Washington, D.C.--United States Representative
Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) introduced legislation today condemning the use
of the Confederate Flag for "any reason other than as a historic reminder
of the secession of the Confederate States, which prompted the violent,
bloody, and divisive Civil War, and of the Confederacy's flagrant disregard
for the equality of all Americans in accordance with the United Sates Constitution
and in the eyes of God."
Congressman Thompson said, "There are a
million reasons why the Confederate Flag should not be flying over any
state capitol, comprise a part of any state flag, or be displayed in any
place of honor or distinction. From its racist past to its polemic present,
the one thing that can be stated unequivocally, is that today, the flag
has become shrouded in an over-simplified, revisionist version of American
history."
"Claims that the flag represents a benign
segment of Southern history, ruled by some sort of gentile charm and virtuous
code of conduct, are patently offensive to every American whose ancestors
were brutalized by the stinging pains of slavery or ostracized by its illegitimate
progeny, Jim Crow."
"This legislation is intended to set the
record straight. The Leaders of the Confederate States of America were
traitors. Had they been allowed to succeed in their ultimate act of betrayal,
they would have destroyed all of the principles and freedoms we hold dear
as Americans. It is impossible to celebrate the Confederate Flag and simultaneously
profess one's love of democracy. It is self-delusional to attribute equality,
freedom and opportunity to the Confederacy when its treasonous acts would
have destroyed all of these values --these American values"
"As our nation tries to deal with the rise
in conspicuous acts of racial violence and hate, the one glaring fact with
which we are frequently confronted is that we have not adequately and honestly
dealt with our past. Once again, this resolution will be a constructive
first step in starting that dialogue. I challenge one person who presently
supports the flying of the Confederate flag to read the words contained
in this legislation and say that the beliefs of the Confederacy, articulated
in this bill, do not stand in direct conflict with the principles we enjoy
as one nation united and indivisible under God."
"At the end of the day, this bill is about
the true history of the flag flying over the Capitol building in South
Carolina. It clarifies the symbolism connected with the battle flag contained
in the Mississippi and George state flags. At the end of the day, this
legislation begs the question, 'Will we, as Americans, united and God-fearing,
allow ourselves to posthumously give the Confederacy the divided nation
they so desperately fought to create, or will we embrace the fundamental
principles which presently govern the moral conscience of our nation and
work toward a day when the actions of our shared, American heroes overshadow
the treasonous acts of a group of traitors whose actions would have destroyed
our nation."
U. S. Representatives Bennie G. Thompson
has been active in efforts to have the Rebel Battle Flag removed from the
Mississippi State flag. He was a plaintiff in a class action lawsuit which
claimed the flag was a violation of the rights of the African American
population of Mississippi.
He is the only member of Congress, in the
House of Representatives or the Senate, that does not have a state flag
placed outside his office. Additionally, the image of the Rebel battle
flag is so offensive that there are no representations of the Mississippi
state flag anywhere in any of his offices.
This legislation was originally written
two years ago and shelved in order to conduct additional research. It is
being introduced now to show solidarity with the efforts of the South Carolina
NAACP to have the flag removed from the dome of the state Capitol building
and the recent actions of the Jackson, Mississippi City Council to have
the Mississippi state flag removed from Council chamber.
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RESOLUTION:
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives
with regard to the continued display of Confederate flags.
Whereas in his 1861 speech entitled "Slavery
the Corner-stone of the Confederacy," Alexander H. Stephens, the Vice President
of the Confederate State of America stated, "The prevailing ideas entertained
by [Thomas Jefferson] and most of the leading statesmen at the time of
the formation of the old constitution, were that the enslavement of the
African was in violation of the laws of nature; that it was wrong in principle,
socially, morally, and politically... Our new government is founded upon
exactly the opposite idea; its foundations are laid, its cornerstone rests
up the great truth, that the negro is not equal to the white man; that
slavery-subordination to the superior race-is his natural and normal condition,"
Whereas article 1, section 9, clause
4 of the Constitution of the Confederate States of America provides that
"[n]o bill of attainders, ex post facto law, or law denying or im-pairing
the right of property in negro slaves shall be passed";
Whereas article 4, section 3, clause
3 of that Constitution provides that "[i]n all such territory the institution
of negro slavers, as it now exists in the Confederate States, shall be
recognized and protected by Congress and the territorial government";
Whereas the pledge of allegiance
to the Confederate flag states, "I salute the Confederate Flag, with affection,
reverence, and undying devotion to the cause for which it stands";
Whereas the first, second, and third
official Confederate flags, the Confederate Navy Jack, and the Confederate
battle flag are all direct representations of the Confederacy and its documented
advocacy of the subordination of people of African descent through the
perpetuation of the slave trade;
Whereas many white supremacist groups
recognize the inherently racist implications of the flag and frequently
use it as a historically significant representation of their present day
desire to strip nonwhites, frequently through wanton acts of violence,
or the rights guaranteed them by the United States Constitution and relegate
them to the position of noncitizens and, in some cases, nonhumans;
Whereas the State of Georgia has
introduced legislation to remove the Confederate flag from its official
State flag;
Whereas the Civil War is the most
divisive domestic insurrection in our shared national history and continues
to be a culturally polemic issue among many segments of the American population;
and
Whereas the Confederacy was defeated
in its attempt to destroy the United States of America by tearing the Nation
apart: Now, therefore, be it
1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives
does not
2 support, condone, or encourage the use
or display o the
3 First, second, or third official Confederate
flag, the Confederate
4 Navy Jack, or the Confederate battle
flag (more commonly known as 5 the "Southern Cross") for any reason
6 Other than as a historic reminder of
the secession of the
7 Confederate States, which prompted the
violent, bloody,
8 And divisive Civil War, and of the Confederacy's
flagrant
9 Disregard for the equality of all Americans
in accordance
10 with the United States Constitution
and in the eyes of