I remember

As an elected official during the period when MIssissippi voted on their state flag, I remember the arguments and the apathy very vividly.

I remember Rip Daniels and Jim Giles traveling to every public hearing...

I remember the Sons of Confederate Veterans reminding faculty and students at Jackson State that the people supporting the new flag lived in gated communities...

I remember the chairman of the Appropriations Committee being offended by the original design submitted by the State Flag Commission and the chair of said commission offended by the Magnolia Flag...

I remember the meetings, the rallies and the commentary of the masses broadcast on local and international media...

And then, most importantly, I remember when it was all said and done, the flag vote was the worst statewide turnout in this century and in recent decades...

The tragedy in Charleston has brought this issue back to the forefront again, along with a myriad of other issues. I have never been a proponent of keeping the Beauregard Flag in the canton corner of the Mississippi State Flag, which officially became our flag again in 2001...

However, I do remember two prevailing sentiments that I believe still rings true in the minds of Mississippians: "That flag doesn't determine how or where I work and live" & "Changing a piece of cloth doesn't change the hearts and minds of men."

Those two arguments alone will prevent any change to occur, and unfortunately the death of nine African American Christians by the hand of a delusional young man who thought his act of terrorism would spur a race war in America, will not move the needle in a different direction.