SC Debate on Removing Confederate Flag Starts with Anti-Gay Rhetoric 

Monday morning in the South Carolina Legislature, state lawmakers began debating whether or not to take down the Confederate flag that flies on State Capitol property. The removal is likely, but lawmakers will also debate whether they should hold a ceremony to commemorate taking down the flag or put it back up yearly on “Confederate Memorial Day.” Let us answer that for you: Nah.

As Al Jazeera reports, several bills have been filed to remove the flag, and a poll by the Post and Courier newspaper showed that a roughly two-thirds majority of both the state House and Senate would vote to take it down.

The debate is airing live on C-SPAN, which is a great time for some states’ rights grandstanding by Republicans looking to win reelection bids. Republicans like State Senator Lee Bright, who is circulating a petition to keep the flag, writing on Facebook, “Right now, we have an opportunity to protect the symbol of our Southern heritage. The Confederate battle flag proudly represents states’ rights, so let’s fight to keep it flying!” Just in case you had any illusions whatsoever about what Senator Bright thinks about his black constituents.

Determined to make today a hateful twofer, Bright began his remarks this morning by inveighing against gay marriage and the Supreme Court, for some reason. He referred to the White House being lit up in what he called “abomination colors,” meaning the rainbow flag of LGBT rights.

“We can talk about a flag all we want, but the Devil is taking control of this land,” Bright added.

Gonna be a hell of a day.

Image via AP