The confederate flag could soon be banned from all public buildings in South Carolina.
York representative John King filed a bill this week that would prohibit the flag from being flown or displayed anywhere besides a museum or private property.
In July 2015, the confederate flag that flew on South Carolina State House grounds for 52 years was taken down.
Some believe it’s time for even more to come down across the state.
“The stigma of the flag is that it’s a symbol of hate,” said York County Councilman William Roddey, who supports the bill.
“It was a bad time in American history and I don’t think we need to go back down that road by having that flag fly, especially in government buildings.”
But others strongly oppose the bill.
“That flag represents all confederate soldiers and their families both black and white,” said Leland Summers, commander for the South Carolina Sons of Confederate Veterans.
“We are a historical honor society, we know what the flag stands for, it’s our job to teach the rest of the world the true meaning of that flag.”
It’s a meaning, Summers says, that is too often misinterpreted as racist.
“It’s uneducated people who have no desire to educate themselves about the history of the south,” he said. “It’s not a racial thing, we honor all confederate soldiers regardless of their race.”
Both sides of the debate tell NBC Charlotte they will seek legal action depending on how lawmakers vote.
“Some legislators have told us don’t worry the bill is not going to pass,” Summers said. “But some of those legislators were the same ones who told us the flag wouldn’t come down either.”
The bill does not place any restrictions on flags displayed on private property or businesses.
–wltx.com
