Flag trouble stirs again. (Jackson, Yazoo City: racist, buildings, limit)

[Desert kid]

An Oxford fixture was killed in a related incident.

Black Mississippi Flag Supporter Dies in Traffic Accident - ABC News

[An Einnseanair]

Originally Posted by Desert kid

An Oxford fixture was killed in a related incident.

Black Mississippi Flag Supporter Dies in Traffic Accident - ABC News

Not good...

A passenger in Hervey's car, Arlene Barnum, tells The Associated Press that Hervey swerved and crashed after another vehicle carrying four or five young black men pulled up alongside them, yelling and looking angry. Barnum said Hervey yelled something back at the other vehicle before losing control and crashing.

Probably going to be some retaliation.

[Desert kid]

Originally Posted by jwkilgore

Not good...


Probably going to be some retaliation.

I'm convinced that I saw this guy when I was in Oxford last year, he was walking around the square in a Confederate uniform wearing a blue-band Kepi hat (one that a Confederate enlistee would wear).

[An Einnseanair]

Yeah, his family are among the most popular people among the "keep the flag" crowd. As if a couple of black people who love a symbol somehow negates the millions who hate it.

[Desert kid]

Originally Posted by jwkilgore

Yeah, his family are among the most popular people among the "keep the flag" crowd. As if a couple of black people who love a symbol somehow negates the millions who hate it.

That doesn't justify manslaughter.

[Ben A. Roundawurld]

Two completely separate issues going on here (and one takes away significantly from the other).

To Desert Kid's point, there is NO justification for manslaughter, period. Disagreeing with someone is not grounds for murder. Our thoughts and prayers should go out wholeheartedly to the family of Mr. Hervey. They just lost a father/husband/uncle/brother, etc. Wouldn't wish that on anyone.

To Jwkilgore's point, prior to Mr. Hervey's death, it was amusing to see folks trumpet Mr. Hervey's support of the flag as proof that the multitudes of black people who find the flag offensive are off the mark. The mental gymnastics needed to go from one point to the other was mind-boggling.

For those who will undoubtedly say, "But we put it to a vote, and the flag supporters won!", I would respond by saying that as a "born and bred" Mississippian, I fully understand the voter apathy that grips a large segment of our state. For years, many of our residents have felt that challenging the entrenched culture of Mississippi (including its love of that flag) was something outside the realm of possibility, even when an opportunity to do just that presented itself in the form of a statewide ballot (those familiar with the elephant and ankle-chain analogy will understand this phenomenon). It would be extremely interesting to see the results of a second ballot initiative coming on the heels of what just happened in South Carolina.

But alas, having an honest conversation about this will be stymied due to Mr. Hervey's death, which, as tragic as it is, will likely cause the pro-flag crowd to dig in their heels to the exclusion of all counter arguments. May Mr. Hervey rest in peace, and may we all appeal to our higher angels going forward when engaging in debate over this contentious issue.

[An Einnseanair]

Originally Posted by Desert kid

That doesn't justify manslaughter.

Well, of course not... no one here is saying it does. Mr. Hervey was entitled to his opinion just like everyone else. An opinion over a flag isn't worth putting his life and the life of his passenger in danger.

[Desert kid]

Originally Posted by jwkilgore

Well, of course not... no one here is saying it does. Mr. Hervey was entitled to his opinion just like everyone else. An opinion over a flag isn't worth putting his life and the life of his passenger in danger.

I don't know the details of what happened, and I wouldn't begin to say I know what the viewpoint of the black community is on terms of race, simply because I'm not black.

However, looking through some pictures of the guy over the last year, it was him that I saw in Oxford.

[DanBev]

I do not believe history should be destroyed,getting unrealistic.
There is a whole lot of misery being created right now which will show up in history down the road.

[viktor77]

Surely if Georgia could remove the stars and bars from their flag without a huge hassle Mississippi can and should. Georgia's new flag (their second attempt after a terrible first attempt) is a very nice flag and surely Mississippi can find something similar. Besides Georgia's justification was that the change promoted the state from a business point of view and that is never a bad thing.