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Flag flap ‘finally over,’ says lawmaker
Posted at: Wednesday, March 3, 2004, 12:42 PM
Boosters of Georgia’s current red, white and blue flag, which sailed to an easy referendum victory Tuesday night, declared a two-decade fight over the appropriate use of Confederate imagery on the state flag over.
Confederate history enthusiasts who want to restore a banner dominated by the Rebel “X,” said they have not yet begun to fight.
“This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning,” said William Lathem, spokesman of the Southern Heritage Political Action Committee at a rally on the steps of the state Capitol Wednesday morning.
Members of this group, which fought unsuccessfully to include a flag dominated by the Confederate battle emblem in Tuesday’s referendum, said they will now take their fight to the summer and fall elections, where they will attempt to unseat lawmakers they blame for lowering a flag that had flown over Georgia from 1956- 2001.
But supporters of the current flag, which is modeled after a Confederate flag that did not include the Rebel battle emblem, said Tuesday’s vote has put an end to this fight. With 96 percent of the vote counted Wednesday, almost 80 percent of those casting votes chose the current flag over the temporary blue and gold banner that flew over Georgia from 2001 until last year.
“This is a great victory for Georgia,” said state Rep. Tyrone Brooks (D-Atlanta). “The long debate over our state flag is finally over.”
Gov. Sonny Perdue, who had pushed for a referendum, hailed the outcome while noting that he proposed including the 1956 flag.
“While I recommended that an additional choice be available to the people, the Legislature came to a different conclusion and I respected their decision.
“I believe the people chose a beautiful banner, which reflects our history and heritage and I will be proud to see it continue to fly over Georgia.”
— Ben Smith, Staff writer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Permalink | Categories: Georgia flag
Man crows virtues of Big Chicken flag
Posted at: Monday, March 1, 2004, 03:57 PM
One man’s love for Georgia … and the Big Chicken, is unflappable.
While hundreds outside the state Capitol hooted and hollered for, or against, a proposed constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage, Johnny D’Farmer tried to scratch up support for a new state flag featuring Marietta’s famed oversized hen.
Dressed in overalls, green-and-white striped shirt and yellow bandana, the two-time unsuccessful candidate for mayor of Marietta passed out fliers displaying the Big Chicken Flag alongside standards he labelled “The Early Georgia Flag,” “The Roy Barnes Flag,” and “The Sonny Perdue Flag.”
“Thousand of Georgians love the Big Chicken,” proclaimed D’Farmer, chairman of the board of the Friends of the Big Chicken Association.
“We all live in the shadow of the Big Chicken,” D’Farmer pressed to passersby, his dyed-red hair burning as brightly as his desire to honor the Cobb County landmark.
“We can all learn from her. Her flag would unite us, not divide us,” he crowed, loud and as proud as any Georgia rooster.
— Patricia Guthrie, ajc.com
Permalink | Categories: Georgia flag
Carter endorses present flag
Posted at: Thursday, February 26, 2004, 03:39 AM
Former President Jimmy Carter endorsed Georgia’s current flag Wednesday as the state prepares for an emotional referendum on the banner.
“The debate over Georgia’s flag has gone on for too long,” Carter wrote in a statement.
In his statement, Carter joined lawmakers in worrying that Southern heritage supporters may try to spike the vote by choosing the 2001 blue flag, hoping that would keep the issue alive.
“More votes for the ‘blue’ flag could lead to a situation in which this contentious issue is brought to the forefront again,” Carter wrote.
Southern heritage groups insisted they won’t mess with the referendum, saying they won’t even participate because it doesn’t include the 1956 rebel version.
“It’s an invalid, rigged referendum,” said Jeff Davis, director of the Southern Heritage Coalition. “This issue will never be settled until the people have a fair vote on all the flags, and I think President Carter knows that.”
In his statement, the former Georgia governor pleaded with people to let the matter go, saying another flag debate would hurt the economy.
“Another round of bad publicity over our most recognizable symbol could be harmful to Georgia’s efforts to recruit new business,” Carter said.
Carter’s choice has also been endorsed by Republican Gov. Sonny Perdue and the Georgia Association of Black Elected Officials. The state NAACP has backed the 2001 blue flag.
— The Associated Press
Permalink | Categories: Georgia flag
Services »
How it went today...
Beth wrote:
Machines worked absolutely perfect, not one problem. Slightly disturbed that the people working the precinct appeared to be about 14 years old though.
March 2, 2004 06:17 PM
Clay Waterfill wrote:
"Nevertheless, I decided to drop by the precinct this afternoon and discuss the situation with the supervisor. To my surprise I received another ballot."
This is very disturbing! One person one vote is how it works.
March 2, 2004 06:13 PM
Ben wrote:
Kudos to all voters in prior posts who reported exemplary service on their computer ballots for the presidential primary. Unfortunately, my experience was much more akin to what happened to Artis, Julie and Jeff. I voted at the Virginia Avenue Baptist precinct at 7 a.m.. I did fill out the proper registration form and the ballot/card given to me offered only the choice of voting on the flag issue before it ejected. After many phone conversations and emails this morning, I was basically told by the Secretary of State's office and the Fulton Country Department of Elections that my ballot was cast and there was nothing to do about it. Nevertheless, I decided to drop by the precinct this afternoon and discuss the situation with the supervisor. To my surprise I received another ballot. In the explaination it was my understanding that only "nonpartisan ballots" were distributed to this precinct and these were passed along to the voters, regardless of registration. While I was delighted to get the chance to vote again this procedure only heightened a feeling that voting by computer iss unreliable and not "tamper-proof". Being provided with a "second-chance" also confirmed my knowledge that I did the right thing and the experience a precinct/ballot problem and NOT a voter issue. I suggest that if you have the time, drop back by the VA/HI precinct and see if you can correct the problem.
March 2, 2004 06:02 PM
Doug wrote:
All these people who are complaining they voted on a ballot that did have a presidential primary are just not smart. There is no such thing as the Non-Partisan Party. There was a Democratic and a Republican presidential primary today.
These are the kinds of voters Winston Churchill had in mind when he said, "The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter."
March 2, 2004 05:50 PM
Greg wrote:
I'm a Republican but cast my vote for the Rev. Al Sharpton. One less vote for John Kerry. May the Roy Barnes "Rag" disappear forever from the Georgia landscape!
March 2, 2004 05:39 PM
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