Mississippi gained a lot of national attention for itself in 2001 when it had a statewide referendum devoted to one subject: whether the state should keep its state flag that prominently featured the Confederate battle flag or exchange it for another one as bland and forgettable as other states have. The voters chose the Confederate state flag by a large margin.
Now, Republican gubernatorial candidate Haley Barbour's campaign is using the Confederate state flag in the current campaign:
Two years after Mississippi voters decided to keep a Confederate battle emblem on the state flag, the Republican gubernatorial candidate is keeping the issue flying heading into next week's election. ...
[In additional to a TV spot on the flag theme] Barbour's campaign office in Yazoo City has also been distributing "Keep the Flag. Change the Governor" bumper stickers ahead of the Tuesday ballot.
Lloyd Gray has done a very good analysis of how this issue plays in Mississippi politics.
The fundamental underlying issue in the flag debate, of course, was race. Black Mississippians' concerns about a flag that incorporated a symbol used by white supremacist groups drove much of the momentum behind the push for a change. White backlash to what was perceived as a denial of heritage drove much of the resistance.
The improving yet fragile state of race relations in Mississippi underwent some severe strain during the period leading up to the April 2001 referendum, which included shouting matches at flag commission hearings around the state.
It's a disservice to resurrect those hostilities and divisions two and a half years later and attempt to exploit them for political benefit.
Lloyd was the editor of the student paper at Millsaps College in Jackson (MS) when I was a student there, and I did a column for the paper. As I recall, Lloyd was always more diplomatic than I. I wouldn't have said, for instance, that their was anything subtleaboutthe "undercurrent of racial resentment" in Barbour's use of the race issue. But even if Lloyd shows an excess of Southern manners, his analysis is solid.
4 comments:
excellent journal, very thought-provoking. will visit again.
Had I been alive 38 years ago I might have understood Mississippi politics. It seems they are a bit behind the curve over there.
That Happy Chica,
Marcia Ellen
Musenla, thanks for "stopping by". I try to put new posts up on a regular basis.
Marcia Ellen, I got a real smile out of the notion of "understanding" Mississippi politics. I don't think I know of anyone who would claim they've achieved that! But it's often something to marvel at! Mississippi is a state of mind. Faulkner expressed it in his stories. Check out Kate Campbell's song "Petrified House" on her *Monuments* album (or any of her songs about Mississippi) for a brush with it. - Bruce
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