If you watch the national media, you would think that the debate over the Confederate flag in South Carolina is over. The truth is the debate is just beginning.
Rep. Jonathon Hill (R-S.C.) told Truth In Media’s Joshua Cook about his thoughts on the Confederate battle flag on the State capitol grounds as well as his thoughts on the tragic event at Mother Emanuel AME Church in downtown Charleston, S.C.
Hill said, “First, there has been so much love and forgiveness expressed by the family members, by the church members, and how the community of Charleston has come together and the city over this incident. And that’s what the focus should be on because you’re going to defeat racism with love and respect and quite honestly–Christianity.”
“The flag didn’t kill anyone,” said Hill.
“It [Confederate flag] is currently not flying over the State house, it is flying next to the Confederate monument here on the State house grounds. I can’t think of a more appropriate place to fly it. It would be like having a Confederate flag flying next to a grave stone next to a fallen Confederate soldier,” said Hill.
Hill asked, “What are we going to do if we take down this flag? Are we also going to chisel out the words on the monument? Are we going to bulldoze down the monument, take down the monument altogether? If we start going down that road, then we’re going to begin to forget what happened during that dark period of our history.”
Sources tell Truth In Media that it would probably be weeks or months, maybe August, before Confederate flag legislation gets to a vote. In other words, it won’t be as fast as what is currently being reported.
In 2014, during a gubernatorial debate, S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley debated libertarian candidate Steve French on the issue of the Confederate flag. French said the flag hindered economic growth while Gov. Haley defended the flag.
Cook stated that Gov. Haley did a complete 180 on the issue of the flag due to political pressure. Hill agreed.
The recent flag controversy has sparked many different reactions from the political right. As reported by Truth In Media, Senator and Presidential candidate Rand Paul (R-Ky) stated that the Confederate flag was a “symbol of slavery and murder.”
[RELATED: Rand Paul Speaks Out Against Confederate Flag as a Symbol of Slavery and Murder]
State Senator Lee Bright (R-S.C.) characterized the movement to remove the Confederate flag and other Confederate monuments as a “Stalinist Purge.”
While a national movement is calling for the flag to come down, some local residents say it should stay.
A recent poll sponsored by the Greenville News indicates that many in South Carolina agree with Senator Bright. The unscientific poll asks: Should the Confederate flag be removed from South Carolina’s State house? As of this publication, 32% voted ‘yes’ and 68% voted ‘no.’
