Alabama Lawmaker Gets Heated Over Downtown Confederate Flag Monument
Thursday, January 6, 2005 at 10:07AM
TheSpook
Several black elected officials are calling on Montgomery Mayor Bobby
Bright to remove a downtown monument bearing the image of the
Confederate battle flag. State Rep. Alvin Holmes, D-Montgomery, and
others say they want the Confederate monument, located in front of the
Montgomery Civic Center downtown, relocated to a more "appropriate"
venue. Holmes said the marker is an insult to blacks and could
negatively impact the growth of industry and tourism in Alabama. "The
Confederate flag represents slavery and oppression for black people,"
Holmes said during a news conference in front of the monument Thursday
afternoon. "When you see the KKK marching and demonstrating, they carry
the Confederate flag. When you see the Neo-Nazis marching and
demonstrating, they carry the Confederate flag because they know the
Confederate flag represents hate." Furthermore, Holmes said, "The
Montgomery Civic Center is being renovated in order to attract tourists
and conventions, and for them to have that big Confederate flag here is
not good for the city or the state." If Bright does not have the
display removed, Holmes said that he will push legislation during the
2005 regular session of the Alabama Legislature to have it removed. The
session starts Feb. 1. [more] and [more]
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