Former President Jimmy Carter, arguably the world's best-known peace negotiator, has agreed to try to help Republican Gov. Sonny Perdue soothe racial tension over a proposed referendum on the state flag. Posted on 03/01/2003 1:39:32 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
Former President Jimmy Carter, arguably the world's best-known peace negotiator, has agreed to try to help Republican Gov. Sonny Perdue soothe racial tension over a proposed referendum on the state flag.
Details have not been worked out, but one possibility is a summit of community leaders and citizens at the Carter Center in Atlanta, Perdue said during a news conference Friday.
"It could begin this conversation that I think we need to have to come together to heal," the governor said.
Deanna Congileo, director of public information at the Carter Center, confirmed Friday afternoon that Carter, winner of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, will participate in the flag debate.
"President Carter met with Governor Perdue to discuss a variety of issues last week," Congileo said. "When they met, Governor Perdue asked President Carter if he would be willing to help. President Carter said he would.
Carter, a Democrat, was Georgia governor from 1971 to 1975 and U.S. president from 1977 to 1981.
Two years ago, the Georgia General Assembly voted to replace the state flag that had been adopted in 1956 and was dominated by the Confederate battle emblem.
Perdue has introduced legislation calling for a nonbinding referendum on the state flag in conjunction with the presidential primary scheduled for March 2, 2004.
The two-question ballot first would ask voters whether they want to keep the current blue flag, which includes smaller versions of the state's past flags. The second question asks them to choose between the 1956 flag and its immediate predecessor. Voters would be able to skip either question.
The 2001 flag change, pushed by Gov. Roy Barnes, became an issue in last year's gubernatorial election. Perdue, a Republican, promised a referendum on the flag, and many people think it was a major factor in his upset of Barnes, a Democrat.
State Rep. Tyrone Brooks (D-Atlanta) said Friday he hoped Carter "would urge the governor to withdraw his divisive referendum." Brooks is president of the Georgia Association of Black Elected Officials and a longtime critic of the 1956 flag.
Brooks said that Perdue, by seeking to involve Carter, was "beginning to understand that what he's done is not helpful at all and is really a setback for Georgia."
Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in December for "decades of untiring effort" to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts and advance democracy and human rights. The Norwegian Nobel Committee cited Carter's "vital contribution" to the Camp David accords between Israel and Egypt, as well as his efforts to resolve conflict on several continents and promote human rights after his term as president.
Asked Friday whether he and Carter had discussed their personal views on the flag, Perdue said: "We didn't talk about that. We talked about the process of how we heal Georgia."
He truly is a Bozo!
It was very telling to me, even at 12 years old, going from the incompetent Carter adminstration to the Reagan adminstration was like the difference between night and day.
Memo to conservatives. Never vote in another person just because they have an R by their name. They'll screw you too. As evidenced apparently by Governor Perdue's flipflop on the flag immediately after getting into office
Because he was like a real Governor, only smaller...
free dixie,sw
The decision to bring in the Democommie Carter was a BAAAAAAAAAAAAD one! He'll sell Georgians down the river on the issue for sure. Stand your ground.
Lets hope so.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.