Columbus Mayor Robert Smith never expected it to be so easy.
On Tuesday evening, Smith sought, and got, approval from the city council to remove the Mississippi state flag from city property. The council voted 6-0 to remove the flag after only about 10 minutes of discussion.
“I did not expect that,” Smith told The Dispatch after the council meeting. “I’m very appreciative of the board being sensitive to the issue and I also appreciate the unanimous vote. I think it was a great decision and I was elated at the decision, especially at it being unanimous — this shows unity among the council.”
The resolution will take effect today and will remain in effect until Mississippi adopts a “more unifying” flag, according to Smith.
Columbus joins five other Mississippi cities — Clarksdale, Grenada, Hattiesburg, Magnolia and Vicksburg — that have opted to remove the state flag in the wake of the June 17 shooting deaths of nine African American worshippers at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina. The Confederate battle flag has faced widespread criticism after photos of confessed shooter Dylann Roof posing with it surfaced after the shootings. Mississippi’s flag features the battle flag in its upper left corner.
‘I hope our actions tonight send a message’
Columbus is the first city in the Golden Triangle to formally remove the flag. West Point Mayor Robbie Robinson told The Dispatch on Monday that his city has never flown the flag. Starkville has a resolution for removing the flag from city property pending for its July 28 board aldermen meeting.
The flag matter was not officially listed on the city council’s agenda for Tuesday’s meeting, but Smith told The Dispatch on Monday he planned to present the issue to the council.
Ward 5 Councilman Kabir Karriem applauded Smith for bringing the matter up. He said he fully supported the issue.
“Normally, sir, we don’t agree on things,” Karriem told the mayor during the meeting. “But I commend you on taking a leadership role and bringing this to the forefront.”
Ward 6 Councilman Bill Gavin also noted his support, but suggested the city take time to consider the action.
“I’ve not had much opportunity to sit down and give this much thought,” Gavin said. “I agree with what you’ve said, but I think something this serious — the flag represents the state of Mississippi — so I think we might want to take a little time to think through this thing before we act.”
Gavin went on to ask what the city would do if the flag is eventually changed, and suggested the city just not fly a new flag, if it does get changed.
Smith said he had no issue with flying the state flag again if it’s changed to something “unifying,” however.
Ward 3 Councilman Charlie Box, who also voiced support during the discussion, described himself as being in a “no-win” situation due to a split among his constituents. Some, he said, would like to see the flag removed, while others want to keep it.
Box ultimately voted to remove the flag, but said the city should consider waiting to see what the Legislature would do.
“I think they’re going to do the right thing,” Box said. “If it comes to a vote tonight, I’m going to vote for it because I feel like that’s what most of the people want. It is a divisive thing. But for Mississippi to get out of the mold that we’re in, I think we need to maybe move forward and take the flag down, but I would like us to understand that there was a vote on this and the people voted tremendously in favor to keep it.”
For Box, Tuesday’s vote was a moment for Columbus to send a message to other cities in the region and, he hopes, legislators to push for change.
“Hopefully, the Mississippi Legislature will put this issue on the legislative agenda for immediate consideration when they next convene,” he said. “I don’t know if they’ll do it or not, but I would hope that our actions tonight in lowering the flag will send a message throughout the state and the nation that we in Columbus do not support the present flag.”
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