SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
Courthouse News Service reports
A woman climbed a flagpole and cut down the Confederate flag in front of the South Carolina statehouse Saturday before promptly being arrested and seeing the banner raised again less than an hour later.
Bree Newsome, dressed in climbing gear, spoke respectfully with police gathered at the base of the flag pole as she continued to move ever closer to the flag. A video of her climb captures Newsome, a resident of Raleigh, North Carolina, talking to police from about two-thirds the way up the 30-foot pole, evidently acknowledging her imminent arrest.
"I know sir. I'm prepared", she says.
"Ma'am, come down off the pole", the officers yell as passing motorists honked their horns at the scene.
"You cannot get to me with hatred and oppression and violence", Newsome shouted as she cut the flag down. "In the name of God, this flag comes down today."
The New York Daily News identifies the woman as Brittany Ann Byuarium (Bree) Newsome of Charlotte, NC and continues
[...] When she reached the bottom, State Police took the flag out of her hands and arrested her. Another North Carolina activist, James Tyson, climbed over the four-foot wrought-iron fence and held the pole to make sure Newsome didn't fall, Lewis said. He was arrested alongside Newsome as a group of onlookers cheered off camera. The 30-year-olds were charged with defacing a monument on state Capitol grounds, a misdemeanor that can bring up to three years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
A judge ordered $3,000 bond for each of them and said they were free to travel to other states.
(Score: 1) by khallow on Monday June 29 2015, @08:44PM
Indeed taking the flag down doesn't affect the US economy much at all, however it was put up specifically to disenfranchise minority voters. I don't know how else you could label that except as "tyranny and oppression".
I would label it as an empty act of minor defiance.
(Score: 1) by AntiAntagonist on Wednesday July 01 2015, @04:51PM
Yep, defiance against human decency, equality, and pluralism.
(Score: 1) by khallow on Thursday July 02 2015, @01:21PM
(Score: 1) by AntiAntagonist on Thursday July 02 2015, @04:04PM
I am not casting aspersions on your character. I attribute those to the flag and what it symbolizes. I do not know why you think I do not value human decency, equality, and pluralism. Or is this an indirect ad hominem on my character?
Why would it be a fruitless effort if people are upset at what the flag symbolizes and therefore want it removed? Typing comments takes minutes and is free. Working for cash, then donating to causes takes hours or days.
(Score: 1) by khallow on Thursday July 02 2015, @08:39PM
I am not casting aspersions on your character. I attribute those to the flag and what it symbolizes. I do not know why you think I do not value human decency, equality, and pluralism. Or is this an indirect ad hominem on my character?
My view on this is that we suddenly have all this care about the old civil war flag because racism in the traditional sense of the word motivates a considerable portion of the Democrat party base to vote and those additional voters will be needed in order for the Democrats to hold their ground in the 2016 elections (and possibly win the US Presidency).
The thing is, if we do strip the civil war flag from US public buildings for your alleged reasons, then what? The Democrats still need to win the 2016 elections (and beyond). There will be new race baiting. I'd much rather this be directed at a colorful rag in Georgia than say the traditional process of Balkanization.