Possible Mississippi flag change underway (1 Viewer)

[Heathen]

Miss. Senate, House both approve resolution to suspend rules, create committee to change flag

The Mississippi House and Senate both voted on Saturday to suspend rules, allowing for a vote to take place to change the current state flag.

www.wlox.com

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - The Mississippi House voted on Saturday to suspend rules, allowing for a vote to take place to change the current state flag.
The vote on House Concurrent 79 was approved by a vote of 85-34. The rule must also be passed by the Senate.
HC 78 also includes the creation of a flag committee. The HCR says the new flag cannot contain the Confederate battle emblem and says the flag must include “In God We Trust.”
The goal is to get the new flag design on ballots in November. If the commission’s design doesn’t get majority approval in November, HCR 79 says the commission would design another new flag.
After the vote, the House adjourned until 2 p.m. Sunday.
The suspension of the rules is the first step to changing the state flag. If passed by the Senate with a two-thirds vote, the vote will then move toward removing the flag, which must also be passed by both the House and Senate. Governor Tate Reeves already said if the resolution on a new flag reaches his desk, he will pass it.

As a resident of Mississippi for the first 20 something-odd years of my life, I'm really happy to see this.

I'm actually very shocked Tate Reeves, who from all indication is supportive of the current flag and movement, will sign whatever decision the state hands to him on a flag change/no change. I guess he might realize he could be ending his reelection campaign early.

If it passes the Senate, the flag will essentially be including 'In God we Trust' in the logo, which pretty undeniably IMO violates the First Amendment of the Constitution.

Here's an excerpt on the ruling in 2004:

Lower courts have upheld use of motto
In Lambeth v. Board of Commissioners of Davidson County (M.D.N.C. 2004), a federal district court in North Carolina determined that the inscription “In God We Trust” on the facade of a government building does not violate the separation of church and state. The following year, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the lower court decision. In 2006 a U.S. judge in the Eastern District of California wrote in Newdow v. Congress of the United States (C.D. Cal. 2006), “The national motto is excluded from First Amendment significance because the motto ‘has no theological or ritualistic impact’ and is of a purely secular, ‘patriotic’ and ‘ceremonial character.’ ” The words In God We Trust, he said, constitute in effect “a secular national slogan.”

In God We Trust

Federal courts have consistently upheld "In God We Trust" as a national motto, which when on coins or elsewhere does not violate the establishment clause of the First Amendment.

www.mtsu.edu

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I believe one can easily see that the logic behind the phrase having 'no theological impact' and being 'secular' is completely outrageous. Any American knows which particular god that phrase references, and I do expect down the road for this legislation to be deemed unconstitutional. It's one of those common sense items that we know will eventually be corrected, but for now just serves as an irritant. Although it does appease those white residents who aren't outspoken about the confederate flag but don't care if it gets changed either, which seems to be a growing number of people.

Anyway, not to gripe too much. This is HUGE for my home state. Absolutely huge...Today could be a great day in Mississippi history..I'm happy it looks as if tentatively the confederate flag will be coming down.

Awaiting the Senate decision..



Here is the process to remove the State Flag:

1. MS House votes to suspend the rules- DONE
2. MS Senate votes to suspend the rules- PENDING
3. MS House votes on the bill to remove the flag. (Tomorrow at 10AM)
4. MS Senate votes on the bill to remove the flag. (TBA)
5. Governor signs the bill into law.

 

[Richard]

Unfortunately, there have been a number of senators who have pledged to block it. If I am correct, one of those is the senator whose committee would be the one to take the matter up for a vote. He has stated that he has no plans to bring the issue before his committee. I will see if I can find a link to his comments. I know there was a pretty heated debate yesterday or Thursday about it.

I was wrong. Apparently it was the House Rules Committee chairman who said he had no plans to take the matter up in his committee. The floor debate was indeed the senate though. I know the guy who was pushing for the issue to go to the voters, which I believe is only a way to shirk responsibility. It provides cover for them and they can always say that they left it up to the voters and the people spoke. What they are really saying is that they don't have strong enough principles to do what is right and they want to protect their BS jobs.

'It's going to tear us apart': Tensions flare at Capitol as lawmakers push off flag vote

Two senators stared each other down Friday morning. The House still has not brought up flag legislation.

www.clarionledger.com

 

[Farb]

I like the stennis flag enough, but I hope they incorporate the magnolia in some way in the new flag. I saw and example a while back that looked pretty cool.

I am not a citizen of Ms so I don't have a say but I think replacing the flag has been a long time coming.

 

[Heathen]

'Historic moment': Lawmakers clear difficult hurdle to consider bill that would remove the Mississippi state flag

Lawmakers have pitched creating a commission to recommend a new design by Sept. 14, and voters would approve or reject that design on Nov. 3.

mississippitoday.org

 

[Richard]

I have to say that I am a bit surprised. I didn't think Mississippi had enough legislators with the will or the sense to pass it. Glad I was wrong.

 

[Bigdaddysaints]

No surprise MS was the last state to get rid of it.

 

[zztop]

No surprise MS was the last state to get rid of it.

yeah, driving through there and alabama recently, I was shocked by all the confederate flags I saw all over the place

 

[insidejob]

As of five minutes ago, it's officially coming down for good. Finally.

 

[Heathen]

Just watched a video of it coming down...It is done! For many Mississippi and and former residents, this is still not feeling real. I'm speechless.. so happy for my state. Hope no violence ensues:

Senate, House both approve bill to change Miss. state flag

The Mississippi Legislature approved a bill that would change the state flag.

www.wlbt.com

 

[superchuck500]

Mobile thinks they figured out a loophole.

Narrator: they did not.

 

[Bigdaddysaints]

Hate is a hell of a drug.. it's hard to stop once you start...

 

[Heathen]

No surprise MS was the last state to get rid of it.

Technically Georgia has a modified version of the original.

 

[MT15]

I think Georgia’s flag is almost like the one the guy from Mobile wants to use.

 

[cuddlemonkey]

Mobile thinks they figured out a loophole.

Narrator: they did not.

"See, it's a change, you guys. Now we'll fly the flag they used at the time our state pitched a fit because we still wanted to own black people are property. Problem solved."

 

[superchuck500]

"See, it's a change, you guys. Now we'll fly the flag they used at the time our state pitched a fit because we still wanted to own black people are property. Problem solved."

Its straight out of South Park.

 

[Farb]

So any display of a flag that had to do with confederacy should never be displayed?
I ask because Mobile is known as the city of 6 flags. These are the flags that have flown over the city since its inception including the confederate flag.
Pensacola is the city of 5 flags. What flag should be represented in those slots if not a confederate flag, not necessarily the battle flag that everyone is familiar with.

 

[cuddlemonkey]

So any display of a flag that had to do with confederacy should never be displayed?
I ask because Mobile is known as the city of 6 flags. These are the flags that have flown over the city since its inception including the confederate flag.
Pensacola is the city of 5 flags. What flag should be represented in those slots if not a confederate flag, not necessarily the battle flag that everyone is familiar with.

You mean these six flags:

Perhaps we could replace it with this:

Not only is it current, but it has the added effect of being mostly white, much like the flag the cowards that seceded should be associated with, only with the addition of a giant red X to warn people to stay the hell away from this backwards arse state.

 

[GrandAdmiral]

I have to say that I am a bit surprised. I didn't think Mississippi had enough legislators with the will or the sense to pass it. Glad I was wrong.

They obviously didn't trust the voters to do it.