Changing Mississippi flag is overdue

I would like to see the flag of Mississippi changed. But before you get all “fired up” at me, just think of the logic in doing so:

The Civil War is an important part of American history. Yet, its importance does not make Mississippi current. The flag represents the past. It is also offensive to some people and the change is overdue. I would like to see a brown magnolia tree in the middle of the flag with a gray-and-white mockingbird sitting on a branch. The background would be green. So the flag would be green, brown, gray and white. After all, the magnolia is the state tree and the mockingbird is the state bird.

The current flag should be placed in a museum where people can see and read about it.

We must be forward and we need to understand the Confederate battles were historical but we don’t wear Confederate uniforms or sing “Dixie” anymore. We also don’t see people picking cotton — machinery does that now. Slavery is gone (thank God). We are a diversified state, and even love for the South belongs to all of us, not just a few. I don’t know of anyone who would not love the Mississippi state tree or the state bird.

This story was originally published May 7, 2017 at 4:45 AM with the headline "Changing Mississippi flag is overdue."