(GA) Legislature approves new flag; no chance for vote on Confederate emblem

Atlanta Journal-Constitution ^ | 4.25.03

[mhking]

[ The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: 4/26/03 ]

Legislature approves new flag; no chance for vote on Confederate emblem

The Associated Press

The Georgia Legislature approved a new state flag Friday and removed any chance that the Confederate battle emblem could be restored to the state banner.

If approved by the governor, the new flag will echo a Confederate national flag, but without the familiar Dixie cross, which black lawmakers called a symbol of oppression.

Next March, Georgia voters will choose between the temporary flag and the current Georgia flag. But there will never be a vote on the old state flag and its Confederate battle cross.

Black lawmakers cheered and some wept when the proposal passed. The Senate approved it 33-23, and the House approved it by the narrowest margin, 91-86, with the speaker casting the deciding vote. The 91 votes were the minimum needed for passage.

"This gives the people a flag based on history, but yet looking to the future," said Democratic Sen. George Hooks, a white Democrat who helped design the temporary banner.

Southern heritage advocates, who have been calling for a statewide referendum on the Confederate battle emblem flag, called the new flag a betrayal.

"We'll be making our displeasure known in short order," said Rusty Henderson of the Heritage Preservation Association.

Republican Gov. Sonny Perdue had called for a yes-no vote on the temporary flag. Then, if the temporary flag lost, voters would have had a chance to vote on the Confederate battle emblem flag.

But the flag bill sponsor, Rep. Glenn Richardson, R-Dallas, indicated the governor likely would be willing to sign the bill as approved by both chambers.

"It was as tight as it gets," Richardson said. "Georgia's divided; it's obvious we need to have a vote on this."

Civil rights leaders had denounced Perdue's initial plan and promised an economic boycott if the bill was not changed to remove any chance to vote on a Confederate emblem.

Georgia's flag was changed in 2001 to shrink the Confederate symbol partly to avoid economic boycotts like the one aimed at South Carolina, which flies the rebel banner on state Capitol grounds.

Business leaders in Atlanta have warned the boycotts could cripple tourism, Georgia's No. 2 industry, credited with bringing $16 billion a year to the state.

The civil rights groups said they may call for a boycott if any referendum on the flag is approved. The temporary flag also has Confederate roots, they said.

"This is a heinous proposal," said NAACP member Michael Bond, who is the son of NAACP chairman Julian Bond. "It's still a Confederate flag. It's completely objectionable."

Any boycott would be announced Saturday after an NAACP meeting in Macon.

[nanny]

. When Rumsfeld was asked about the "porous" border between Syria and Iraq he stated, "Any country can seal its borders". Guess not us though.

Isn't that strange? The strongest nation in the world and we can do nothing about our borders?

[thatdewd]

The new flag is a pretty flag. It has elements that heritage folks like myself should be able to accept. I like the flag very much. But that doesn't change the fact that the people of Georgia did not get the opportunity to choose that they were promised.

BTTT!

[stand watie]

as usual, the ELITIST legislators think their choice/views/morals are superior to that of the PEOPLE, who sent them to Atlanta!

60-75% of the PEOPLE want the post-1956 flag back as the official flag.

southrons,desendents & the common man WILL speak about this in the next election.

FRee dixie,sw

[stand watie]

the people who voted to FORBID CHOICE by the people have, i predict, just ENDED their political careers.

will the ELITIST, PC-idiots never learn?

FRee dixie,sw

[stand watie]

we'll be HAPPY only when every single legislator who voted against a FREE CHOICE by the people are DEFEATED! southrons have LONG MEMORIES!

FRee dixie,sw

[stand watie]

YEP!

[stand watie]

it is NOT the end. the STUPIDITY was the ELITIST, cowardly legislators who forbade the PEOPLE voting on the flag of THEIR CHOICE.

we will NEVERb stop, until every one of the scalawags is DEFEATED!

FRee dixie,sw

[stand watie]

YEP. you SHOULD;at least you aren't a coward.

FRee dixie,sw

[stand watie]

exactly!

[stand watie]

exactly.

NOW the cowardly scalawags in the legislature will LOSE their jobs. GOOD!

FRee dixie,sw

[stainlessbanner]

Good read!

[catfish1957]

Yeah, I will have to admit we have the best state flag in the U.S. (Texas)

[catfish1957]

The NAACP won't stop until the state flag is a picture of Martin Luther King

[catfish1957]

The Walt brigade is nothing but a liberal group of psuedointellectal disruptors who base their arguments on nothing but their ability to cut and paste at the speed of light.

It would be nice if they take their bilge to du where it belongs.

[catfish1957]

10 years I would have opposed a wall at our southern border with Mexico. I have changed my mind. Things here in Texas have gotten out of hand, and something needs to be done.

[Tatze]

Here is the history from the GA SoS website.

Before 1879:

1879-1902:

1902-1906:

1906-1920:

1920-1956:

1956-2001:

2001-Present:

[Tatze]

I think youre delusional if you think 75% of Georgians want the 56-01 flag back. I wish they had put it to a vote because it would have lost. Something tells me though that the issue would not have died with the heritage crowd.

Just as this current flag, the Barnes Rag, did not end the issue with the NAALCP (the CBF is still there). They may have been quiet about it recently, but it was still there for them to exploit when they needed an issue.

The whole issue has been bungled all around, mostly by Barnes in 2001, and the GA House this year.

[stand watie]

all i'm going on is a CNN poll that was done in MAR03.

there seems to be a LOT of hostility toward the legislature developing as well.

ALSO, one of the main "stick-wigglers" at the naaLcp said last week on TV that they couldn't afford to have the PEOPLE choose what flag would be accepted, as the post-1956 flag would win in a LANDSLIDE!

FRee dixie,sw