'Great day for Mississippi' Legislature approves bill to change state flag

The Mississippi Legislature made history Sunday, approving a bill that will change the state flag and erase a Confederate battle emblem that’s broadly condemned as racist.

"A WEEKEND BATTLE BROUGHT AN ENDTO THE STATE'S OFTEN DEBATEDSTATE FLAG...MISSISSIPPIANS WILL NOW LOOK TO A FLAG THATWILL HAVE TO TAKE IT'S PLACE."A HISTORIC MOMENT AS THE STATESENATE GAVEFINAL APPROVAL TO DOING AWAYWITH ASTATE FLAG THAT HAS CARRIED THECONFEDERATE BATTLE EMBLEM INIT'S CORNERFOR 126 YEARS."THE TIPPING POINT I THINK WAS ITHINKLEADERSHIP FINALLY REALIZED ITWAS TIME."A MOVEMENT BROUGHT ABOUT BYDISCUSSIONS OF RACIAL INJUSTICEAND A RECENT LOBBYINGFRONT THAT INCLUDED COLLEGE ANDLOCALCOACHES.FLAG SUPPORTERS CONTEND THATVOTESHOULD HAVE MADE THE DECISION.THAT WAS THECASE IN 2001 WHEN A MAJORITYSAID THEYWANTED TO KEEP THE STARS ANDBARS"OBVIOUSLY IT IS A HISTORICALMOMENT BUT I THINK THOSEMOMENTS ARE BEST LEFT FOR THEPEOPLE TO DECIDE... IT IS ACOMPLEX ISSUE IT IS AN EMOTIONALISSUE IT IS THE KIND OF ISSUETHEPEOPLE ARE ASKING TO DECIDE.""AS A STUDENT OF HISTORY YOUREALIZE THAT IS THE DEMOCRATBATTLE FLAG I AM REPUBLICAN ANDIAM NOT GOING TO SUPPORT THEDEMOCRAT BATTLE FLAG."A BITTER BATTLE THAT CAME TO ENDWITH AN OVERWHELMING LEGISLATIVEVOTE TOREMOVE THE STATE FLAG...EVENVETERANLAWMAKERS WHO PROPOSED CHANGEALMOST 20 YEARS AGO WERE TAKENBACK..."BUT BACK THEN I NEVER THOUGHT IWOULD SEE THE DAY THEMISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE WOULDMAKE THAT STEP TO REPLACETHE FLAG AND THAT IS WHAT WE DIDTODAY."NOW THE STATE FLAG IS SET TORISE NO MORE....VOTERS WILL CHOOSE THE ONETHAT WILLREPLACE IT"THE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO GET TOELECT THE FLAG OF MISSISSIPPITHEYARE GOING TO GET TO VOTE ON ITINTHE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION WHEREWE HAVE A MILLION VOTERS SHOW UPAND WE WILL GO FORWARD WITH AFLAG THAT HAS IN GOD WE TRUST ONIT I THINK THAT WAS VERYCRITICAL.""I THINK HAVING NEW IMAGE IS AGREAT THING FOR OUR STATE ITWILLSEND A MESSAGE ACROSS T HE WORLDTHAT MISSISSIPPI IS NOTREADY TO REACH OUR FULLPOTENTIAL.""THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE SAYS HEISEXPECTED TO SIGN THE BILL IN"TCOMING DAYS" ...AND THEN APPOINTA 9- MEMBECOMMISSION TO FIND THAT NEXTFLAG DESIGN THAT INCORPORATES"IN GOD WE TRUST ON IT" AND ITWILL BE PRESENTED TO VOTERS INNOVEMBER.

AT THE STATE CAPITOLSCOTT