H 3989 Session 109 (1991-1992)
H 3989 Concurrent Resolution, By Glover, K.E. Bailey, D.W. Beatty, J. Brown,
Inabinett, Scott, C.Y. Waites, L.S. Whipper, J.M. White and D. Williams
A Concurrent Resolution to declare that the Confederate Flag should be removed
from atop the State House.
05/09/91 House Introduced HJ-8
05/09/91 House Referred to Committee on Judiciary HJ-8
A CONCURRENT
RESOLUTION
TO DECLARE THAT THE CONFEDERATE FLAG SHOULD BE
REMOVED FROM ATOP THE STATE HOUSE.
Whereas, freedom of expression is not a collective right of states or
public institutions, but rather an individual right of each citizen,
protected by the First and Fourteenth Amendments of the Constitution
of the United States; and
Whereas, that right is unlawfully infringed, not only whenever a citizen
is denied the freedom to peaceably express himself, but also whenever
he is compelled to participate in any expression against his will; and
Whereas, the navy jack of the Confederate States of America, daily
flown over the State Capitol, is not a duly adopted official banner of
either the United States of America or the State of South Carolina and,
therefore, is flown, not as an official representation of either, but rather
as a form of symbolic speech or expression; and
Whereas, there are citizens of South Carolina who do not choose to
participate in such expression and who find it contrary to their sincerely
held religious and philosophical convictions and violative of their moral
consciences to do so, but who are compelled to do so by virtue of their
involuntary support of the State Capitol through compulsory taxation;
and
Whereas, the members of the General Assembly oppose the practice of
flying the Confederate flag over the State Capitol or any other public
property, and further find this practice to be in violation of each citizen's
Constitutional right to be free of the imposition of compulsory symbolic
speech or expression; and
Whereas, the members call upon the General Assembly to permanently
strike the Confederate flag from atop the State Capitol; and
Whereas, these members seek the support of other organizations and
individuals who will join us in whatever legal action is necessary to halt
this flagrantly unconstitutional practice of government officials in South
Carolina. Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:
That the members of the General Assembly declare that the Confederate
flag be removed from atop the State Capitol.
-----XX----- |