Posted on 04/17/2003 11:35:14 AM PDT by kcordell
Rules committee approves flag bill
By RHONDA COOK Atlanta Journal-Constitution Staff Writer
The Senate Rules Committee today unanimously approved a new state flag and a pair of referendums asking voters what banner should represent Georgia.
Although the approval was unanimous, only one of the five Democrats on the committee was there for the vote. Two did not attend at all, Sen. Peg Blitch (D-Homerville) and Sen. Nadine Thomas (D-Ellenwood), an African- American legislator who boycotted a previous hearing. Sens. Michael Meyer von Bremen of Albany and Rene Kemp of Hinesville walked out when the Republicans rejected an amendment to move the words "In God We Trust" from the center of the flag to the blue vertical field.
The one Democrat who stayed in the committee was Sen. Nathan Dean (D-Rockmart).
Committee Chairman Don Balfour (R-Snellville) said the committee wanted to avoid making any changes because of fears that no flag would be approved this session.
Any modifications the Senate makes to the legislation would have to be approved by the House, where black legislators took six hours of debate to blast the referendum.
The bill is expected to be put to a Senate floor vote on Tuesday, the scheduled 39th day of the 40-day session.
The banner that is now being considered is a modification of the original flag of the Confederacy and much like the state symbol that was replaced in 1956. If the bill, as it is now written, is approved, the new design would immediately go up but voters would be asked in the presidential primary next March whether to keep it.
If they reject that design, they would be asked, in a binding referendum in the 2004 summer primaries, to choose between the previous state flag, which is dominated by the St. Andrew's Cross, or the flag that flew until 1956.
University of Georgia professor Ed Jackson, an expert on the Georgia flag, warned the committee that the current legislation has some design and legal problems. He said the bill is not specific enough as to the colors and the size and placement of the 13 stars on the blue field.
He said the flag described in the legislation is not the standard size of 3 feet by 5 feet Ñ instead it is 3 feet by 6 feet Ñ so it would be more expensive to make.
Jackson also said courts have ruled that the Legislature cannot delegate its responsibility to approve changes of state law to the voters.
And if the weaklings in the government of the state of South Carolina hadn't bothered listening the first time around, we wouldn't have this problem. You give the NAALCP an inch, they will eventually take a mile because of their consistent yapping. The first move was a compromise. Everyone agreed it was a compromise, the PC police agreed it was a compromise, and it was supposed to be left at that. But the NAALCP doesn't know what the word compromise is, as evidenced by their past actions.
The people of the state of South Carolina should have left the Battle Flag where it was in the first place or at least stood strong like the citizens of the state of Mississippi
Will they change it?
If you are white, shut up and sit down. Otherwise, how can Georgia change the flag to meet your needs?
Yeah, that's what I thought.
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.