Walmart, Baptist group join calls to rid Mississippi flag with rebel emblem
Walmart says it will no longer display the Mississippi flag in its stores, joining the growing calls for changes to the state’s banner.
While displaying state flags “is a common practice” at Walmart stores nationwide, the retail giant said it’s already taking steps to rid its displays of the rebel-themed flag.
“We believe it’s the right thing to do, and is consistent with Walmart’s position to not sell merchandise with the Confederate flag from stores and online sites, as part of our commitment to provide a welcoming and inclusive experience for all of our customers in the communities we serve,” spokesperson Anne Hatfield said in a statement to McClatchy News.
The Magnolia State remains the only in the Union with a flag that includes the Confederate battle emblem — a symbol that has long been a source of controversy.
The emblem and other Confederate symbols have faced renewed scrutiny amid protests demanding change after the death of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man who died in police custody after a Minneapolis officer knelt on his neck for about eight minutes as three other officers failed to intervene. Those officers have since been charged and fired.
Mississippi’s flag has also drawn opposition from the state’s largest Christian denomination. On Tuesday, the Mississippi Baptist Convention held a news conference calling on state leaders to adopt a new flag, local station WLBT reported.
Clergy leaders said the issue isn’t a political one, but one of morals due to the racial undertones associated with the Confederate emblem.
“While some may see the current flag as a celebration of heritage, a significant portion of the state sees it as a relic of racism and a symbol of hatred,” said MBC executive director Shawn Parker, according to the Clarion Ledger.
The group doesn’t believe the flag aligns with the Lord’s teachings of treating others as you would want to be treated.
“It’s a symbol of something we do not need to be apart of,” Parker added, the newspaper reported. “It’s therefore apparent that the need to change the flag is a matter of discipleship for every follower of Jesus Christ.”
The fight over Mississippi’s flag landed on the ballot in 2001, with residents ultimately voting to keep the design by a tally of 64% to 35%.
Amid renewed calls to rid the flag of the controversial emblem, a group of bipartisan state lawmakers drafted a resolution earlier this month for the flag to be changed, McClatchy News reported. However, Republican Gov. Tate Reeves has said if the state is going to adopt a new flag, it should be up to voters to decide.
“What I believe is there is going to come a time at some point I’m sure, when the people of Mississippi are going to want to change the flag,” Reeves said at news conference, according to McClatchy.
“My position is, when they want to do that, it should be the people that make that decision, not some backroom deal by a bunch of politicians in Jackson,” he added.
This story was originally published June 24, 2020 at 11:51 AM.