war of attrition by calling a special session of the Legislature. He has steadfastly refused, however, perhaps on the theory that special sessions should only be called when the state wants to give tax money to billion-dollar industries.
That doesn’t mean that city leaders across the state have to sit idly by. And they haven’t.
Tuesday, the Columbus City Council voted unanimously to remove all Mississippi flags from city property, including offices. The order goes into effect today, although no mention was made of what will be done with the flags.
Columbus is now the sixth Mississippi city to vote to remove the flag from its property. Starkville will take up a similar proposal Tuesday.
When mayor Robert Smith announced Monday his intention to bring the matter before the council, there was some criticism of the suggestion. The argument: Aren’t there other, more pressing issues more worthy of the council’s time and energy?
But it took only about 10 minutes for the council to settle this matter.
The vote was taken — six votes for removing the flag, none opposed, measure passed. The small audience politely applauded, then it was on to other business.
See how easy that was?
Today, the flags will come down. No one will be the worse for it, although some folks will grumble about it for a while. (This is Columbus, after all).
Then it will be forgotten. Life will go on, pretty much the same as before.
Our legislators could certainly learn a lesson from this. Let’s end the trench warfare. No good can come of it.
There are, indeed, other, more pressing issues to confront.
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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