Voters salute current flag (Georgia-GOP Purdue wins, Dem Barnes loses)

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution ^ | 3/3/04 | Ben Smith

[Diddle E. Squat]

Black and white voters across Georgia finally have a flag they can agree on.

The state's current banner, modeled after the first national flag of the Confederacy, won by a nearly 4-1 ratio Tuesday over its sole rival, a blue-and-gold banner that flew briefly over Georgia from 2001 until last year.

"I had heard," said Christy Myrick, 35, of Atlanta, "that if [the current] flag is chosen there won't be any more discussion and it will be over, finally."

That's the pitch top Georgia politicians and business leaders had made to voters in advertising and campaign calls in the days leading up to the balloting.

The argument over Georgia's state flag is at least two decades old. It started when African-American legislators first sought to strip the Confederate battle emblem from the banner. That emblem, the Rebel "X," dominated the state flag that flew from 1956 to 2001. Beloved by Confederate history enthusiasts as a heritage symbol, but reviled by blacks as racist, the 1956 flag was the reason the referendum was called in the first place.

Republican Gov. Sonny Perdue was elected in part on a promise he made to rural white voters that he would give them a chance to bring back the banner. His predecessor, Democrat Roy Barnes, who was upset by Perdue in 2002, forced the 1956 banner off Georgia flagpoles by ramming its blue-and-gold replacement through the Legislature in 2001.

In last year's General Assembly session, lawmakers then removed the 1956 flag as an option from Perdue's referendum bill and hoisted a brand-new one.

Some voters said they were deprived of a real choice.

"I think we should have been given a choice before Barnes ever changed it," said Don Rawls, 26, a Fayette County voter wearing a T-shirt that read: "Dixie — ole times are not forgotten."

Tuesday night, Perdue praised the referendum's results but placed responsibility for excluding the 1956 flag from the vote on the General Assembly.

"While I recommended that an additional choice be available to the people, the Legislature came to a different conclusion, and I respected their decision," said Perdue. "I believe the people chose a beautiful banner, which reflects our history and heritage."

Some voters used the flag referendum as an opportunity to take a swipe at Perdue for his handling of the issue. Others voted to honor Barnes, who got rid of the 1956 flag but lost the governor's office.

"Why? 'Cause I think a lot of him," said Ralph Bicknell, a 78-year-old Republican from Woodstock who voted for the Barnes flag out of respect for the former governor.

The Barnes flag included a ribbon of five postcard-sized mini-flags, including the 1956 Georgia flag.

"It's a good compromise," said Barnes, who voted for the flag he championed. "It shows all of Georgia's history."

All that separates Georgia's current flag from the first national flag of the Confederacy is the inclusion of the state coat of arms and the words "In God We Trust" inside its ring of stars. African-American politicians, however, said it is a far more acceptable symbol than the battle flag, which was appropriated by Ku Klux Klansmen after the Civil War.

But some voters said they made their choice purely on looks.

Jim Goodman of Woodstock said: "It looks better up a flagpole."

Staff writers Jill Young Miller, Laura Diamond, Doug Payne and Clint Williams contributed to this article.

[tjwmason]

There's a wonderful moment in the 'Dukes of Hazzard', they are repainting a car to appear like the 'General Lee', Daisy offers to paint the flag stating 'I just love that flag'.

This Englishman thinks that the loss of the '56 flag is a pity, but the present one is jolly good, and far far better than the Roy Barnes flag. Flags need to be iconic in appearance, and thus small detailing (as on that flag) is unhelpful; look at the Stars and Stripes and the Union Flag/Jack, and though it probably won't go down well on F.R. the French tricolor. The approved flag adapted from the Stars and Bars keeps the memory of Dixie alive, and gives a simple image.

I also vote Georgia as my favourite state of the Union (see above reference to the 'Dukes of Hazzard' and also 'Gone with the Wing').

[eyespysomething]

LOL!!!

[eyespysomething]

and this is the GA DOT flag:

[eyespysomething]

I also vote Georgia as my favourite state of the Union

As a Georgian, I say Thank You! I would have to agree, as long as I don't have to drive near Atlanta!

And England is my favorite British Isle (ha ha)

[lugsoul]

That your headline, Diddle? Anyone who thinks this vote is a "win" for Sonny is not reading the ground correctly.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

What are the chances of Georgia Freepers getting to choose which flag shows on the Georgia page? I like my waving 1956 Georgia State Flag and would like to continue to see it wave when I go to the Georgia FR page.

Is it common knowledge amongst the perpetually offended that our new State Flag is based on the First National Flag of the Confederate States of America?

When they figure it out, are we going to have to change it again to pacify them?

