The follies: Talk but no action on Confederate flag license plates
Published July 11, 2015
by Chris Fitzsimon, NC Policy Watch and NC SPIN panelist, July 10, 2015.
A few days after the massacre of nine African-Americans at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston Governor Pat McCrory announced he wanted North Carolina to stop issuing specialty license plates featuring the Confederate flag.
A spokesman said McCrory believed that in the wake of the shootings, “the time was right to change the policy.”
McCrory garnered praise and headlines across the state and nation for his statement and he deserved them, though it was the least the state could do and he was following the lead of other governors in the South like Terry McAuliffe in Virginia.
But it has now been 17 days since McCrory spoke up and the state has continued selling the license plates. This week brought the news that sales of the plates had increased since McCrory’s remarks and that DMV sold out of them more than a week ago.
A McCrory Administration spokesman says more plates are being made and should be available in 30 days and that DMV is currently taking pre-orders for them. So much for the governor standing up and ending a symbol of racism and hate manufactured by the state he leads.
McCrory says the General Assembly must act to end the sale of the plates. Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger says McCrory can do it with an executive order. Meanwhile, as the two leaders conveniently call on the other to do something, nothing is done and more confederate plates are being sold and more are being made.
McCrory may honestly believe he doesn’t have the authority to stop issuing the plates but if that’s true he doesn’t seem too bothered by the inaction of Berger and other legislative leaders.
McCrory had held more than a dozen media events since he first spoke out about the Confederate plates. He has cut ribbons at businesses and called on lawmakers to approve his proposals for bonds for transportation and infrastructure. He has not mentioned the Confederate flag plates.
Maybe he is waiting for the General Assembly to act on its own, but that’s hardly what a leader would do.
South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley signed legislation Thursday to remove the Confederate battle flag from the state capitol grounds and it was removed Friday morning.
Haley demanded the legislation after the Charleston shootings and worked hard to make sure it passed, even reportedly making an emotional appeal to state House Republicans at a closed caucus meeting.
Haley knew that removing the flag was the right thing to do and she made it happen.
McCrory says that ending the Confederate license plates is the right thing to do but isn’t sure he can make it happen and doesn’t seem inclined to use the weight of his office to force the General Assembly to act.
North Carolina Congresswoman Alma Adams issued a statement Thursday praising the South Carolina legislature and calling on McCrory and the North Carolina General Assembly to discontinue the license plates bearing the Confederate flag.
And she’s right. Somebody needs to stop issuing the plates and stop making them and cancel the orders. A Confederate flag should not fly on the capitol grounds of South Carolina and should not be on official license plates made and sold by the state of North Carolina.
McCrory is in charge and it is up to him. The millions of people he represents who see that flag as a symbol of hate deserve a governor who not only says the right thing about it, but follows up and actually does the right thing.
No one believes that removing the flag will solve the problem of racism that still plagues our state and our society. But symbols are important the confederate flag needs to go. There’s no place for it on public buildings or public grounds or public license plates.
Let’s see if McCrory is up to it or if he is just full of talk.
July 11, 2015 at 9:01 am
William Jones says:
While he lets them still fly on flagpoles at state owned civil war historic sites statewide.
July 11, 2015 at 11:05 am
Norm Kelly says:
Some things are actually important to note. But when the things worth noting negatively impact socialists, expect people like Chris to come out and avoid the truth.
So, how long did democRATS rule Raleigh? About 1 century. For those illiterate or liberal, that's about 100 years.
When was the confederate flag first allowed on the state license plates? Well, obviously it was before the century of demon rule! Not only did the Republican party control Raleigh when the confederate flag was first put on the plate, but it's spooky that Republicans control Raleigh now that it's time to consider removing the flag from license plates. Funny how it always comes around again. The only and obvious reason that Republicans aren't taking swift action to remove the flag from plates is because it would be such a major slap in the face of those racist Republicans who first put the flag in place to show their hatred of black people!
Darn it! There I go again. Falling into the garbage spewed by liberals and socialists. Rewriting history to make myself feel good. Typical of libs. Not only do they rely more on feelings than anything thoughtful or logical, they INSIST on rewriting history to make themselves look good.
Cuz it was during the 1 century that the DEMON party ruled Raleigh that the confederate flag was put on the plates. Just like it was demons who ruled when the confederate flag was put up on MOST state house grounds. Except, just like their fight against the civil rights laws of the 60s, libs want you to forget their stand supporting racism. Very strong stand supporting racism!
And we all know that if the state chooses to remove a part of history from license plates, someone in the free market will make a sticker to place on your state issued license plate. Or a plate border will be sold by some private sector business showing the confederate flag. The private sector will respond to the idi0tic blatherings of libs/socialists/media type allies. And private sector business is always, always, always more worthy of support and profit than ANY government monopoly!
But the more important question eludes EVERY lib/socialist/media-ally out there. Including Chris.
What does removing a part of history from state license plates got to do with improving ANYTHING about black lives? Aren't there actually real, useful actions that can be taken to improve the lives of black people? How does the flag, a fact of our national history, negatively affect anyone? On the other hand, how does dumbing down the education system HURT black kids? How does continuing the lie perpetrated by black 'leaders' and socialists alike that claims black people are incapable of improving their own lives help any black person? Even the reverend buffet slayer constantly and repeatedly tells all of us, including black people, that they are incapable without help from white people. Mostly special treatment by government agencies. Black 'leaders' run around the country telling black people that whites are suppressing them, holding them back, and only the socialist policies of the demon party will change anything. Except the facts are not on their side with this issue either. How has government interference in black lives actually improved the lot of black lives? Refer back to government education monopoly. Think about socialized medicine also, cuz that ain't gonna make health care for black lives any better than it's going to make for white lives! (Only illegal immigrants will get better health care under socialized medicine.)
I know. The answer is so obvious, especially after reading Chris's oh-so-useful post. Blacks are worse off today because the confederate flag is allowed to exist. If it weren't for that darn flag, which IS a part of our national history, blacks would be as successful and educated as their white counterparts. And blacks wouldn't be killing blacks at an outrageous rate! It all comes down to that darn flag!
And when that flag is finally banned by the big-hearted socialists, and black lives haven't improved, what will they point to next? My Christianity? Can't be. That's already under assault by this administration! But rest assured, when the flag doesn't resolve the black lives issue for libs, they will find something else to attack! And they will find some Republican 'issue' to blame!
July 12, 2015 at 8:43 am
William Jones says:
Norm, when you begin a response with childish name calling and racist rants,folks quickly lose interest in what you have to say..I know I did!
July 14, 2015 at 12:40 pm
Donald Byrd says:
And removing the flag or the license plate will solve what? NOTHING!!!!!!!!!!!
