Mississippi Reps. Jeramey Anderson and Sonya Williams-Barnes released a joint statement on the latest bipartisan attempt to change the Mississippi state flag.
Rep. Jeramey Anderson today joined Rep. Sonya Williams-Barnes to introduce a resolution that would suspend the rules and allow the Legislature to consider a bill to change the state flag.
“It is past time for the Legislature to step up, do its job and remove a flag that is so divisive to so many Mississippians and replace it with a flag that we can unite under,” Rep. Anderson, said. “Cities, counties, institutions of higher learning and some of the state’s largest employers have made it abundantly clear that the flag, with an image indelibly tied to slavery and Jim Crow, is not acceptable.”
“Confederate emblems for hundreds of years have been associated with hate, hurt and social injustices towards African Americans. The current state flag embeds such an emblem and carries the same hate, hurt and injustices, Rep. Williams-Barnes said. “The change of the state flag is long overdue, it is time for Mississippi to make a change and this change should be done by the Legislature.”
Both Reps. Anderson and Williams-Barnes also believe that the current flag hinders economic growth for Mississippi and presents challenges for recruitment of corporations and competitive talent.
“Changing the flag is a race relations issue that if left unaddressed will continue to yield economic hardships for Mississippi”, said Rep. Williams-Barnes.
The House is expected to finish its work for the 2020 regular session on Friday. The suspension resolution was introduced as a vehicle that the House could use to change the state flag before it adjourns for the session.
###