[lugsoul]

How hard do you think Sonny really tried to have that vote?

[Pan_Yans Wife]

No, it isn't common knowledge. You are expecting a tired population to LEARN something. Haven't most thrown their hands up in the air in defeat?

I don't have a dog in this fight, truly... I'm not a Georgia native, and have only lived here a short while. But, the entire flag controversy has been an eye opener, for me.

[rusty millet]

This GA freeper affirms the choice of the voters. The Barnes flag was an abomination.

[No Truce With Kings]

"The pre 56 flag was a stars and bars flag without the stars. It would have been better than the one chosen, but not by much."

What was the Georgia flag in 1855? Same as the one in 1955? Or did Georgia only adopt a flag after 1866? (I mean Texas has had a state flag since 1846, and three or four national flags from 183-1846.)

[Republican Red]

I voted on the Purdue flag too.

Honestly, I didn't know it was even still an issue during the 2002 election. I found out quickly from Nancy Pelosi that the reason I voted for Purdue was because I was a white southern racist who wanted to wave the confederate flag.

Who knew? I thought I voted for Purdue because he wasn't Roy Barnes!

[Cannoneer No. 4]

History does not record who made the first Georgia state flag, when it was made, what it looked like, or who authorized its creation. Probably, the banner originated in one of the numerous militia units that existed in antebellum Georgia.

In 1861, a new provision was added to Georgia's code requiring the governor to supply regimental flags to Georgia militia units assigned to fight outside the state. These flags were to depict the "arms of the State" and the name of the regiment, but the code gave no indication as to the color to be used on the arms or the flag's background. In heraldry, "arms" refers to a coat of arms, which is the prominent design--usually shown on a shield--located at the center of an armorial bearing or seal. Arms usually appear on seals, but they are not synonymous with seals.

Based on the best available evidence, the above flag is a reconstruction of the pre-1879 Georgia state flag as it would have appeared using the coat of arms from the 1799 state seal.

[Diddle E. Squat]

My headline addition is in the parenthesis. Since it passed by about a 4-1 margin, most would interpret that as a 'Its good enough, its time to move on' vote. That would be a win for Sonny, along with the fact that his predecessor's flag went down in flaming defeat.

Actually supporters of the '56 segregation flag should be happy that the idiot Dem started cryin' and stompin' her feet at the end of that legislative session. Now they can keep that ludicrous dream alive that if only they had been given an opportunity to vote, the segregation flag would have been approved. Reality is that it would have been overwhelmingly defeated in a 3 way vote, in fact it might have finished 3rd behind the Barnes flag.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

If THIS

is a segregation flag then THIS

by the same reasoning is a slavery flag.

If there was no danger of the 1956 Georgia State Flag receiving more votes than any other in a fair referendum, why were such great pains taken to ensure that the voters were never given that choice?

[Diddle E. Squat]

Because many of the Dems were reacting(as usual) out of illogical emotion and irrational hype.

And your US flag comparison is ridiculous. The 56 flag was adopted as an act of defiance, pushed by the segregationists. We're not stupid, don't try and peddle some BS reasons that try and deny that. It is no different from why Ernest Hollings and SC changed their flag in the same era.

[Paul C. Jesup]

Oh really. LOL!! :D Could you please provide a picture of the 'Official Flag of the Confederate States of America'.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

And your US flag comparison is ridiculous.

If you can't refute it, ridicule it.

What BS have I peddled?

What was the official flag of the United States of America during slavery? Would it not be accurate to refer to that flag as a "slavery flag?" Or at least as accurate as calling the 1956 Georgia State Flag a "segregation flag?"

Segregation existed under the 1956 GSF for 8 years.

Slavery existed under the Stars & Stripes for 89 years.

[Diddle E. Squat]

I did refute it, but perhaps if I spell it out in even simpler terms you will grasp it.

The US flag was adopted at the time of the founding of this country, not many generations later as one of many states to try and change their flags as an act of defiance. But Georgia did make a change for those very reasons. 2 completely different situations, hence your comparison was, and still is, ridiculous.

[stand watie]

TRUE!

we desendents will NOT forget either. southrons have LONG memories. to quote Faulkner: "the past is not gone, it is not even past."

were i sonny, i'd be thinking about what i would do for a living after my ONE TERM in the governor's chair!

free dixie,sw

[Diddle E. Squat]

Yes, after finally gaining some success in ousting the wannabe Marxists, secular totalitarians, and taxaholics, let's sit at home, pout, and give them back control of the state gov't in order to make a trivial point about a stupid flag.

A brilliant strategy, focus on minutia rather than defend against real threats.